A 13th-century church, a converted Gothic fortress, and a long history of iron ore mining and ironworking shape Osek’s cultural heritage. There are also distinctive natural features: the Osek – rybník Labutinka Natura 2000 site and the Vosek geological site. Those choosing Osek as a travel destination can focus on different themes, from architectural history and Jewish heritage to industrial history and geology.

Cultural history across several periods

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary dates from the second half of the 13th century. Osek’s original Gothic fortress was converted in the Renaissance style in the second half of the 16th century. These two dates mark different chapters in the town’s history. The names should also be distinguished: the church, the fortress, and Osek Castle are not the same complex.

The Kamýk summer palace dates from 1750. Only two of its perimeter walls remain. The Jewish cemetery, Židovský hřbitov, is located in Osek, directly on the eastern slope of the rocky hill with the ruins of the summer palace. The cemetery contains 101 gravestones, fragments, or bases. The figure therefore includes various surviving features, not only complete gravestones.

Iron ore mining and ironworking are also part of Osek’s history. This tradition lasted almost four centuries and began around 1568. A blast furnace and two forges are recorded for 1673. Iron ore was mined until 1850, when the deposits were exhausted. Together, these dates provide a concrete framework for understanding the long history of mining and processing.

The Osek Castle building is an immovable cultural monument. At the same time, the castle is closed to the public and can only be seen to a limited extent: through the gate in the southwest and from the northwest across the gardens. Check before visiting whether these access conditions still apply.

Nature and geology

The Osek – rybník Labutinka site is a Natura 2000 site of European importance and covers approximately 14 hectares. Its approximate area gives it a clearly defined natural dimension alongside the destination’s cultural and historical themes.

Vosek is another site of natural and geological interest. The area is a national natural monument; its cadastral areas include Osek u Rokycan. Vosek is also part of the Barrandien National Geopark. The site has a thick weathering layer containing siliceous concretions up to 50 centimetres in diameter. These originate mainly from sediments of the Šárka Formation and partly from the Dobrotivá Formation. The concretions contain fossils and a very diverse fauna.

The cultural and natural themes offer different points of focus: churches, the fortress, the castle, and mining highlight historical periods and architectural changes, while Vosek is about formations, concretions, and fossils. This makes it possible to explore Osek according to your interest in local history or geology without treating the different sites and protected areas as a single place to visit.

Discover more travel destinations: Mešno, Vejvanov, Kařez, Hlohovice, Plískov, Smědčice, Zbiroh, Volduchy.

For the overview of the wider area: Okres Rokycany.