In Okounov, different chapters of local history sit alongside landscape and outdoor activities: a parish church, Baroque figures, a folk bell tower and an observation tower dating from 2023. When planning your trip, you can decide whether architectural history, scenery, or activities on the cycling route and along the Ohře should shape your stay.
Landscape and recreation around Okounov
The entire municipality of Okounov lies within the Doupovské hory Bird Protection Area (CZ0411002). This designation covers all four cadastral areas of the municipality. Pastviště u Okounova is also of interest for its landscape: it is a rocky ridge on a former communal pasture. Its features include narrow-leaved dry grasslands and extensively managed meadows in lowland and hilly areas. A population of dwarf cherry (Prunus fruticosa) also grows there.
The Ohře adds a connection to the water to the landscape attractions. It is an important recreational feature of the region and is used for water sports. This lets you distinguish between different interests for your stay: the dry grasslands and meadows at Pastviště on one hand, and water sports on the Ohře on the other. No specific operator or timetable is associated with this information.
Churches and traces of local history
A parish church had existed in Okounov since at least 1363 and was reportedly Romanesque in style. The church burned down in a major fire in 1863. Its reconstruction began in the same year, and it was consecrated on 4 November 1866. These dates mark different stages in the church’s history: the early parish church, the fire and the subsequent rebuilding and consecration.
Another historic attraction is the Baroque group of figures depicting the Virgin Mary, Saint Stephen and Saint Lawrence, dating from 1707. The named figures and specific year of creation give the group its own point of reference alongside the history of the church. The folk bell tower Zvonička vidlák dates from the mid-19th century. A small bell hangs from a simple support in a naturally forked tree; a simple wooden roof above it protects the structure.
East of the present-day pseudo-Gothic church lies the site of the former Okounov fortress. It can be identified by the remains of a moat; none of the buildings have survived, and the site may be difficult to interpret on location. A fortress probably already stood in Okounov between 1359 and 1368. It was last mentioned as abandoned in 1540. The visible moat remains and the recorded historical dates therefore offer different ways to explore the former fortification.
Observation tower and cycling route
The Okounov (Pastviště) observation tower is an eight-metre-high wooden tower. Its open platform is seven metres above the ground. Built in 2023, it is made from twisted black locust trunks harvested at Holý vrch. From the road to Oslovice, access to the tower is via an approximately 250-metre unmarked forest path, with around 40 metres of elevation gain. As the path is unmarked and local conditions can change, check its condition before your visit.
Cycling Route No. 3004 runs from Vejprty to Okounov and is 25 kilometres long. It is paved, rated easy and suitable for all types of bicycles. Check current local conditions before setting out. Access to the observation tower and the cycling route offer different ways to get around: the former is a short, unmarked forest path with an elevation gain, while the latter is a longer paved route. This information helps you plan the two outings separately without assigning a specific duration to either.
Discover more destinations: Vysoká Pec U Jirkova, Vysoká Jedle, Vadkovice, Mezihorí, Pesvice, Rajov, Chbany, Radonice
For the broader travel overview: Okres Chomutov.
