If you are looking for holiday accommodation for a stay focused on landscape and culture, you can get a sense of Hojanovice from its distinctive village features: its profile ranges from a striking valley setting and the chapel on the lower village square to a historic stone cross and a hand-operated fire pump. These features offer different perspectives on the natural landscape, architectural and local history, and firefighting technology. When choosing your destination, you can therefore weigh up whether the landscape or the individual historic features are more important to you.
Valley and Natural Setting
The village extends along three sides of an enclosed, deep valley, which lies above the reservoir of the Švihov Dam. The Švihov (Želivka) area is part of the Želivka European Site of Community Importance. This can help you decide whether you are mainly looking for the distinctive valley setting or also for the protected-area connection.
Chapel and Local History
The first written mention of Hojanovice dates to 1318, when the village was recorded as a possession of the Želiv estate. This date marks an early historical reference point; the chapel’s construction history began much later, after 1858. In the middle of the lower village square stands a simple, prism-shaped chapel, built after 1858 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. “Prism-shaped” describes the building’s clear geometric form; its location, design and dedication offer different ways to appreciate the chapel. The chapel’s replacement bell was installed and consecrated together with the chapel in the spring of 1948. Thus, the chapel’s construction after 1858 is complemented by a specific event in the bell’s history.
Stone Cross and Firefighting History
A stone cross dating from 1885 stands on the road in V Osinách; from there, you can see the reservoir and Ježov. The cross connects a dated cultural monument with a view of a named landscape. Another feature of local history is the restored hand-operated fire pump, which is used in Hojanovice as a museum piece during demonstrations and drills. The focus here is not a building, but a technical artefact from the local firefighting service. The Hojanovice Volunteer Fire Brigade was founded on 7 September 1902, giving the history of the fire brigade a precise date.
Getting There and Finding Accommodation
The state road from Ledeč nad Sázavou to Humpolec runs through Hojanovice, providing a clear reference point for travel along this route. In addition, bus routes serve all settlements in the municipality of Hojanovice. Before travelling by bus, check the current timetable so you can plan your journey according to the service available on your travel date.
Discover more destinations: Čáslavsko, Kojcice, Kejzlice, Mladé Bříště, Důl, Trsov, Pacov, Chystovice
For the regional travel overview: Pelhřimov District.
