Hať – Landscape, Church and Hiking Trail

Hať lies in a gentle valley by the Bečva stream, at the foot of the Hlučín Uplands. This setting gives the town a distinct landscape: the valley, stream and uplands shape its geographical character. Three specific themes also stand out when considering a visit: the Church of St. Matthew, a yellow-marked hiking trail with sections before and beyond Hať, and four songs listed under the town’s name in the Hlučínsko Collection of Folk Songs. Landscape, architectural history, hiking route and song culture thus offer different ways to explore the area.

Church of St. Matthew

The Church of St. Matthew was built by the Jesuit college in Opava. It is built in the Baroque style from stone and well-fired bricks. Its construction is dated to 1731, based on a year carved behind the main altar. The date is therefore tied to a specific, identified detail of the building, while the attribution to the Jesuit college connects the church with Opava. The church also contains a Stations of the Cross with 14 stations. To put these details in context, note the distinction: 1731 and the building materials relate to the church’s construction history; the 14 stations refer to the Stations of the Cross inside the church.

Historical reference points

Hať was first mentioned in a papal document issued in Lyon on 18 December 1250. This date marks the town’s first written mention; the year 1731, by contrast, is used to date the Church of St. Matthew. These details provide different historical reference points: in one case, a document with a location and precise date of issue; in the other, a number carved into the church building. If you are interested in Hať’s history, this offers a comparison between a medieval documentary mention and the dating of a later church building.

The yellow-marked hiking trail

A yellow-marked hiking trail runs from Ostrava-Petřkovice via Koblov and Šilheřovice to Hať. From Hať, it continues via Závada to the forester’s lodge near Bohuslavice. The route can therefore be read in two sections: Koblov and Šilheřovice lie on the way to Hať; Závada and the forester’s lodge near Bohuslavice mark the continuation. Along the route, Hať is both the destination of the first section and the starting point of the next. This distinction helps with map navigation and with deciding whether you are more interested in the route to Hať or its continuation from there.

Songs from Hať

The Hlučínsko Collection of Folk Songs lists four titles under Hať: “Tam za horami”, “Na huře”, “U sušeda sum falešne okna” and “Něvědělch cestečky”. The song titles add another cultural dimension to the town’s architectural and documentary history: they name specific pieces rather than buildings, construction materials or historical dates. For choosing a theme, this means architecture and folk songs appeal to different interests; the collection offers a clearly defined selection of four titles.

Discover more destinations: Dolní Benešov, Hradec Nad Moravicí, Jilešovice, Větřkovice, Chlebičov, Bratříkovice, Brumovice, Bolatice.

For the broader travel overview: Opava District.