Tvrdkov lies in the northwestern part of Sovinecko Nature Park; the Tvrdkovský potok flows through the town. Hiking and cycling routes offer specific destinations in the surrounding landscape, while the protected Church of Saint Anthony of Padua is a focal point of cultural history. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these interests separately: the routes differ in mode of travel, direction, and destination; the church offers insight into the town’s history.

Hiking and Cycling Routes

A red-marked hiking trail leads north from Tvrdkov to Špičák and onward to the ruins of Rabštejn Castle. A cycling route passes through Tvrdkov and, via Horní Město and Stará Ves, heads northeast to the excursion destination of Skřítek. The two routes thus differ not only in mode of transport, but also in direction and destination. Check the trail markings locally before setting out on either route.

Landscape and Water

The Rešovské vodopády National Nature Monument encompasses the area around the confluence of the Tvrdkovský potok and the Huntava. At Rešovské vodopády, the Huntava flows through a deeply incised, gorge-like valley. The valley is 70 to 120 metres deep. Rocky gorges, waterfalls, and rapids characterize the landscape. The rocky gorge is about 200 metres long and 6 to 10 metres wide; the highest waterfall is 10 metres tall. These figures describe different dimensions: the depth of the valley, the length and width of the rocky gorge, and the height of the largest waterfall. Together, they give a concrete picture of the landscape features found there.

Church and Local History

The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua stands in Tvrdkov and is protected as a cultural monument. It is a single-nave late Baroque rural church, built from 1768 to 1776; a sacristy was added in 1814. The main building was therefore followed by a later addition whose date is clearly established. The church was financed by local residents and, above all, by the town judge, Augustin Linke. Before the church was built, the site was occupied only by a wooden bell tower, a mortuary, and a cemetery. The site was therefore already associated with religious and burial functions before the church was built.

The furnishings also have their own historical episode: during the First World War (1914–1918), the church bells, along with candlesticks and organ pipes, were removed and melted down for war production. These events belong to a later phase of the town’s history than the church’s construction and the addition of the sacristy.

The cultural history of Tvrdkov also includes a sandstone statue of the Immaculata, made in 1848. It stands on a tiered pedestal with reliefs of saints. The year 1848 is about seven decades after construction of the church was completed. The church and statue thus offer different points of reference in time: the church’s development can be traced from the late 18th century to the addition of the sacristy in 1814; the statue adds a later work with its own date, material, and sculpted details.

Discover more destinations: Vysoká, Holčovice, Bílčice, Mala Moravka, Stará Ves, Horní Benešov, Jiříkov, Valšov

For the broader travel overview: Okres Bruntál.