Discover Plaveč

Plaveč lies on both banks of the Jevišovka. A Romanesque rotunda shapes its architectural heritage; hiking, cycling and nature in the Lapikus area offer more to explore. The bathing beaches at the Výrovice Reservoir are also accessible from Plaveč.

River Landscape and Trails

The varied valley of the Jevišovka is ideal for hiking and cycling. The Lapikus area is characterised by steep rocky slopes and near-natural forests.

Rotunda and Architectural History

The Plaveč castle complex includes a Romanesque rotunda. It is a late Romanesque building dating from the first half of the 13th century and is already mentioned in written records from 1234. The dating of the building and the early written reference provide two distinct historical points of reference: the first describes when it was built, while the second is its earliest documented mention.

An Empire-style extension was added in the 1830s; a crypt was built beneath the rotunda in 1868. The 2008 restoration is part of its more recent conservation history. The building thus brings together its medieval origins, a 19th-century extension and a later restoration.

A striking detail is the stone sculpture atop the stone lantern: four human faces look out towards the four cardinal directions. The open bell turret also contains a bell dating from 1487. It is one of the four oldest bells in the Znojmo District. The building’s form, sculpture and bell offer different ways to explore the rotunda’s details.

Another historic church in Plaveč is the filial church, dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Together, the two churches offer different perspectives on the town’s history: the rotunda’s building phases and decorative details, and the filial church’s religious dedication.

Nature in the Lapikus Area

In the Lapikus area, steep, inaccessible rocky slopes above the Jevišovka provide habitats for rare plant species. It also has relatively well-preserved, near-natural woodland with rare species in the ground layer. The rocky sites and woodland are two distinct natural features of the area.

The characteristic forest communities include wavy-hairgrass and Hercynian oak-hornbeam forests, transitioning into a form of Carpathian oak-hornbeam forest. This classification identifies specific forest types and a transition between them; Lapikus is characterised not only by its rocky slopes but also by the diversity of its forest vegetation.

Hiking Trails, Cycle Route and Bathing Beaches

A yellow-marked and a green-marked hiking trail pass through Plaveč. The long-distance cycle route No. 481 from Jeseník to Znojmo also runs through the municipality.

The bathing beaches at the Výrovice Reservoir are another destination for a day out swimming, accessible from Plaveč. The options for planning your day are distinct: the hiking trails and long-distance cycle route run through the municipality, while the bathing beaches are a destination at the reservoir.

Discover more destinations: Dolenice, Jevisovice, Horní Dubňany, Nový Šaldorf-Sedlešovice, Dobřínsko, Velký Karlov, Hrádek, Lukov.

For the overview of the wider area, see: Znojmo District.