Oznice – Cultural Traces and Views

Oznice between Craftsmanship, Remembrance and Views

Oznice combines small cultural and historical discoveries with paths through the foothills of the Hostýnské vrchy. Those looking for more than just a single excursion destination during their stay will find bells, monuments, historical traces and viewpoints in a varied sequence. Many destinations can also be combined with a hike or cycling tour.

At Forajtka stands a protected wooden belfry with two bells. One of them dates from 1737. The belfry was moved to its present location after the First World War; it originally stood by house number 15, belonging to the Hrabovský family in Lípí. Beside the road leading through Oznice, near the municipal office, a stone cross erected in 1906 at the expense of the Zetek couple commemorates local history.

Historical Traces Along Paths and Heights

A simple stone monument to T. G. Masaryk stands in the Píšková saddle. It is located in a grassy clearing with ornamental shrubs and young lime trees. Above Oznice, a restored partisan bunker lies on a hillside; it was reconstructed in 1980. Partisan Augustin Bártek from Brňov was killed there on 1 March 1945 in combat with German police forces.

The ridges are also home to special places of remembrance. At the cadastral boundary between Oznice and Banky, near the Na pasekách area, stands a sandstone block bearing the inscription “Kaiser Franz Josefs - Hohe 1898”. It commemorates Emperor Franz Joseph I’s stay in 1898. At the boundary between Oznice and Branky, near the farmstead by Mrnuštíků, a simple wooden wayside shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary stands between two mature lime trees. It has a roof and a statue of the Virgin Mary. A Pentecost mass is held in May at the pilgrimage site near Mrnuštíků.

Traditional craftsmanship is also part of the local history. Historically, the residents of Oznice earned additional money by weaving brooms and making Wallachian shoes, carts, sledges, wooden tools and other wooden objects.

Landscape, Views and Cycling Tours

A roughly 13.5-kilometre-long yellow-marked trail runs through the eastern foothills of the Hostýnské vrchy. It offers numerous panoramic views of nearby ridges and the Vsetínské vrchy opposite. The trail begins at the Oznice ČSAD bus stop and leads via Kuželek, Lázy, Háje, Pod Chladnou and U Holáňů to the bridge in Pržno.

A prominent viewpoint is the Oznička, an almost eight-metre-high private wooden observation tower in the Hostýnské vrchy above Oznice. The tower has existed since 2019, and its viewing platform was opened to the public in 2023. The Oznička is freely accessible; ascent is at your own risk. From the covered platform five metres above the ground, you can see the adjacent settlement and the surrounding hills characterised by pastures. Through an opening to the northeast, the summit of Radhošť in the Beskids is visible. The Oznička lies along the route between Mikulůvka and Oznice.

When travelling from Oznice to the Oznička, allow for an approximately 1,200-metre-long, steeply ascending stretch to a saddle. A mountain bike is more suitable than a road bike for the final 200 metres. Another perspective on the surroundings is offered by the 45-kilometre cycling tour “Na Kelečský zámek z Valmezu”. It leads via Valašské Meziříčí, Poličná, Branky, Kelč, Kunovice, Loučka, Podolí, Oznice, Mikulůvka and Jarcová back to Valašské Meziříčí and is suitable for e-bikes, gravel bikes and mountain bikes. On cycle route 6220, head towards Oznice, through the village and, from the “Nad Oznicí” junction, initially continue along a yellow-marked route before the tour changes to a green-marked route.

More Destinations in This Location Overview

For your further search for suitable destinations, you can also choose from Francova Lhota, Prlov, Janová, Vigantice, Pustevny, Hošťálková, Lačnov and Branky Na Morave.

For the higher-level travel overview: Vsetín District.