Vitanov: Culture and Trails

Vitanov lies in the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area; the Chrudimka River also flows through the village. Together with its historic sites and the trails described here, this gives the destination a varied character, without requiring you to focus your trip on just one thing.

Landscape, getting here and trails to the open-air museum

Vítanov railway station is on line 238 between Pardubice and Havlíčkův Brod. Accessibility varies: all platforms are step-free, but the station building and passenger shelter are not accessible. As infrastructure can change, check the information before your trip.

Hiking and cycling trails through Vítanov provide access to the nearby Veselý Kopec open-air museum. This makes a regional cultural site another tangible point of interest for your stay. If you would rather plan a tour in the immediate area, the marked trails offer further guidance; their route details and themes differ.

Cemetery, chapels and local history

The Jewish cemetery in Vítanov is enclosed by a stone wall. One of the Jewish gravestones dates back to 1688. The Chapel of Saint Anne was built by local residents as a new stone chapel with a vaulted ceiling; it was consecrated on 19 October 1873. A description from 2014 mentions its apse, semicircular windows, small turret and a relief of the Virgin Mary.

In the district of Stan, the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist stands near the main road by a railway crossing. It was consecrated on 18 October 1874, after a procession had come from Hlinsko. Hradiště Hill also brings together several aspects of history: an old trade route from eastern Bohemia to Moravia passed over it, and a Slavic hillfort stood on the hill. Hradiště is a protected historic monument.

The painter František Kaván bought house no. 55 in Vítanov in 1904 and lived and worked there until 1922. Landscape paintings of the area around Vítanov can be seen, among other places, in the National Gallery and in private collections. Information panels featuring Kaván’s paintings are planned at viewpoints along the Kavánova stezka. They are intended to make it possible to compare landscapes depicted more than a hundred years ago with the view today.

Traditions and hiking trails

The Shrovetide processions and masks of villages in the Hlinecko region were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. In Vítanov, local organizations support the traditional Masopustní maškara. The exact procession dates change from year to year; if you would like to plan your trip around one, check the dates for the relevant year.

The five-kilometre-long, blue-marked Stezka Po Martinových stopách leads from Studnice to Stanský mlýn. Five information panels cover the nature around Hlinsko and features along the route. Trail conditions and signage may change, so it is advisable to check the current route before setting out.

Another option is the green-marked Vlastivědná stezka Krajem Chrudimky, which runs from Čachnov through Vítanov and Stan to Bojanov. There are 37 information panels along the route in total. The available information is useful in different ways when choosing between the trails: for Stezka Po Martinových stopách, the length, marking and endpoints are specified; for Vlastivědná stezka, the route through the villages and the total number of panels provide guidance.

Discover more destinations: Liboměřice, Vojtěchov, Třemošnice, Čankovice, Lipovec, Hroubovice, Hojesin, Mladoňovice.

Return to the broader travel overview: Chrudim District.