Levín – Ceramics, History and Hiking

Levín is a place where a long ceramics tradition, medieval history and a clearly marked hiking trail come together. Several different sights await you in the town: House No. 10, the bell tower, the castle ruins and the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Anyone who wants not only to observe culture but also to experience it through craftsmanship will find a particularly hands-on introduction at the pottery workshop.

Ceramics as Living Local History

House No. 10 is the last surviving pottery workshop in Levín. Visitors can tour the workshop with its historic kiln and work at the potter’s wheel. The individual pottery workshops in Levín can be visited during fairs and events or at any time by prior telephone arrangement. This gives ceramics two different points of access: you can see the traditional workplace and work at the potter’s wheel yourself.

Historical Levín ceramics from the 17th and 18th centuries featured floral motifs. These were applied with white slip to reddish-brown clay bodies and covered with a transparent lead glaze. The combination of the floral motif, light-colored slip, reddish-brown clay body and transparent glaze defines the distinctive material character of this historic pottery. Levín may be the only place in the Czech Republic with an uninterrupted ceramics production that has continued for 600 years.

Castle, Bell Tower and Church

Near the summit of the rocky promontory, the remains of a fortification wall and part of an unspecified square structure have survived from Levín Castle. Archaeological finds indicate that the castle existed in the second half of the 13th century and may have fallen into decline in the 14th century. The castle therefore cannot be described as a fully preserved complex; instead, it is represented by individual structural remains.

Levín’s bell tower adds its own construction phase to this historical trace. The ground floor was built in 1699 from masonry taken from the castle; inside, there is a viewing platform. The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is registered as an immovable cultural monument. It is a circular central-plan building: founded in 1788, it burned down three years later and was rebuilt in 1798.

Hiking and Events

Beyond the ceramics and architectural history, there is also a clearly described route into the surrounding area. A 9-kilometre hiking route to Sedlo can begin directly in Levín; it initially follows the blue markings and then the green markings. The two colors divide the route into its successive sections. Since 2021, the Levíno event held in September has been part of the events in Levín. It is dedicated to regional winemakers and refreshments. The Levíner Český jarmark combines ceramics with demonstrations of other crafts and a cultural program.

Discover More Places

If you would like to discover more places for planning your trip in addition to Levín, you can also visit Býčkovice, Brzánky, Dušníky, Chodovlice, Žalhostice, Vrbičany, Litoměřice-Město and Roudnice Nad Labem as well.

For the higher-level travel overview: Litoměřice District.