Kostelní Strimelice: Church, History and Trails

Kostelní Strimelice combines cultural history with a distinctive location on the slopes of the 542 m-high Pecný. Its defining features include the protected Church of St. Martin, the former fortress and historic copper mining. For days outdoors, a blue-marked hiking trail runs through the village, and a cycling route passes through Kostelní Strimelice. This lets you choose how to explore the village based on your cultural interests and the type of outing you have planned.

Church of St. Martin and its furnishings

The Church of St. Martin in Kostelní Strimelice is listed as a protected cultural monument. It contains a Baroque high altar from the first quarter of the 18th century and a wooden pulpit dating from 1707. The altar was moved here in 1789 from the Church of Na Zderaze in Prague.

The dates refer to different things: 1707 is the date of the pulpit, the first quarter of the 18th century is when the altar was made, and 1789 is when it was moved. Its origin is also specified: the altar came from Prague’s Church of Na Zderaze. This makes it possible to distinguish the style, dates and relocation of the furnishings.

Fortress, terrain and local history

The former fortress of Kostelní Strimelice is first documented in writing in 1359. Its site remains a distinctive spur at an elevation of 450 m. A spur is a projecting section of terrain; its shape gives the historic site a clear topographical setting. The year 1359 marks the first written record, not the year the fortress was built.

Kostelní Strimelice also lies on the slopes of the 542 m-high Pecný. Different elevations are given for Pecný and the former fortress site: 542 m for the hill and 450 m for the fortress site. These figures help distinguish the village’s hillside location from the distinctive terrain of the historic site.

Historic copper mining adds another dimension to the village’s history. It began in the early 1540s near Kostelní Strimelice, formerly Horní Střimelice, and Hradové Střimelice, formerly Dolní Střimelice. The start of mining therefore applies to both places mentioned. Chronologically, this topic follows the fortress’s first written mention in 1359, but belongs to a different historical context. The former names associate Horní Střimelice with Kostelní Strimelice and Dolní Střimelice with Hradové Střimelice.

Explore on foot or by bike

Hiking and cycling are described by different route details here. A blue-marked hiking trail runs through Kostelní Strimelice and continues to the signpost near Chlum. Official cycling route 4/C passes through Kostelní Strimelice and forms a circular route of about 30 km starting from Sázava. The approximate distance refers to the entire loop, not just the section through the village.

The loop therefore has a different planning reference from the hiking trail: for the cycling route, the total distance from Sázava matters; for hiking, it is the route through the village to the signpost near Chlum. Check the condition of the trails and their markings before setting out, as both can change.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kostelni Hlavno, Brázdim, Ondrejov, Hovorčovice, Máslovice, Kuří, Konojedy, Škvorec.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Praha-Východ.