Přestanov: Battlefields, Chapels and Cycling Routes

Přestanov combines the memory of the 1813 battle with sacred architecture and signposted excursion routes. A yellow-marked hiking route to the battle monuments begins in Přestanov and leads through the memorial sites of the 1813 battle. This historical focus is complemented by cycling route 3009. In this way, the town can be explored through its history, buildings and trails.

Local History and Protected Landscape

Přestanov was founded as a village in the 12th century and was first mentioned in writing in 1348. The medieval and modern-era centre of the town is an archaeological area with documented or well-founded expected archaeological finds. Přestanov is also part of the landscape protection and heritage zone “Území bojiště u Přestanova, Chlumce a Varvažova”. As a result, the town has not only individual monuments but also a historically shaped spatial identity.

Following the Traces of the 1813 Battle

The route to the battlefields is just under 10 kilometres long. From the centre of Ústí nad Labem, it can be reached by city bus 81 to Přestanov. The sightseeing route begins there, leading through the memorial sites of the 1813 battle. This provides you with a specific starting point for exploring the history.

The Baroque Juchtová Chapel stands about 500 metres northwest of Přestanov at a crossroads where the roads to Unčín and Stradov divide. It stands on the axis of the main line of battle, where Russian artillery and infantry guard units stopped the major French attack. The French Monument, erected in 1911, stands next to the chapel. The precise location is connected here with a building and a clearly documented episode in the history of the battle.

The mass grave in Přestanov contains the recovered remains of almost 10,000 of the more than 20,000 soldiers who fell in the fighting. The “Ruský pomník” monument commemorates the 1813 battle and consists of a cast-iron pyramid topped by a figure of Nike, with lions at the base. The memorial sites thus combine figures, architecture and remembrance.

Chapel of Saint Anthony

In the centre of Přestanov stands the Chapel of Saint Anthony of Padua. The rectangular building has a gabled roof and a semicircular apse beneath a conical roof. The altar features a Baroque sandstone statue of Saint Anthony dating from 1726. The chapel offers concrete architectural and art-historical points of interest for a tour of the town.

Discover Přestanov by Bicycle

Cycling route 3009 also runs through Přestanov. It leads from Adolfov via Unčín and Chlumec southwards to Radejčín. For planning your day, this connection offers a different approach from the hike focused on battle monuments.

More Destinations

For more travel ideas in Czechia, you can also discover Velké Březno, Perštejn, Habrovany, Aussig, Ryjice, Stebno, Řehlovice and Malečov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Ústí Nad Labem.