Two churches with distinct building histories and a hiking trail to the ruins on Bartoloměj are at the heart of Besiny. There is also a cycle link between Klatovy and Besiny. This offers different perspectives for planning your trip: history at the churches, a walking route with stops and a cycle link with a stated distance.

Churches with distinct building histories

St Bartholomew’s was built in the Gothic style around 1370. The church burned down in 1579 and was subsequently restored; it was abandoned in 1788. This sequence shows different phases in its history: its medieval construction was followed by a fire and restoration, before it was eventually abandoned. The account therefore tells not only of the building’s age, but also of a turning point and a later change in its use.

The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary has a different origin. It was originally a castle chapel built in 1654 and was later converted into a single-nave parish church. “Single-nave” describes a church with one main nave. Its original function as a chapel and its later form as a parish church are two different chapters in its building history: the focus here is on the conversion, while St Bartholomew’s was shaped by fire, restoration and abandonment.

A large granite tombstone stands at the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. It was brought there from St Bartholomew’s in 1845. This relocation connects the two churches through a specific object; its material, origin and date can be considered together.

Hiking trail through Machov to the ruins

The hiking trail starts at the church in Besiny, passes through Machov and continues to the ruins on Bartoloměj. Machov is described as the original settlement of Besiny. This gives the place along the route its own connection to the history of the destination. Five points along the trail have information boards in Czech and German. German-speaking travellers can therefore find information in German as well as Czech at every stop. The starting point, route and destination give the hiking trail a clear structure; the boards add five designated information stops.

Cycle route through the Drnový Creek valley

The 11 km cycle route connects Klatovy and Besiny. It runs through the Drnový Creek valley and entirely away from the main road. Its length and endpoints provide a concrete outline of the connection; the valley route and its separation from the main road add information about its landscape and road setting. Another cycling reference identifies cycle route No. 38 as part of the international Prague–Munich cycle route.

The hiking and cycling routes differ in the kind of guidance they offer: for the hiking trail, the start at the church, the route through Machov, the destination at the ruins and the bilingual boards at five stops are all specified. For the cycle route between Klatovy and Besiny, the focus is on its length, endpoints, valley route and separation from the main road. For your stay, you can weigh up whether the local history along the hiking trail or the cycle route with its stated distance better suits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Ostruzno, Mysliv, Bernartice, Petrovice U Sušice, Křenice, Chanovice, Tužice, Sušice

Return to the main travel overview: Okres Klatovy.