Žerotice: Churches, Castle Ruins and Wine Traditions

Žerotice brings together sacred architecture, traces of a fortified site and local festival traditions. When choosing the destination, you can explore church art, local history and seasonal customs. Its defining features include the surviving parts of an old Gothic church, the castle ruins on the southern edge of the village and a three-storey granary. Wine traditions and the St Martin’s church fair add to these historical impressions.

Churches and Sacred Art

Little remains of the old Gothic church in Žerotice: the presbytery, an old baptismal font and a stone holy water stoup. The history of the altars is also part of the village’s sacred art. The main altar and two side altars were made from marble and plaster in 1775 by Šebestián Centner, a sculptor from Znojmo. The side altars are dedicated to St James and to Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The parish church, dedicated to St Martin, stands in the northeastern part of Žerotice. Its park-like grounds are surrounded by a wall. The grounds can be accessed from the south via steps from the pavement through the main gate, or from the east through a side door. Check local conditions before visiting.

Castle Ruins and Local History

The castle ruins of Žerotice lie on the southern edge of the village. Surviving features include a Renaissance vaulted room, masonry reaching up to the first floor, buttresses and the remains of a prismatic tower. The remains described also include a ditch that was originally walled and is now heavily filled in. The various remnants offer insight into the site’s architectural history, without suggesting that the castle survives as a complete building.

A small multi-storey castle building and the village of Žerotice are mentioned in 1259; the fortress is explicitly documented in 1358. Renaissance renovations later altered the site. In 1643, the fortress was captured and burned down by Swedish troops. This sequence traces the history of the castle from its early mentions through its period of renovation to this turning point.

Festivals and Wine Traditions

The Svatomartinské posvícení, or St Martin’s church fair, is scheduled to take place in Žerotice on 14 and 15 November 2026. The date and venue may change, so check both before travelling. If you would like to plan your hotel stay around the festival, checking these details will help with your arrangements.

The version of the St Martin’s church fair described for 2025 included a Saturday gathering aimed mainly at young people. According to the report, a procession through the village took place on Sunday, followed by Zavádění. This description distinguishes the two programme items and their respective days without presenting them as a fixed programme for the 2026 edition.

Žerotice also observes a traditional masked procession for Masopust. The village’s wine enthusiasts regularly present their wine samples at the end of April; the exact date may vary. Together, these customs represent different occasions that may factor into your choice of travel dates. If you are making specific plans around a festival, it is a good idea to check the date again.

Architecture and Natural Setting

The three-storey granary in Žerotice is distinguished by its characteristically curved gables. Also striking are unusual groups of three openings shaped like a compressed figure eight. The parish house was completed in 1832 and has a sundial on its façade. The granary, parish house and church art therefore represent different aspects of the village’s architecture.

The Jevišovka River is also part of Žerotice’s geographical setting: it flows through the cadastral area and is included in the Natura 2000 network of protected sites. This protected-area status adds a natural dimension to the historic buildings. Žerotice thus offers several different points of interest for planning your trip—from architectural history and sacred art to local customs and the protected river setting.

Discover more destinations: Trstěnice, Nový Šaldorf-Sedlešovice, Vémyslice, Žerůtky, Hostim, Miroslavské Knínice, Kuchařovice, Korolupy

For the wider travel overview: Okres Znojmo.