Šonov combines a distinctive history of church architecture with geological features in the surrounding area. The Chapel of Our Lady and the Church of St. Margaret represent different architectural periods; Homole and Kamenec add their own landscape features. The village can thus be explored through its architecture and local history, as well as its location in the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area.
The Chapel of Our Lady and its predecessor
The wooden Church of St. John the Evangelist once stood on the site of today’s chapel. It is documented from 1354 and burned down in 1775. The Neo-Gothic Chapel of Our Lady was built on the same site in 1877. Its history therefore spans several centuries and encompasses two different church buildings in one place.
For visitors, it is also important to distinguish between the exterior and interior: The chapel can be visited from outside daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Access to the interior is possible by prior telephone arrangement with the Roman Catholic parish of Broumov. Check this arrangement before your visit, as access arrangements may change.
The Church of St. Margaret and Baroque architecture
The Church of St. Margaret stands alone on a hill west of Šonov and offers views of Broumov and the surrounding countryside. Built between 1727 and 1730, it is an example of High Baroque architecture. Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer is indirectly credited with its design. Another distinctive feature is its floor plan: it consists of a passage oval with quadrilaterals bevelled at the ends.
The historic buildings also include the late Baroque rectory. Its construction history begins in 1782 and extends to the present day. Together with the Church of St. Margaret and the Chapel of Our Lady, it offers another perspective on Šonov: not only do the architectural forms differ, but the buildings also reveal different periods.
Broumovsko and geological features
The entire area of Šonov lies within the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area. Homole, also known as Šonovská sopka, is in the Javoří Mountains east of Šonov in Czechia. Its summit features a ventarole from which warm air emerges, as well as a rocky depression about 4 m deep. The name Šonovská sopka also refers to this site; the specific description here applies to the ventarole and the rocky depression.
Another geologically remarkable site is Kamenec, about 1.2 km northeast of the village centre. Its features include rocks, rock faces and outcrops of andesitoids, also known as melaphyre. The information about Kamenec refers to its location relative to the village centre and to these geological formations.
Hiking and cycling
A blue-marked hiking trail to Homole runs from Hvězda via Křinice and Šonov to Nowa Ruda. Šonov is therefore part of a route connecting several places. Check the current trail markings before setting out.
The 46 km Cyklookruh “ze Šonova po Javořích horách přes Głuszycu a Osówku” is intended for mountain bikes or trekking bikes. The moderately difficult to difficult route starts at the junction by the municipal office in Šonov. Its length, difficulty level and recommended bike types provide a specific basis for choosing this tour; it is clearly distinct from the hiking route to Homole, for which no distance is given here.
Discover more destinations: Provodov-Šonov, Běluň, Žďárky, Starkov, Božanov, Chlivce, Vršovka, Mezimestí.
For the overarching travel overview: Náchod District.
