In Slustice, a Gothic church, a predominantly agricultural landscape and a walking route through several municipalities come together. This gives travellers two distinct areas of focus when planning a trip: architectural and art history in the village, and paths that draw the eye towards the wider region. Those looking for a destination with a specific historic building and a connection to the surrounding area will find both here, on different scales.
A church with several layers of history
The Church of St James the Greater (sv. Jakuba Většího) is a single-nave Gothic building surrounded by a cemetery wall with a gate. Its interior preserves Baroque ceiling paintings and fragments of Gothic wall paintings. The paintings thus reveal a connection between different art-historical periods, while the building’s history remains more than the story of a single era.
The originally Gothic church was completely rebuilt between 1746 and 1749. Only the masonry of the presbytery, or chancel, remains from the older building. The present description of the church as a Gothic single-nave building and the documented reconstruction therefore tell two sides of its architectural history: its earlier origins and the extensive rebuilding in the 18th century. The former school building at No. 53 is also part of the village’s history; it is known from Jiří Menzel’s film *The Snowdrop Festival* (*Slavnosti sněženek*).
Fields, forests and waterways
Slustice lies on the Pražská plošina, at the boundary between the Středočeská pahorkatina and the Česká tabule. The landscape is predominantly agricultural. Smaller parts of the area are covered by three named forests: Babický les, Klánovický les and Říčanský les. These details give the surroundings a distinctly rural character without reducing the landscape to a single type.
The local waterways can also be described precisely. Mlýnský rybník borders the eastern edge of the settlement and is used for water storage and fire protection. Slustice’s waterways also include the Výmola stream and two culverted sections of its tributaries. Together with the fields and smaller wooded areas, these features give a picture of the local landscape and its functions.
Walking routes beyond the municipal boundaries
The “Cesty, které nás spojují” (“Paths That Connect Us”) route links Slustice with eight other municipalities via 27 kilometres of restored field paths for pedestrians. Along the route, 44 information boards cover the history, culture and natural features of the two regions. The trail therefore offers more than a connection between places: the boards introduce regional themes along the way, while the paths link the municipalities.
When choosing a section, you can use its difficulty level as a guide and select a suitable length. The walking paths are also suitable for the youngest day-trippers. This makes it possible to tailor the planned walk to different needs without treating the route as having one fixed length. For planning your trip, it is useful to distinguish between the two main attractions: the church brings architectural and art history together in one specific place, while the route follows field paths onwards to the connected municipalities.
Plan your visit and travel
The traditional Sluštická pouť pilgrimage fair includes a livestock breeding exhibition and a football tournament. If you would like to plan your stay around the event, check the dates in advance. Slustice is also served by the Prague Integrated Transport system (Pražská integrovaná doprava). For your specific journey, it is advisable to check the timetable for your chosen connection on the day you plan to travel.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Slustice, you can start by deciding whether local history or a section of the regional walking route is more important for your trip. You can choose the route length according to its difficulty; access to the Prague Integrated Transport system is another factor to consider when planning. This will help you choose your destination based on the activities you actually have in mind.
Discover more destinations: Křížkový Újezdec, Husinec, Kozojedy, Zvánovice, Zeleneč, Jenštejn, Říčany, Škvorec.
For the wider travel overview: Praha-Východ District.
