In Postupice, St. Martin’s Church offers a glimpse into different periods of construction. The history of Jemniště Castle and its park adds its own distinctive elements: castle architecture, the development of a water castle and the transformation of a garden come together here. For travel planning, church architecture, park history and a cycling route can be considered as distinct areas of interest.

St. Martin’s Church: Several Periods of Construction

The oldest part of St. Martin’s Church dates from before or around 1250. Only the chancel survives from the original Gothic church; its east window still features Gothic tracery. The approximate dating leaves the timeframe open, while the chancel and window preserve tangible traces of the church’s Gothic building history. Tracery is the stonework that divides a window and makes its design a distinctive architectural detail.

The nave and tower belong to a Baroque renovation carried out in 1718. The nave has two aisles and a barrel vault with lunettes. St. Martin’s Church thus shows distinct building periods: the older Gothic chancel on the one hand, and the nave and tower from the Baroque renovation on the other. Those interested in architectural history can consider the surviving parts and their different forms in terms of their respective periods, rather than viewing the church as a building constructed all at once.

Jemniště Castle and the Old Castle

Jemniště Castle was completed in October 1725 to a design by Czech architect František Maxmilián Kaňka. Its completion in the same year that also marks the early history of the park provides a specific point of reference for the history of the castle and gardens. The castle can only be visited on a guided tour, which lasts about 50 minutes. Check the current reservation arrangements before your trip.

The so-called Old Castle in Jemniště originated as a stone water castle. It stood beside a pond that supplied water to its moats. This explains the pond’s historical function: it was part of the water castle’s layout, not merely a decorative feature. The history of the Old Castle can thus be distinguished from that of the 18th-century castle.

Park History and Picnic Offerings

Jemniště Park covers 13 hectares and contains three ponds. František Adam Trauttmansdorff laid it out around 1725. At the end of the 18th century, Jindřich Rottenhan significantly changed its design and planting: the originally formal French garden was partly redesigned and extended with a naturalistic landscape park. This development brought two distinct garden styles together—a formal French garden and a later extension with a naturalistic character.

Jemniště’s picnic offerings include 120 g of game sausage with a pickled gherkin and bread; the sausage is roasted and served cold. Another selection includes 150 g of house-smoked venison or wild boar haunch, served with horseradish, mustard, a pickled gherkin and bread. The two options differ in quantity, meat and accompaniments. As the offer may change, check before your trip whether your preferred selection is currently available.

Plan a Cycle Ride Between the Endpoints

Cycling route 0072 runs between Český Šternberk and Postupice. Postupice is therefore identified as one of the two endpoints; no further details on route length, riding time or difficulty are available for this overview. Before setting out, check the current route conditions and signage, as both may change. This lets you include the cycling route as a separate planning point and assess it in light of current conditions.

Discover more destinations: Vrchotovy Janovice, Pravonín, Mezno, Chlum, Neveklov, Jankov, Stranný, Soutice.

For the broader travel overview: Benešov District.