Hostouň: Jewish Cemeteries, Church and Tvrz Šafránov

Hostouň’s local history can be explored through several tangible traces: two Jewish cemeteries, the Church of St. Bartholomew, and Tvrz Šafránov. When planning your stay, both the different historical periods and the cemeteries’ locations and access routes are important. Bartolomějské posvícení adds a local tradition that is still celebrated to the history of the buildings and cemeteries.

Jewish Cemeteries and Their Time Periods

The two Jewish cemeteries differ in their chronology. The Old Jewish Cemetery was established in the first half of the 18th century. Its oldest tombstone dates from 1786, and the last burial took place in 1848. Today, about 40 tombstones remain there. The New Jewish Cemetery has around 340 tombstones dating from 1856 to 1936. These dates serve different purposes: for the Old Cemetery, they span the period from its establishment to the last burial, while for the New Cemetery, they specify the dates of the tombstones.

The Old Cemetery is about 600 meters from the center of Hostouň, in the narrow valley of the Sulovický potok. There is no direct road access. The route runs from the end of the road along a garden and across the edge of a field. The cemetery is freely accessible; check access conditions before your visit, as they may change.

The New Jewish Cemetery lies southwest of the center, on a slope above the Sulovický potok. A drivable unpaved road leads to it from the Hostouň–Pavlov road; parking is available nearby. The cemetery has a restored mortuary, and it is freely accessible. Here too, it is advisable to check access conditions before your visit, as they may change.

Church and Tvrz: Different Building Histories

The Church of St. Bartholomew is a Baroque church from the early 18th century, though it was originally medieval. It was expanded at the beginning of the 18th century and received its tower in 1773. Its building history therefore spans more than one period: its medieval origins, the expansion, and the tower belong to different historical moments. This sequence provides a helpful framework for considering the church’s Baroque classification alongside its older history.

The history of a significant estate and several building phases come together at Tvrz Šafránov. The estate with the Tvrz was Hostouň’s most significant estate; its remains are still visible today. The Tvrz is a stone building with a Renaissance core. It was altered and expanded in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, and partly demolished in the second half of the 20th century. The Renaissance core refers to the older structural core; the later alterations and expansions mark further phases, before part of the building was demolished.

Landscape and Local Tradition

The center of Hostouň lies in the valley of the Sulovický potok. This landscape feature complements the information about the cemeteries’ locations: the Old Cemetery lies in the narrow valley of the stream, while the New Cemetery is on a slope above the Sulovický potok.

Bartolomějské posvícení is a long-standing local tradition that is still celebrated in Hostouň. The exact dates vary from year to year. If you would like to plan your stay around the festival, check that year’s dates before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Slaný, Poštovice, Kyšice, Želenice, Jemníky, Jedomělice, Hořešovičky, Pchery.

For the broader travel overview: Kladno District.