the thirteenth stage of hiking
Napajedla - Velehrad
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Basic information about the trail
Embark on an unforgettable journey on the final stage from Napajedla to Velehrad. This route is filled with numerous climbs, but the effort is well worth it. As you ascend, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, making every step worthwhile.
Your hike will take you along the edge of the Chřiby Mountains, a region rich in natural beauty and historical significance. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of Great Moravia, one of the most important early medieval states in Central Europe. The scenic trails offer a perfect blend of adventure and historical exploration, making this route a must-visit for hiking enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
Whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a scenic day trip, the journey from Napajedla to Velehrad promises an enriching experience. Don’t miss out on the chance to explore this beautiful part of the Czech Republic, where every climb brings you closer to stunning vistas and a deeper understanding of the region’s rich heritage.
What's ahead of us?
Starting point: Napajedla
Ending point: Velehrad
Distance: 23,3 km
Estimated travel time: 7:25 hours
Difficulty: high
Altitude: ascent 725 m, descent 704 m
Surface: paved asphalt road, forest and field paths
Critical points: none
Our tip:
If you are planning a tour of the whole area of Open-air Archaeological Museum Modrá and the Velehrad pilgrimage site, book an extra day because it is really worth it.
What can be seen?
Archaeological, pilgrimage, technical and natural monuments.
King's Table
- Králův stůl, 687 06 Modrá
- www.chriby.cz
- info@chriby.cz
- +420
King’s Table
The memorable King’s Table is shrouded in many legends, especially relating to the Great Moravian past of the Central Moravia. For many years it has been the focus of archaeologists who have been trying to find an answer to the question of the real origin and purpose of this monument. The King’s Table is a block of coarse-grained sandstone measuring approximately 263 x 187 cm and approximately 1 m high. It was considered by some researchers to be a megalithic dolmen, which was supposed to serve as a visor to determine the equinoxes and solstices. Not only the markers on the stone block itself, but especially the surrounding stones, formerly called “benches”, destroyed in 1870, were intended for this purpose.
Although it may have been an iconic site, the function of the astronomical visor is questionable. However, it undeniably served for centuries as a natural landmark of one part of the boundary of the Velehrad Cistercian monastery. It was first mentioned in a deed defining the monastery’s goods in 1228. On the occasion of the solemn consecration of the monastery church on 27 November 1228, Přemysl Otakar I issued a privilege at Velehrad defining the extent of the monastery’s land tenure. The King’s Table remained as a natural landmark of this boundary until the 18th century. It was also on this spot that on 6 October 1706 a treaty on the mutual boundary was concluded between the Velehrad monastery and Jan Sigismund, Count of Rottal, lord of the Napajedla estate.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Lookout tower Modrá
- Rozhledna nad Modrou, 687 06 Modrá
- www.obec-modra.cz
- modra@uh.cz
- +420 572 571 180
Lookout tower Modrá
In Modrá u Velehrad you will find not only the well-known Archeological Open-air museum or a replica of the Great Moravian Church, but also a lookout tower with a view of the surrounding area. A simple wooden construction of a small municipal lookout tower was built over the village of Modrá in the Uherské Hradiště region in one day in 1999. The Židoviny lookout tower in Modrá was built by local scouts at the suggestion of the mayor Mr. Miroslav Kovářík. However, over the years it had to be removed due to climatic conditions. In its place, a new wooden lookout tower of Židoviny in Modrá with a height of 12 metres was opened to the public in spring 2014. After climbing the access ladders, you will have a view of the Vizovice Hills, the Zlín Highlands, the White Carpathians, the Chřiby Mountains, the Pálava Mountains and the Hostýn Hills. It is part of the Modřansko nature trail. It is accessible all year round free of charge.
Church of St. John the Baptist
- 687 06 Modrá
- www.obec-modra.cz
- modra@uh.cz
- +420 572 571 180
Church of St. John the Baptist
The Church of St. John the Baptist in Modrá presents a reconstructed ground plan, an information board informs about the history and significance of the site. Not far from where the original Great Moravian church stood, there is now a reconstruction of its possible original appearance in its actual size. The site can be reached by the road leading from Staré Město to Velehrad. The site is located on an elevation belonging to the foothills of the Chřiby mountains, 30 m above the floodplain by the trade route, the so-called “Stará hradská”, connecting the Central Moravia with the Vyškov region. It is situated above the Archaeological Open-air Museum of Modrá.
