Lukavice: Churches, Nature and Views

Lukavice lies in the valley of the stream of the same name and along the road connecting Žamberk and Letohrad. Until 1950, Letohrad was called Kyšperk. Historic buildings, a protected mixed forest and several viewpoints help you find your bearings in the village and its surroundings. A cycle path also runs through Lukavice, connecting the two towns.

Church, chapel and local history

The Church of Saints Philip and James is first recorded in the parish register of the Archdiocese of Prague from 1344 to 1350. Its present form took shape through additions in 1639, 1705 and 1721; the tower was altered in 1878. One building thus reveals a long sequence of structural changes. The Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk dates from 1865 and is surrounded by six protected lime trees.

Another historic detail is the entrance gate to the original cemetery. It dates from 1699 and is made of coarse-grained sandstone. The church, chapel and gate offer different ways to explore Lukavice’s architectural history: from an entry in a parish register to changes made to a church and a dated gate made from a distinctive stone material.

The Muchova lípa also connects the landscape with cultural history. The tree is associated with Alfons Mucha’s painting “Přísaha Omladiny pod Slovanskou lípou”. It depicts the unusual growth of the mighty tree as it was at the time. For anyone interested in the village’s history, it offers a connection between a distinctive tree and a work of art, alongside the historic buildings.

Forest and viewpoints

Šafranice is a protected mixed forest with mighty oak trees. Mechnáč Hill offers a different view of the surroundings; it lies 1.5 kilometres from the railway stop. From there, the view extends across the cadastral area of Lukavice; on a clear day, the Orlické Mountains can also be seen.

A walk around the wooded Karlovice Hill offers views of the surrounding towns and up to eight church towers. The viewpoints therefore offer different perspectives: from Mechnáč, you can look across the area of Lukavice and, on a clear day, towards the mountains; the walk around Karlovice takes in towns and church towers. These are two specific landscape destinations where you can experience different aspects of the surroundings.

Cycle path and other places to visit

The Žamberk–Lukavice–Letohrad cycle path connects Žamberk and Letohrad via Lukavice. Its route links the three places and gives cyclists the option of including Lukavice in a ride between the towns. When planning your visit, you can distinguish this cycle path from a walk around Karlovice or a visit to the historic sites mentioned above: the path connects towns, while the others focus on a particular building or viewpoint.

The museum in Lukavice can be visited outside its stated opening hours by prior arrangement. Arrange your visit and confirm access conditions before you arrive. The Sokolovna is a municipal venue for sporting, cultural and social events. The facilities include tennis courts, which can be reserved. If you would like to include a museum visit or the tennis courts in your plans, arrange or reserve them in advance.

Getting there and finding your way

Lukavice v Čechách railway station is on railway line 021 and is part of the IREDO integrated transport system. The station building or passenger shelter at the station is accessible to people with reduced mobility. This information applies to the building or shelter. Check current connections before travelling and the accessibility of the station facilities before your visit.

The places described offer clear options for planning what to focus on during your stay: the churches, chapel and cemetery gate represent architectural history; Šafranice, Mechnáč and Karlovice offer forest and views; and the cycle path connects Žamberk and Letohrad. You can shape your time in Lukavice around the themes that interest you most, without treating the individual places and activities as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Žichlínek, Valterice, Horni Lipka, Pastviny, Nemcí, Libecina, Bystřec, Kunvald V Cechách.

See the wider travel guide: Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí.