Village history in Kotopeky is reflected in its varied architectural forms and archaeological traces. At the centre stands the Chapel of St. Wenceslas; in Tihava, the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk sits on an island in a small pond. Other features include the Válcovna on the road from Kotopeky and the former castle site known as “Na baště”. Here, you’ll encounter a range of themes: the history of the village square, architectural styles and traces of earlier use.

Chapels with Different Connections to Their Locations

The Chapel of St. Wenceslas stands in the centre of Kotopeky, on the village square; it was built in 1823. Mass is occasionally held in the chapel. If you plan to attend a service, check the current times in advance. Its year of construction, central location and occasional religious use are distinct aspects of the village’s history.

The Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk is located in the Tihava district, on an island in the middle of a small pond. It has an almost square floor plan, is built of stone and brick, and has been newly reconstructed. In contrast to the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, the island setting and building materials draw attention here; for the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, the village square and year of construction are the specific points of reference.

The Válcovna: Materials and Roof Shape

The Válcovna is a single-storey brick building with a stone plinth and a hipped roof. A hipped roof also has sloping ends. This makes it possible to break down the precise architectural form into individual features: brick and the stone plinth describe the materials and construction, while the hipped roof identifies the roof shape. This adds another architectural description to the picture of the chapels, without conflating their different connections to their locations. The Válcovna stands on the road from Kotopeky.

Historical and Archaeological Traces

The former castle site known as “Na baště” in Tihava survives as the remains of a ditch. The other ditches of the fortress were probably supplied with water from here. At this site, it is important to distinguish between the surviving remains of a ditch and its merely probable function.

The Kotopeky burial mound field comprises 14 mounds; some are of uncertain attribution. This presents two different kinds of archaeological interpretation: at the castle site, the possible water function remains uncertain, while at the burial mound field, the uncertainty concerns individual mounds. This distinction may be useful if you’d like to learn more about the historical traces of the area.

Getting There and Routes

PID bus route 641, operated by ARRIVA STŘEDNÍ ČECHY s.r.o., serves the Kotopeky and Kotopeky, Tihava, u mostu stops. The timetable is valid from 24 July 2026. Check departure times before your journey so you can plan using the appropriate timetable information.

As route conditions can change, check them before setting out on a bike ride. For planning, the bus and the cycling route offer different points of reference: for the bus, use the route number and stops; for cycling, check the current route conditions.

Discover more destinations: Bykoš, Měňany, Chrustenice, Hvozdec, Zadní Treban, Bubovice, Olešná, Březová U Hořovic

For the broader travel overview: Beroun District.