The foundation masonry of the local church was discovered in 1911 by J. Nevěřil. Revision archaeological research at Modrá was carried out in 1953 – 1954 by the Moravian Museum in Brno. The research fully proved the Great Moravian age of the foundations and, in addition, uncovered a burial site with 37 skeletal graves in the immediate vicinity. The church was founded in the 1930s to 1940s under the influence of one of the missionary streams coming to Great Moravia from Western Europe. It was a small church with a rectangular nave (external dimensions 9.1 × 7 m) and a rectangular presbytery (length 4 m). Burials around the church took place between the end of the first half of the 9th century and the end of the first half of the following century.
Ceramic shards dating back to the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries were also found near the north wall of the chancel. On the basis of written records, it is assumed that the Modra church served as a makeshift church during the construction of the nearby Cistercian complex at Velehrad in the first half of the 13th century. At that time, its nave was supplemented with four internal supports. The final demise of the sacral building is placed before the end of the 17th century. The architectural elements of the dismantled church were used secondarily in the construction of houses in Nová Ves – Modrá, founded in 1786.
Living Water Exposition
- Modrá 233, 687 06 pošta Velehrad
- www.zivavodamodra.cz
- info@zivavodamodra.cz
- +420 576 519 363
Living water – freshwater and botanical exposition
Visitors have the opportunity to observe life under the water surface through a glass wall in the Living Water exhibition, then in a large pool with cold-loving fish, such as trout, minnows, etc., where they enter the first underground floor through a transparent 8 m long tunnel directly into the world under water. This is the longest glass tunnel in the wild in Europe. The “Living Water” project consists in introducing the importance of water in the landscape and life in it through direct and visual contact with animals and plants above and below the water. Visitors have the opportunity to observe life in the stream through a glass wall, then in a large pool with cold-loving fish, such as trout, minnows, etc., where on the first underground floor they enter a transparent 8 m long tunnel directly into the world under water. On the left side he will see life in a large pool, on the right and below him life in a pond with catfish, carp, tench, zander, etc. On this floor it is also possible to look through the glass wall at life in the wetland, where there are, for example, mud turtles, frogs, boobies, etc. Life-size models of fish with Braille descriptions are placed on the walls for visually impaired visitors. The second underground floor allows you to see through a transparent acrylic wall the life in the depths and the wintering of fish under the ice at a depth of 6 metres.
The educational area is supplemented with examples of forests and meadows from the Morava River basin area – e.g. the Chřiby Spring, Pálava, Floodplain Forest, Carpathians. The area consists of two parts – educational and educational and relaxation, in which it is possible in the summer months to swim in an ecological lake with a paddling pool and water purification through plants and gravel with a water depth of 2.5 m.
Centre of Slovak Traditions
- Modrá 245 687 06 Modrá
- www.cstskanzen.cz
- recepce@cstskanzen.cz
- +420 572 411 450
The Centre of Moravian Slovakia Traditions
The centre of Moravian Slovakia traditions is located in the village of Modrá near Velehrad. Visitors can not only learn about the process of burning fruit and the history of winemaking, but also taste products typical of the local region – fruit spirits and wine. The centre is complemented by a shop selling regional products and a café. Together with the Archeoskanzen, the Botanical and Freshwater Exposition of Living Water, the Centre of Moravian Slovakia Traditions is an important tourist destination of the Moravian Slovakia region. It offers a unique wine and plum trail, impresses with its thatched roof, but also a wide range of options. Visitors can not only learn about the process of burning fruit and the history of the winery, but also taste products typical of the local region.
In the basement there is a modern lecture hall for thirty people and two rooms for tasting up to a hundred samples of spirits and the same number of wine samples. On the ground floor there are two distilleries where the conversion of fruit fermentations into spirits and the drying of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms are controlled electronically. In the attic there is an exhibition of the Brno Moravian Museum. Here you will learn interesting facts about the production of alcoholic beverages dating back to antiquity – the concentration of alcoholic substances in fermented fruit juice by distillation was supposedly known to people in Egypt. There is also an open-air shop of regional products with a wine shop, products from Moravian Slovakia and a café.
