the sixth stage of hiking
Pustevny - Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
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Basic information about the trail
The trail leads from Pustevny along the ridge to Radhošt’ to the chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius across the western slope of the Radhošt’ massif past the Wallachian open-air museum to the centre of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. Pustevny is a popular resort in summer and winter (1018 m above sea level). It is an important crossroads of hiking trails and one of the starting points to Radhošt’ mountain. It is a relaxing trail that runs along the ridge and then descends down to Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.
What's ahead of us?
Starting point: Pustevny
Ending point: Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
Distance: 12,5 km
Estimated travel time: 3:39 hours
Difficulty: medium
Altitude: ascent 139 m, descent 781 m
Surface: asphalt road, mostly forest and field paths
Critical points: it is necessary to take extra care and attention when crossing the main traffic routes in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.
Our tip:
The stretch from Pusteven to Radhošt’ is very attractive for tourists thanks to the magnificent views of the surroundings. We also recommend visiting the Wallachian Trail. Hiking shoes with firm soles are our recommendation, especially when descending from Mount Radhošť.
What can be seen?
Archaeological, pilgrimage, technical and natural monuments.
Libušín and Maměnka
- Pustevny 756 56 Prostřední Bečva
- novylibusin.cz
- info@novylibusin.cz
- +420 603 343 888
Libušín and Maměnka shelters
Near the top station of the cable car from Trojanovice to Pustevny there is a picturesque mountain cottage Maměnka, Libušín was destroyed by fire in March 2014, after a long reconstruction it opened in July 2020. The buildings were designed by architect Dušan Jurkovič in the style of folk architecture of Wallachia and Kysuce. The hermitages are dominated by wooden buildings built in the folk style by the prominent Slovak architect Dušan Jurkovič. Both buildings were managed by the Wallachian Museum of Nature in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, which operated a stylish restaurant and hotel here. The Pusteven area is a National Cultural Monument.
However, one of them – the famous Libušín – was destroyed by a devastating fire on 3 March 2014. The interior of Libušín was decorated by the Czech painter Mikoláš Aleš, who took his interest in Wallachia from the Czechoslovak Ethnographic Exhibition held in Prague in 1895. The interiors of Libušín were painted by the academic painter Karel Štapfer based on Alš’s drawings of the robbers Ondráš and Juráš, the portent Stavinoha and the god Radegast. However, the interior of the dining room was completely destroyed by fire and the roof collapsed. Since 2016, a costly reconstruction has been underway, to which the public has also contributed a great deal in the form of a public collection. The rebuilt Libušín opened on 30 July 2020.
The new Libušín was built as a scientific reconstruction, i.e. using original technologies. Traditional handicraft procedures were followed in all repairs, using original materials and technologies. The cottage is truly built by hand as Jurkovič built it. The craftsmen had to learn to do their work by hand and there is a practical reason for this. For example, a hand-planed plank can withstand the weather for decades more than a plank that has been worked with a planer.
The wood for the building was cut in the winter when the trees have the least water and at the same elevation as the Hermitage to withstand the local conditions. One beam was carved from each fir tree donated by the Forests of the Czech Republic for the construction. The new ones supplemented the original ones, of which only a minimum could be preserved.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Cyrilka viewing gazebo
- Pustevny 756 56 Prostřední Bečva
- www.visitroznov.cz
- ic@roznov.cz
- +420 571 652 444
Cyrilka viewing gazebo
Cyrilka is an observation arbour located on the top of the Podstupně rock above the Pustevny Mountains. Cyrilka is a wooden polygonal structure with a low bulbous roof. There is a wooden, painted panoramic view map in the gazebo. The wooden map has recently been replaced by a metal one, which, although it has detracted a little from the beauty, has added to its durability and longevity. The structure dates back to 1893 and was built by the Radhošt’ Podhorská unity. From Cyrilka you can see the Pustevny Mountains, the Radhošt’ Beskydy Mountains, especially Kněhyni, Čertův Mlýn and Lysá hora. There is also a view of Frenštát pod Radhoštěm and Trojanovice, Palkovické hůrky, Štramberská Trúba. The name Cyrilka also raises the question of whether there is a colleague named Metodějka anywhere in the area. Unfortunately, it has to be stated that there was, on the nearby Okrúhlý hill.
Statue of Radegast
- Pustevny 756 56 Prostřední Bečva
- www.visitroznov.cz
- ic@roznov.cz
- +420 571 652 444
Statue of Radegast
adegast’s home has always been the Radhošt’ mountain in the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains (1129 m above sea level). According to legend, his idol stood on top of the mountain, which was demolished by the Thessalonian missionaries Constantine and Methodius, who allegedly visited Radhošt’ after their arrival in Great Moravia. Radegast, the Slavic god of crops, harvest, abundance and hospitality, but also of sun and fire, was, according to myth, a great lover of good food and drink. He would often come in disguise among the common people and be entertained. When he was satisfied with the hospitality of the people, he rewarded them generously. After all, this was the name he was given for this quality – one who likes to be entertained.
