Býšovec – Educational Trail, Chapels and History

If you choose Býšovec for a trip, you can get to know the place through several specific themes: the marked educational trail near Smrček, viewpoints overlooking Pernštejn and the surrounding peaks, two chapels with distinct designs, and historical references from the 14th and 15th centuries. An important long-distance cycling route also passes through the village. This gives you a chance to decide in advance whether outdoor activities, architectural styles or local history will be your main focus.

On foot between Smrček and Nedvědice

The blue Pernštejn–Smrček–Nedvědice educational trail is 5.2 kilometres long and leads to Smrček, a district of the municipality of Býšovec. From the bus station in Smrček, the trail follows a forest path past an old Pernštejn marble quarry and the Roudné mines, then crosses a hill on its way to Nedvědice. The length and type of route give you practical guidance for planning; check the trail conditions locally before setting out.

The Hradní lom marble quarry lies below Hulákův Hill, along the educational trail. The trail also leads to viewpoints offering unusual views of Pernštejn Castle and the surrounding peaks. The route thus brings together different points of interest: the old marble quarry and the Roudné mines on the one hand, and views of the castle and peaks on the other.

Another specific viewpoint is “Stráž”: this point in Pernštejn Castle’s guard system lies on the hilltop and offers a view of the castle. The view from Stráž focuses on Pernštejn, whereas the educational trail’s viewpoints also include the surrounding peaks.

Chapels and Local History

The Chapel of St Anthony of Padua in Smrček is topped by a tall, octagonal onion dome with a lantern. By contrast, the Chapel of St Lawrence in Býšovec has a small octagonal turret covered in galvanized sheet metal at the western end of the roof ridge. The differences are in both the roof shape and the turret’s position: in Smrček, the dome and lantern are the main feature; in Býšovec, it is the turret at the western end of the ridge. These are two specific architectural features that make the chapels easy to distinguish.

The dates in the local history refer to different things. Býšovec is mentioned in a record from 1350. For 1398, Jan z Býšovce and his wife Kateřina are named; that year, Vilém of Pernštejn granted them an allodial farmstead in Býšovec. Adam of Býšovec’s 1484 seal is considered the first evidence of the coat of arms of the Lords of Býšovec. The sequence therefore runs from a record of the village, through the mention of a married couple and a farmstead, to evidence of the coat of arms.

The marble from Hradní lom is also connected with Pernštejn Castle. During the castle’s major reconstruction, which began shortly before 1460, marble from the quarry near Smrček was used above all. The marble from Hradní lom thus links a specific place with this major reconstruction of the castle.

Cycling Route and Other Activities

If you prefer to travel by bicycle, you’ll find the important Vienna–Prague long-distance cycling route in Býšovec. It passes through the village and offers a route from Vienna to Prague. Check the current signage before your ride.

A private horse farm in Smrček offers horse riding; prior arrangement may be required. At the Smrček–Býšovec shooting range, hunters hold the traditional public shooting competition “O Pernštejnský pohár” every year. If you’d like to plan your trip around the competition, check the date in advance.

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Back to the main travel overview: Okres Žďár Nad Sázavou.