Smetanova Lhota: Village Green, Chapels and Cultural Evenings
Accommodation in Smetanova Lhota
Smetanova Lhota is characterised by a large elliptical village green, historic houses and chapels, and seasonal cultural evenings. The features of the village offer different points of interest: its layout, buildings from different periods, and routes that pass through the municipality.
Village Green and Local History
A large elliptical village green and regularly arranged plots for agricultural farmsteads are part of the village layout. A communal pond has been preserved on the green to this day. Together, these features show different aspects of the village structure: the shape of the communal space, the arrangement of the farmsteads, and a body of water preserved in the centre.
Small cottages dating from the first half of the 18th century stand around the village green. A religious order founded Smetanova Lhota in the mid-13th century. This provides two clearly distinct points of reference in time: the founding of the village and the later construction of the houses. The local history thus links the village’s early foundation with specific building forms preserved around the green.
Chapels and Buildings in the Surroundings
Výklenková kaple Biskupů is a niche chapel that was probably built in the mid-19th century. It is located about 500 metres northeast of Smetanova Lhota, on the road to Vrábsko. Výklenková kaple Kocábů is also a niche chapel; it probably dates from the first half of the 19th century and is located northeast of the village, by a bridge over the Skalice.
The two chapels can be distinguished by their described locations and dates: for Biskupů, the approximate distance and the road to Vrábsko are given, while for Kocábů, it is the bridge over the Skalice. Both buildings are identified as niche chapels and each has its own date range. This allows you to identify local features by their specific names and geographical reference points without confusing their respective details.
Karlov lies in the area southwest of Smetanova Lhota. There you will find a hunting lodge and a landscaped natural-style park in the valley of the Lomnice, on the river’s left bank. These add a building and a designed landscape to the local features; the park is characterised by its location in the river valley and on the left bank.
As a broader regional context, the ÄŚimelicko-Rakovicko area was designated a landscape conservation zone on 1 July 2002. This designation provides a regional point of reference alongside the history of Smetanova Lhota and its individual buildings.
Culture, Sports and Routes
During the summer months, the local volunteer fire brigade holds two open-air cultural evenings. They are called “Večery na návsi”. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these evenings, check the current dates in advance. This lets you take the seasonal event into account when planning your stay without assuming a date that has not been specified.
The club holds the annual “Memoriál Vladislava Panýrka” football tournament. Smetanova Lhota’s multipurpose sports ground has an online booking system. If you plan to use the ground, check the current booking conditions in advance. The event and the sports ground appeal to different interests; for both, it makes sense to plan around the relevant dates or booking conditions.
Cycle Route 1158 passes through Smetanova Lhota. A blue-marked hiking trail also runs through the village. The descriptions distinguish the routes by cycle-route number and trail colour, but do not specify a shared route or journey time on foot or by bike. Check the current signs before setting out by bike or on foot. This lets you keep the two routes in mind as separate options and choose the type of tour that suits your plans.
Discover more destinations: Hrejkovice, Obora U Cerhonic, ZbelĂtov, Bernartice U Milevska, TálĂn, PodolĂ I, ZvĂkovskĂ© PodhradĂ, Kostelec Nad Vltavou
For the broader travel overview: Okres PĂsek.
