Opařany reveals itself through tangible traces of its monastic and church history, a publicly accessible park and a trail with historic ties to the Jesuits. This gives you a choice of different things to focus on during your stay: interior spaces on a guided tour, sacred architecture, trees along an educational trail, or the paved path to Jezuitský vrch. Tourist accommodation options are also available locally: DPN Opařany offers accommodation in 21 apartments.
Monastic history and interiors
The former Jesuit monastery in Building A was constructed between 1717 and 1727 from an earlier stone fortress. The religious imagery continues at the Baroque monastery gate, Markéta: it takes its name from the fresco of Saint Margaret in the gable. If you are interested in the interiors, you can plan a guided tour as a separate focus of your visit. It includes the cloister, the Baroque refectory hall, museum rooms and the church’s oratory rooms. Check the current tour schedule before your visit.
Building A also houses a permanent exhibition of historical documents and objects relating to the history of psychiatry in Opařany. This adds a different perspective on the place to its monastic history. The exhibition and the rooms included in the tour cover different subjects, even though both are connected with Building A and the monastery.
Churches and architectural styles
The Church of Saint Francis Xavier was built between 1732 and 1735 on the site of an earlier church dating from the mid-17th century. Its main altar bears an image of the Black Madonna. The construction dates and the earlier church form a clear timeline: a new sacred building was erected at this site in the 18th century.
Another architectural feature is the Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk, immediately next to the Church of Saint Wenceslas. The chapel itself is protected as a cultural monument. It is built of mixed masonry, with a square floor plan, a curved gable and a roof covered with double-laid tiles. The interior also has a square floor plan and a ribbed cross vault. The exterior form and the vault offer two different ways to appreciate the design. The Opařany water tower was built in 1901.
Park and trail to Jezuitský vrch
DPN Opařany’s park is open to the public daily from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is protected as a cultural monument. An educational dendrological trail runs through the park, with signs drawing attention to rarer trees. This gives a visit to the park its own focus, distinct from the churches and historic interiors.
A paved forest path leads from Opařany to Jezuitský vrch and an image of the Black Madonna. The path also has a historical connection: Jesuits once walked along it after preparing for their work as preachers and missionaries at the monastery in Opařany. The route therefore connects the local monastic history with a specific destination, without suggesting that its historical use reflects present-day conditions.
Other activities and accommodation
The Bistro community centre offers workshops and other activities for the general public. These include gatherings, talks, exercise classes and board games. Alongside architectural history and walks, community activities therefore provide another area of interest in the town.
For an overnight stay, DPN Opařany offers tourist accommodation in 21 apartments. When planning your visit, you can consider each attraction separately: a guided tour of the former monastery’s interiors, the park and its educational trail, the sacred buildings, and the historic path to Jezuitský vrch. Which of these you combine depends on what interests you most in Opařany.
Discover more destinations: Hlasivo, Pojbuky-Blatnice, Krtov, Vresná, Krátošice, Vilice, Katov, Mazice
See the overview of the wider region: Okres Tábor.
