Discover Útvina: Churches, history and cycling route

Church architecture, local history and cycling offer different reasons to visit Útvina. St. Vitus, the Church of St. Bartholomew in Přílezy, the Třasák lookout tower and cycling route No. 2232 provide concrete starting points for planning your stay.

Churches and historic village settings

The Church of St. Vitus was built by the Milevsko building lodge in the first quarter of the 14th century on a rise at the northeastern edge of the municipality. Its first written mention dates from 1354. The construction date and first written reference mark different milestones: construction predates the reference. Architecturally, St. Vitus is a single-nave Gothic church with a three-sided presbytery and a rectangular tower on the north side of the presbytery. “Single-nave” describes a church interior with one main nave; the presbytery is the choir area. The church is occasionally accessible. If you would like to visit the interior, check locally in advance to see whether a visit is possible.

Přílezy has a well-preserved, compact historic layout around the village green. The village setting also includes the Church of St. Bartholomew and a cemetery. The late Romanesque church is a Cistercian-type building dating from the second quarter of the 13th century. Its first written mention is dated 17 September 1354. It was given Gothic features in the 14th century and remodelled in the Baroque style in the 18th century. Its building history thus encompasses a late Romanesque origin as well as Gothic and Baroque alterations. The church’s exterior areas are accessible.

A crucifix on a stone pedestal stands in front of St. Bartholomew. The original Neoclassical cross at this location was replaced with a new one at the beginning of the 20th century. This change adds a distinct detail of local history to the church’s building history: alongside the changes to the church itself, the religious symbol in front of the building has also changed over time.

Lookout tower and cycling route

The 12.5-metre-high Třasák lookout tower stands at the southern edge of the municipality. It is hexagonal and has three storeys. Its stone ground floor is topped by a structure made of impregnated spruce wood. The details of its shape and materials clearly distinguish the stone lower section from the wooden structure above. This makes the tower a distinct point of interest among the local buildings, separate from the churches.

Cycling route No. 2232 Bečov–Toužim–Nečtiny passes through Útvina. It is 39 kilometres long and rated moderate. Its length and difficulty rating give you two different points of reference when choosing a ride: the stated distance and its classification. Before setting out, it is advisable to check the current route details, as the distance and rating may be revised. This makes cycling a trip activity in its own right, alongside an interest in church architecture and local history.

The highlights also differ in terms of planning a visit: St. Vitus is occasionally accessible, while the exterior areas of St. Bartholomew are accessible. For the cycling route, the distance and rating are the main considerations. When planning excursions and your stay, you can prioritise these specific interests according to whether you are most interested in historic building phases, village settings or a bike ride.

Discover more destinations: Hochofen, Gießhübl-Sauerbrunn, Donawitz, Schwarzenbach, Nové Hamry, Tüppelsgrün, Bergstadt Platten, Schömitz.

View the wider travel guide: Karlovy Vary District.