Rájec-Jestřebí: Castle, Garden and Culture

When looking for a hotel in Rájec-Jestřebí, it may help to decide in advance what you would like to focus on during your stay: the castle and culture, gardens, a hike or local history. The following themes offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Landscape and Hiking

Rájec-Jestřebí lies at the confluence of the Svitava and Býkovka rivers, in a picturesque valley at the transition between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Drahanská Highlands. The two rivers describe the area’s immediate landscape, while the highlands and hills provide a sense of the wider surroundings. The Jedle–Hořice excursion route leads from Rájec-Jestřebí railway station via Jestřebí along a well-marked hiking trail to the ridge, offering views of the town and its surroundings. The area around Hořice can also be explored. If you plan to hike the route, bear in mind that trail conditions and markings may change; check them before setting out.

Castle, Garden and Culture

Rájec nad Svitavou State Castle is a national cultural monument and a Neoclassical château in the French style. Members of the noble Salm family had it built to designs by French architect Isidor Amand Canavel between 1763 and 1769. The castle’s horticultural grounds are arranged across three terraces connected by stairs. West of the castle building, the castle park contains the Teatrum, a small structure for open-air theatrical performances.

The plants have different seasons: Rájec’s rare camellias are cared for and displayed in the castle rooms every two years; Langr Nursery grows dahlias, which visitors can admire outdoors in late summer. In June, the castle hosts concerts as part of the Concentus Moraviae International Music Festival of 13 Cities. The annual programme and dates vary; check the latest information if a concert is important to your plans.

Historical Landmarks and Local Tradition

In the town centre, the Church of All Saints is an architecturally valuable landmark; its presbytery contains uncovered wall paintings dating from the 15th century. The statue of the Archangel Raphael, dating from 1749, stands in the square in front of the church and is a valuable monument. The statue of St Florian dates from 1888. It was made by the ironworks in Blansko and is a valuable example of late 19th-century artistic craftsmanship.

In Jestřebí, a cast-iron cross stands by the Chapel of St Anne. It was erected in 1868 in memory of the farmer Josef Fojt, who drowned during the flood on 13 June 1867. The two dates refer to different events: the flood and Fojt’s death, and the erection of the cross the following year. Generations of actors have carried on the amateur theatre tradition in Rájec-Jestřebí to this day. The church, statues and cross bring individual historical landmarks to life, while the amateur theatre tradition adds a cultural touch that continues to this day.

Discover more destinations: Ráječko, Krasová, Adamov U Brna, Ostrov U Macochy, Svinošice, Drnovice U Lysic, Boskovice, Dlouhá Lhota

For the broader travel overview: Blansko District.