Malé Svatoňovice combines religious and mining history with practical opportunities for hiking and cycling. The buildings date from the Baroque period to the early 20th century; trails lead from here to the Žaltman lookout tower and through several places in the region. This lets you plan your trip around culture, scenery or activity without combining the different destinations into a single tour.
Cultural and Pilgrimage History
The Čapek Brothers Museum in Malé Svatoňovice was founded in 1946. The Pilgrimage Church of the Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary is an older building: it dates from 1734 and was remodelled between 1830 and 1831. Mariánský sad is a woodland park with a Way of the Cross and seven brick chapels dedicated to the Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary. The local cultural heritage therefore encompasses both architectural history and a distinctive connection between the landscape and religious sites.
Another chapel is Boží hrob. It was built between 1902 and 1905 and consecrated on 8 April 1906. The dates make the sequence clear: the Baroque pilgrimage church was followed by a renovation and further buildings from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anyone interested in architecture and religious history will find different periods and forms here, rather than just a single building as the focus.
Mining, Park and Spring
Mining history is also part of Malé Svatoňovice’s character. Hard coal mining in the municipality began in 1590 and ended in 1990; numerous places are associated with it. The portal of the Kateřina adit is the entrance to a former drainage adit dating from the mid-19th century. The adit was used as a source of water for the spa.
The former spa park was created in 1830 and can be accessed from Karel Čapek Square. Its features include a music pavilion and an audience platform. The Svatoňovická Studánka spring offers a different natural feature: its water emerges from seven rock crevices and does not freeze in winter. The park, spring and adit each represent different aspects of the area’s history and landscape; they provide distinct starting points for planning a trip.
Hiking to Žaltman and Cycling Routes
The Žaltman lookout tower is 25 metres high and has 122 steps. From Malé Svatoňovice, a hiking trail leads first along blue and then green trail markers to the tower. The route is approximately four kilometres long and has a significant elevation gain. Check the trail markers before setting off. The tower can be visited free of charge year-round, with no fixed opening hours; if weather-related or maintenance restrictions are announced, check access again.
There are two differently described routes to choose from for cycling trips. Cycle Route 3 starts in Malé Svatoňovice and leads, via a more challenging climb, towards the Na Markoušovickém hřebeni lookout tower, which stands at an altitude of 708 metres. Cycle Route 4, by contrast, is described as a circular route: it passes through Havlovice, Rtyně v Podkrkonoší, Odolov, Jívka, Malé Svatoňovice and Úpice before returning to Havlovice. The clear difference is in the route: Route 3 centres on the climb to a lookout point, while Route 4 connects several places in a loop. Check local route conditions before setting off.
A specific event from 2026 also illustrates the range of hiking opportunities in the area: the Krvavej Čepelka hiking march, organised by KČT Malé Svatoňovice, took place for the 50th time on 6 June. Routes of 5, 10 and 20 kilometres were offered for this edition. The 20-kilometre route was four times as long as the 5-kilometre route, with the 10-kilometre option in between. If you choose Malé Svatoňovice as your destination, you can distinguish between its cultural history, a marked trail to Žaltman, and the cycling and hiking options described here.
Discover more destinations: Litíč, Staré Buky, Dolní Olešnice, Borovnice U Staré Paky, Hostinne, Strazne, Spindlermühle, Prkenný Dul
See the wider travel overview: Okres Trutnov.
