Kostelní Strimelice can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: St. Martin’s Church, its hillside location on Pecný, and historical traces of the fortress and copper mining. There is also a circular cycling route and a blue-marked hiking trail. This combination gives you concrete points of reference to decide whether your trip is more about cultural history, the landscape or a route to follow.
St. Martin’s: cultural monument and furnishings
St. Martin’s Church is listed as a protected cultural monument. Its furnishings include a Baroque high altar dating from the first quarter of the 18th century, which was moved here in 1789 from the Na Zderaze church in Prague, as well as a wooden pulpit from 1707.
The dates highlight different things: the pulpit is associated with a single year, while the altar’s history includes not only its date of creation but also its later relocation and place of origin. Those interested in art history will find here not just a stylistic term, but also a specific move between Prague and St. Martin’s Church.
Hillside location and fortress site
Kostelní Strimelice lies on the slopes of the 542 m-high Pecný. The site of the former fortress remains a prominent spur of land at an elevation of 450 m.
To understand the location, it is worth distinguishing the reference points for the two figures: 542 m refers to Pecný, while 450 m refers to the fortress site. The figures therefore refer to the hill and the historic site, not to the same place.
The fortress and copper mining: separate traces of the past
The former fortress is first documented in writing in 1359. Another historical trace is copper mining: it began in the early 1540s in Kostelní Střimelice, formerly Horní Střimelice, and in Hradové Střimelice, formerly Dolní Střimelice. The different former names help distinguish the two places.
The dates relate to different topics: 1359 is the first written record of the former fortress; copper mining began in the early 1540s. This allows the history of the fortress and mining to be considered as separate historical strands rather than combined into a single local history.
Cycling route and hiking trail
Official cycling route 4/C passes through Kostelní Strimelice and forms an approximately 30 km circular route starting in Sázava. The route number, approximate length and starting point provide concrete guidance for planning. As route conditions and signage may change, check them before your ride.
A blue-marked hiking trail also passes through Kostelní Střimelice and continues to the signpost near Chlum. Here, the trail marking and named signpost help with navigation. The condition and markings of this trail may also change; check the current situation before setting out.
If you are choosing between the two types of route, the planning details described are quite different: for the cycling route, a circular route and approximate length are given; for the hiking trail, the blue marking and the signpost near Chlum are specified. Consider whether an approximate circular-route length or a marked trail to a named navigation point would be more useful for your trip.
Discover more destinations: Doubek, Sluhy, Struhařov, Dobřejovice, Oplany, Záryby, Nehvizdy, Tehov.
For the overview of the wider area: Okres Praha-Východ.