Open-air Museum Modrá
- Modrá 170, 687 06 Velehrad
- www.archeoskanzen.cz
- archeoskanzen@email.cz
- +420 572 501 823
Archaeological Open-air museum Modrá
The Great Moravian settlement of Central Moravia is located near Uherské Hradiště. Archaeological Open-air Museum Modrá is alive with everyday life, educational performances, programmes, experimental metal smelting, pottery production, agricultural production and continuous archaeological research. Come and discover our ancient past! The archaeological Open-air Museum in Modrá is located in the locality of the original Great Moravian settlement, in the close vicinity of Velehrad, 7 km from Uherské Hradiště. It represents an ideal form of a Slavic fortified settlement from the time of Great Moravia (9th century). It is made up of buildings whose parts are buried in the ground and have models in real archaeological objects. The above-ground mass of the buildings has the character of hypothetical reconstructions, which, however, were created on the basis of concrete findings.
You have the opportunity not only to see how the Slavs lived, but also to try ancient crafts, taste specialties, see the original crops, shrubs and trees. Children can also admire the animals that are on the premises (free-running pigs, goats, chickens, sheep or Figo the donkey). The open-air museum is alive with daily life, educational shows, programmes, experimental metal smelting, pottery production, agricultural production and ongoing archaeological research. Come and discover our ancient past. During the year, various festivals, performances, exhibitions, markets and meetings are held in the open-air museum. The church is also a popular venue for wedding ceremonies. The open-air museum offers a wide range of educational programmes for schools. For older children, for example, there is the possibility of archery, and there are plenty of interesting things for inquisitive adults as well. You can also take advantage of the offer to walk through the open-air museum with workbooks containing tasks and interesting facts that will expand your and your children’s knowledge.
Velehrad - an important pilgrimage site
- Stojanovo nádvoří 687 06 Velehrad
- www.farnostvelehrad.cz
- info@velehradinfo.cz
- +420 571 110 538
Velehrad – an important pilgrimage site
Velehrad is an important pilgrimage site in the Czech Republic. The pride of the parish is the Baroque basilica with the adjacent buildings of the former Cistercian monastery. In 1927 the local church was granted the title and privileges of a minor basilica (basilica minor). Velehrad is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Moravia. Its history began more than 800 years ago, when the first 12 Cistercian monks came to the valley of the Salaška River to build their monastery near the village of Veligrad (today’s Staré Město). It was on the basis of its location that the monastery got its name and soon became the bearer of a much older spiritual tradition, which dates back to the 9th century, when the Slavic heralds Constantine and Methodius came to Moravia. The significance of the pilgrimage site of Velehrad therefore lies not in its local, but in its intellectual relationship to the centre of the apostolic activity of the Slavic heralds. That is why in the past it was called the “Moravian Bethlehem.” And so, for centuries, thousands of pilgrims have flocked to Velehrad, joined in 1990 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. We come here to touch our roots, not only spiritual roots, but also national roots in an inward way. Velehrad is also seen as a space for dialogue between the cultures of East and West.
Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saints Cyril and Methodius
The heart of the Velehrad pilgrimage site is the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saints Cyril and Methodius. Originally a late Romanesque building from the first third of the 13th century, it took on a Baroque appearance as a result of the disasters of war and especially the fire of 1681. Inside the richly decorated basilica there are several spiritual focal points that no visitor to this sacred space should miss: The altar around which Christians gather to celebrate the liturgy, the chapel of Our Lady Mother of Christian Unity with the Palladium of Velehrad, the tomb of Archbishop Antonín Stojan in the Royal Chapel and, most recently, the sarcophagus of Cardinal Tomáš Špidlík SJ in the presbytery of the basilica, decorated with magnificent mosaics. We can also highlight the sculpture of Saints Cyril and Methodius on the right side of the altar, which canonized the perception of the image of the Thessalonian brothers in the eyes of our ancestors, and the painting of the saints by the Polish painter Matejka, donated for the basilica in 1885.
Former Cistercian monastery
The complex of monastery buildings houses the Stojan Gymnasium and the Vincentinum Institute of Social Welfare. The Information Centre can arrange a tour of the Salle Terrena with Baroque frescoes and the Slavic Hall, which are located in the former monastery.
Sala terrena
The hall of the Velehrad monastery was built in 1724 -1728 as part of the construction of the new prelature of the monastery. The hall is decorated with frescoes depicting the four seasons in the form of allegorical figures and mythological scenes. These are complemented by corresponding biblical motifs.
