Osek: Architectural History and Cultural Sites

Discover Osek through several distinct cultural and landscape themes. In the southern part of the village, the heritage-listed Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk stands on the main road; on the southern edge lies the extensive Zámek Osek complex with its landscape park. Other highlights include a Jewish cemetery, the St. Tekla wayside shrine, a spring walk and an excursion route connected with Osek. If you are looking for a hotel in Osek, these different points of interest can help you choose a destination that suits your interests.

Chapel and Castle: Architectural History in Osek

The heritage-listed Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk stands in the southern part of Osek on the main road. It was built in the second half of the 18th century and features Baroque elements. It has a rectangular floor plan with a three-sided end. Its construction date, stylistic features and form offer different clues for understanding the building. Visitors interested in religious architecture can consider the chapel in light of these features, without inferring a specific use from its architectural form.

Zámek Osek is associated with a different historical period. In the 15th century, a fortress built by the Osecký family of Brloh stood on the site of today’s castle. The present castle is a four-winged, Neo-Baroque building constructed in 1911; JUDr. Eduard Daubek commissioned its conversion. This makes it possible to distinguish the fortress that once occupied the site from the castle built in the early 20th century. The extensive castle complex lies on the southern edge of Osek and includes a landscape park. Architectural history and the surrounding landscape come together in the same complex, but describe different aspects of the site.

Jewish Cemetery and Wayside Shrine

Around 50 gravestones dating from the first half of the 19th century remain on the 250-square-metre grounds of Osek’s Jewish cemetery. Alongside the architectural histories of the chapel and castle, this adds a distinct connection to Osek’s Jewish heritage. The cemetery is freely accessible. Nevertheless, briefly check the current access conditions before visiting.

The St. Tekla wayside shrine stands about one kilometre south of Osek along the main road towards Kbelnice. It is built of masonry and is considered a valuable landscape feature as well as evidence of folk piety. The approximate distance and the road’s direction provide an indication of its location. Its significance combines its role in the landscape with its religious association.

Walk and Excursion Route

The municipal events calendar lists the spring walk “Okolo Oseka” for 2024, 2025 and 2026. The village pub was to be the starting point for the “Pochod okolo Oseka” on 7 June 2026; the route was planned to lead mainly into the woods beyond Malá Turná. This information applies to the specified date. If an event is the reason for your trip, check the latest date in advance.

Another perspective is offered by the 35-kilometre excursion route “Za památkami Radomyšle”, which passes through Osek. The 35 kilometres refer to the length of the entire route, not a section within the village. This route information therefore differs from the starting-point and direction details for the 2026 event date: it describes the length of the full excursion route. As route conditions may change, check the latest information before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Milejovice, Prední Zborovice, Brezi, Kraselov, Pohorovice, Bratronice, Milonovice, Lažany

For the broader travel overview: Okres Strakonice.