Several named cycling routes pass through Horní Kozolupy; at the same time, the town’s history dates back to its first mention in 1237. Cycling and historic buildings therefore provide two specific focal points for planning your stay. The routes differ in length and course, while the histories of Horní Kozolupy and Slavice reveal different chapters of the region.
Cycling: Routes and Courses
The 80-kilometre Kosí potok cycling route passes through Horní Kozolupy. It runs through the Hadovka valley before reaching the town. This makes Horní Kozolupy part of a much longer route. Before setting out, check the conditions on your chosen route, as is advisable when planning a ride.
The marked cycling route 2215 offers a shorter option: it is 18.3 kilometres long and runs from Trpísty via Cebiv and Horní Kozolupy to Černošín. The “K vodě dvakrát přes Hadovku” loop covers 31.5 kilometres and passes through Strahov, Horní Kozolupy, and Slavice. The two descriptions differ both in length and in the stated route type and places along the way. When comparing the routes, you can use these details as a guide without combining them into a single ride.
Horní Kozolupy: A Long History
The first mention of Horní Kozolupy dates from 1237 and is associated with the local nobleman Šuchta of Kozolupy. The town later came under the rule of the Lords of Gutštejn. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Horní Kozolupy was affiliated with nearby Cebiv; it subsequently passed permanently into the Bezdružice estate.
The former Gothic Church of Saints Peter and Paul also offers a glimpse into the town’s history. It is documented from the 14th century and was the only parish church in the Cebiv estate in the 16th and 17th centuries. It also served as the burial place of the estate’s noble owners. No standing church building survives: following two fires in 1947, the church was demolished in 1950. Its history therefore describes a former religious centre, not a church that exists today.
Church and Castle History in Slavice
The Church of St. Lawrence in Slavice is documented from the second half of the 14th century; the present building dates from 1767. On the road to Horní Kozolupy, a Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows stands beneath lime trees in Slavice; it dates from 1822. These two buildings provide different points of reference for the town’s history: St. Lawrence is mentioned as far back as the Middle Ages, while the present church building and the chapel date from later centuries.
The castle grounds in Slavice include a castle building, a granary, a garden, a gate with a pedestrian entrance, and a stone baptismal font. The history of the fortress, by contrast, is marked by the loss of its structural remains: they disappeared around 1820 during the castle’s renovation and the construction of a new farmyard. The castle grounds and the former fortress thus represent different aspects of the town’s history; the fortress itself should not be understood as a surviving building.
Landscape and Planning Your Stay
The Úterský potok Nature Park is in the vicinity of Horní Kozolupy. About two kilometres west of the town, near the settlement of “U silnice,” stand two protected lime trees. These features complement the cycling and architectural history with points of interest in the landscape outside the town centre.
If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay, you can first consider whether your plans are more focused on cycling routes or on the town’s history and architecture. For a bike ride, the route length and stated course are useful points of comparison; for a cultural and historical focus, the history of Horní Kozolupy’s parish church and the buildings in Slavice offer different topics.
Discover more destinations: Tisová, Kočov, Zhoř, Staré Sedliště, Erpužice, Sytno, Dlouhý Újezd, Konstantinovy Lázne
Go to the wider travel overview: Okres Tachov.