Church of the Epiphany
“Cyrilka” is a small church built in the 13th century at the monastery gate for the pre-monastery inhabitants. It fell into disrepair in the 19th century and was restored in the neo-Gothic style on the occasion of the Jubilee of Cyril and Methodius in 1863. In 1929, an iconostasis was installed to allow the celebration of the Eastern liturgy. Currently, the chapel has been completely renovated and seasonal exhibitions are installed.
Velehrad House of Saints Cyril and Methodius
Former farm buildings of the Velehrad monastery. Its premises are accessible within the framework of the services provided by this building (permanent exhibitions of the Velehrad Museum, confectionery, bookstore).
Remains of a medieval Cistercian monastery
Ambit, chapter hall, baroque crypts. The space is part of the new exhibition Velehrad at the Crossroads of European History.
A set of small sacral monuments in the immediate vicinity of the monastery
The Chapel of St. Vendelin with a statue of the saint by F. Hirnl, a Baroque Marian column, a sculpture of St. Bernard and St. Luitgard by O. Schveigl, the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk from 1715 by the Baroque bridge over the Salaška stream, statues of St. John of Nepomuk by the road to the cemetery and in the village square, the statue of the Son of God at the crossroads between Velehrad and Modra (free, individual tours available). Velehrad cemetery with the grave of Mons. Šrámek, Cistercians of Velehrad, Slavist J. Vašić, nuns, Jesuits and other personalities.
Velehrad Tourist Centre
- Salašská 328, 687 06 Velehrad
- www.velehrad.cz
- ticvelehrad@email.cz
- +420 723 984 080
Velehrad Information Centre
- U Lípy 302 , Velehrad 687 06
- www.velehradinfo.cz
- info@velehradinfo.cz
- +420 571 110 538
Where to eat and sleep?
Restaurants and accommodation along the trail.
Ranch Rovná
- Jankovice 8, 687 04 Jankovice
- www.rovna.cz
- jarek.volek@post.cz
- +420 602 742 557
Restaurant U Lenky
- Jankovice 140, 687 04 Jankovice
- www.firmy.cz
- krchnackova82@seznam.cz
- +420 776 061 322
Hunting pub
- Modrá 219, 687 06 Modrá
- www.ubytovanivmodre.cz
- ihana@volny.cz
- +420 724 024 637
Hotel Skanzen
- Modrá 227 687 06 Modrá
- www.hotelskanzen.cz
- recepce@hotelskanzen.cz
- +420 572 508 034
Šenkovna by the open-air museum
- Modrá 170, 687 06 Velehrad
- www.firmy.cz
- pavel.schilbach@seznam.cz
- +420 739 069 371
VEGA centrum
- Salašská 63 687 06 Velehrad
- www.vegacentrum.cz
- vaclav.hrabec@centrum.cz
- +420 724 588 054
Pilgrim Home Stojanov
- Salašská 62 687 06 Velehrad
- www.stojanov.cz
- velehrad@stojanov.cz
- +420 733 741 896
Hotel and Restaurant Mlýn
- Na Hrádku 4 687 06 Velehrad
- www.hotelmlyn.cz
- recepce@hotelmlyn.cz
- +420 572 571 463
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How to get from Velehrad?
The only way to get from Velehrad is by bus, preferably to Staré Město or Uherské Hradiště, from where you can change to long-distance train and bus connections. On weekdays, the last bus from Velehrad to Staré Město or Uherské Hradiště leaves at 20.59. On weekends, the last bus leaves at 18.22.
Photogallery
Photos from hiking.
Why walk the trails of the Cyril and Methodius Route?
The long-distance trails of the Cyril and Methodius Route invite you to pilgrimage sites and archaeological sites that have contributed significantly to the development of Slavic culture. They are signposted in both directions and encourage wandering without borders, not only state borders.
- Experience: you'll be surprised what you can do
- Great signposting: tourist signposting
- Incredible landscape: we wander through the countryside off the busy stretches
What can be obtained?
Perhaps everyone likes to bring back something from hiking, be it various tourist and souvenir items. If you will be hiking the Cyril and Methodius Route, we have prepared the following printed materials to motivate you to hike the trail:
- Pilgrimage passports: collecting stamps for a special passport
- Memorial letters: a souvenir letter at the end of the journey
- Maps: printed guide