Osek brings together the village’s tangible history and distinctive landscape features. Hrádek stands on the site of the medieval Zálužský hrad castle; to this day, Hrádek remains a local landmark in the landscape. Elsewhere, a chapel, memorials and a traditional log house reveal the village’s architectural heritage and commemorative traditions. The surviving ponds also offer a glimpse into the history of the landscape. Osek can therefore be understood not only through individual monuments, but also through the different forms its local history has taken.
Chapel, Memorials and Architectural History
A chapel with a square floor plan, a tented roof and a wooden lantern housing a bell stands on the village square. It is of local heritage significance. Nearby, the war memorial commemorates those who fell in the world wars. The village square thus brings together two different perspectives: the chapel is defined by its specific architectural form, while the memorial serves a commemorative purpose.
Another memorial is located in Osek Park: the T. G. Masaryk Memorial was donated in 1948 by a group of people from Osek in Prague. The year and the donors give the memorial a clearly defined history. The cast-iron cross on the road to Újezd is also a notable feature of the village; it stands opposite the school in Osek. House No. 66 in Osek adds to the architectural history as a traditional log house of heritage value. The chapel and log house illustrate two different architectural forms, while the memorials and the cross draw attention to different historical points of reference.
Ponds as Part of the Landscape’s History
Two of Osek’s ten historic ponds have survived: Žákův rybník and U Severů. Their names thus represent a stock that has changed significantly from its historic total. Unlike the chapel and log house, the story here is not told by the form of a single building; the history of the landscape becomes tangible through the comparison between the ten historic ponds and the two that survive. Together with Hrádek, a local landmark in the landscape, the ponds reveal a second dimension of Osek: alongside named buildings, inherited landscape features also shape the village’s history.
Cycling and Regional Remembrance
The “Z Hořovic na Záskalskou a do Komárova” cycling route leads into the municipality of Osek. This is distinct from a planned cycle path from Osek to the outskirts of Hořovice. When planning your trip, it is important to note the status of these two details: the route leads into the municipality, while the connection to Hořovice is described as a planned project. For cycling, Osek therefore offers two different options: a named route that passes through the municipality and a planned connection towards Hořovice.
The “Běh partyzánskou stezkou” run also connects a specific route with regional remembrance. The 2025 edition’s route runs partly along a paved road, then through woodland to a partisan shelter and back. The run is held in memory of the anti-fascist resistance in the Hořovice region. This differs from the fixed memorials in the village: here, the route’s described course includes movement through different types of terrain, while the event commemorates the region’s history of resistance.
Discover more destinations: Olešná, Koněprusy, Mořinka, Rpety, Loděnice, Korno, Broumy, Trubín.
For the regional travel overview: Beroun District.
