Bestvina brings together architectural history and nature: churches and chapels stand alongside marked hiking trails, Hluboš Pond and the wooded Doubrava Valley. One limitation is important when planning: Běstvina Castle stands at the main crossroads in the town centre, but is currently not open to the public. It is therefore a prominent landmark for orientation, but not an accessible visitor attraction.

Churches, Chapels and Architectural History

The parish church of St John the Baptist was remodelled in the Baroque style in 1726 from an earlier Gothic building. The date therefore refers to a remodelling of a structure that had previously been Gothic. The Chapel of St John of Nepomuk reveals a different architectural history: it has a six-pointed star-shaped floor plan and was probably built around 1720. This date is uncertain.

The chapel also houses a wooden group of figures entitled “The Apotheosis of St John of Nepomuk”. This building thus brings together a distinctive floor plan and a specifically named work of art. The parish church and the Chapel of St John of Nepomuk are two distinct religious buildings; their names and architectural details should not be confused.

The Chapel of the Virgin Mary on the hill known as Vinice also dates from the early 18th century. Another chapel, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, is located on the eastern edge of Běstvina. The location details help distinguish these sites: Vinice is part of the name of the hill where the Chapel of the Virgin Mary stands, while the other chapel is described by its location on the eastern edge of the town.

The Castle and Traces of the Past

Behind Běstvina Castle is a landscape park laid out in the early 19th century. The castle is currently not open to the public. The information about the castle distinguishes its central location at the main crossroads from its current accessibility.

Remnants of woodland near Běstvina in the direction of Spačice lead to a different kind of historical trace. Remains of a possibly medieval settlement can be found there. These include building foundations and an almost-buried, stone-lined well. The visible structures and their possible interpretation are two different things: the settlement is not definitively dated to the medieval period.

Hiking Trails and Landscape

Three marked hiking trails start in Běstvina. Since trail markings can change, it is a good idea to check the current signs locally before setting out. Běstvina is also a named waypoint on the Via Czechia Central Trail. This waypoint information supplements the details about the three hiking trails without equating the two.

Hluboš Pond is suitable for swimming; check the swimming conditions locally. This offers another way to shape your stay, in addition to the hiking trails. A nature park is located in the wooded Doubrava Valley. Those who see architectural history and landscape as distinct interests will find different points of interest in the religious buildings on the one hand and the nature and swimming options on the other.

Pařížov is also part of the municipality of Běstvina. There, the dam of the Pařížov Reservoir is a cultural monument in the Gothic Revival style. This adds a landmark in another place within the municipality to the architectural history of the churches and chapels.

Discover more destinations: Načešice, Prosec, Nasavrky, Kočí, Studnice, Třemošnice, Vápenný Podol, Skuteč-Borek.

For the broader travel overview: Chrudim District.