At the northern edge of Šlapánov stands the Church of St Peter and Paul. It was built before 1258; the settlement core of the village is documented in written records from 1318. The church is therefore older than the first written record of the settlement core. These two dates mark different aspects of the village’s history and give Šlapánov an early architectural landmark. The Říp–Blaník pilgrimage route also passes through the village, and a blue-marked hiking trail offers views of the landscape west of the Blaník ridges.

The Church of St Peter and Paul

The church is classified as a branch church. Its nave is rectangular, while the chancel is square and has a semicircular apse. The apse forms the rounded end of the chancel; the terms therefore describe different parts of the building’s structure. An original cross vault with plain brick ribs has been preserved in the chancel. A cross vault is formed by intersecting vaulted surfaces; the brick ribs add a specific architectural detail to the description of the chancel. A prismatic tower was added in 1873, and the church was restored in 1889. These later dates add further stages in the building’s history to its early construction before 1258.

Other historical traces

The Chapel of St Wenceslas offers a glimpse into another historical period. It probably dates from the 18th century and once contained images of St Joseph and St Anne. The Šlapánov fortress is associated with another date: in 1548, it was recorded as ruined or abandoned. No above-ground remains have been identified to date. The chapel and fortress thus offer different historical perspectives: the chapel’s date remains probable, while a status of the fortress at that time is documented.

Pilgrimage route and landscape

The fourth stage of the Říp–Blaník pilgrimage route is 76 kilometres long and runs between Odlochovice, Šlapánov and Roudný. In the village, it passes the Church of St Peter and Paul and leaves Šlapánov between ponds. The 76 kilometres refers to the entire stage; the description of the village section, by contrast, identifies the stretch past the church and the exit between the ponds. This distinguishes the total length of the route from its specific landmarks within Šlapánov.

A blue-marked hiking trail leads out of Šlapánov and through the valley, offering wide views of the landscape west of the Blaník ridges. The route from Šlapánov also reaches the boundary of the Blaník Protected Landscape Area, designated in 1981. The landscape views and the protected-area boundary add two specific links to the surrounding area to the village’s history.

Šlapánov is approximately one kilometre from Zvěstov. The Church of St Peter and Paul is one of the excursion destinations in the vicinity of Zvěstov. You can therefore choose from different travel highlights: the architectural history of the church and chapel, the history of the fortress, or the routes and landscape views described above.

Discover more destinations: Neveklov, Kozmice, Ostředek, Petroupim, Miličín, Trhový Štěpánov, Kondrac, Řimovice

For the overview of the wider region: Okres Benešov.