There is a statue of him on the ridge path along Radhošt’ between the pilgrimage chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Pustevny Mountains. It was created in 1929 in the USA by the sculptor Albín Polášek, a native of Frenštát pod Radhoštěm. The statue depicts Radegast with a bull’s head, a cornucopia, a duck and Wallachian ravens. The original three-metre high statue was made of artificial stone with granite rubble. However, on Radhošt’ it did not stand up well to the harsh weather. The greatest damage to the statue was caused by lightning that struck it during a storm. An exact copy by the stone sculptor Jan Sobek from Leskovec was installed on Radhošt’.
The natural granite from which he sculpted the seven-tonne statue of Radegast is such a strong material that it will last for several centuries even in extreme mountain conditions without serious damage. The former original adorns the vestibule of the Frenštát Town Hall.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius
- Radhošť
- www.matice-radhost.cz
- matice.radhost@email.cz
- +420 608 129 835
Chapel of Saints Cyril and Methodius
What Říp is in Bohemia, Radhošt’ is in Moravia. The foundation stone for the National Theatre was broken off from here, and according to tradition, this is where the chief priests stood to erect a cross on the site of pagan sacrifices. The Cyril and Methodius Chapel at the top of the mountain is the fruit of awakened national consciousness and since its foundation in 1898 it has remained the highest church in the Czech lands. On the occasion of Methodius’ millennium, Pope Leo XIII in Rome consecrated the painting of Jan Sarkander for the future Radhoštěm Chapel to the Moravian pilgrims under the leadership of the later Archbishop of Olomouc, Antonín Cyril Stojan. The cost was then estimated at about 10,000 gold coins. Fialka Alojs was appointed chairman of the committee for the construction of the chapel.
In 1895, the chairman of the committee was Emil Kostelnik, a factory worker, who bought the original painting of the Wallachian Madonna by Adolf Liebscher at the ethnographic exhibition in Prague that year and travelled with it to Moravia and Bohemia to collect another part of the estimated costs of about 7,500 gold coins. The Archbishop of Olomouc, Theodor Kohn, donated part of the land in the Trojanovice area for the chapel and took over the patronage of the chapel. Also the Count of the Roznov estate Rudolf Kinský donated part of his land in the cadastre of Dolní Bečva.
For this reason, the planned chapel was to stand with one half on the Rožnov side and the other half on the Frenštát side. On 5 July 1896 the foundation stone of the Radhošt’ chapel was consecrated. Since the consecration of the chapel by the Archbishop of Olomouc, Theodor Kohn, in 1898, it has been cared for by the members of the Matica Radhošt’ association from Trojanovice. He also managed the restoration of the wooden bell tower in 2000. Similarly to the construction of the chapel a hundred years ago, the people of Wallachia organized a collection, which partially paid for the construction work. In addition to money, they also donated wood from their own forests. One of the beams transported to Radhošt’ was carved with the symbolic inscription “Wallachians for themselves”.
The craftsmen who repaired the chapel had to show the same skill and art as their predecessors. The carved columns, the hand-hewn beams or the shingled roof of the new bell tower do not differ in detail from the original historic building. Above the entrance to the chapel you can read the inscription “Love, Slavs. The windows are decorated with colourful stained glass windows with figures of saints. In the chapel, there is a marble altar of St. Cyril and Methodius and a right side altar for a rare painting of the Wallachian Madonna by Liebscher. The whole interior has a calming impression and a visit to the chapel, which is a jewel on the top of Radhoštěd, is a pleasant stop after a climb to the top of the sacred mountain.
Wallachian Open Air Museum
- Palackého 147 756 61 Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
- www.nmvp.cz/roznov
- muzeum@nmvp.cz
- +420 571 757 111
Wallachian Open Air Museum
When you say “open-air museum” in the Czech Republic, many people think of the one in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. The largest and oldest open-air museum in Central Europe was founded in 1925 and in its three expositions, the Wooden Town, Wallachian Village and Mill Valley, there are almost 100 monumental objects. The Wallachian Open Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm was founded in 1925 by the Jaroňek siblings and is the oldest museum of its kind in Central Europe. The most striking feature of the museum’s current activities is the purposeful effort to revive forgotten traditional techniques, folk art and customs, as well as to reconstruct the social life, trade and entertainment of our ancestors.
Wooden Town
The Wooden Town is the oldest and most visited area of the Wallachian Open Air Museum. It was opened in 1925 and presents the way of life in a small town in the period from the middle of the 19th century to the first quarter of the 20th century. During the high season, folklore and craft programmes are held here every weekend. The wooden town is the venue for several folklore festivals. There is also an exhibition of the post office in the Wooden Town. This revived exhibition not only provides visitors with permanent postal services, but also offers a wide range of products for sale. In the building of the Manor Granary there is a permanent exhibition “How our ancestors built”.
Mill Valley
Mill Valley is the youngest area of the Wallachian Open Air Museum. It was opened in 1982. It brings together technical buildings that are still functional today, mostly water-powered. The location of the mound, the mill and the sawmill is almost an exact reconstruction of the situation that still existed in Velké Karlovice in the first half of the 19th century – the valley of Podťata. The oil pressing plant is an original building from the 17th century. The hammer mill is a reconstruction of the Ostravice operation. With the exception of the pressing plant, all mechanisms are driven by water power. There is an exposition “Means of transport in Wallachia” in the building of the Ostravice wagon shed. The exhibition presents various forms of means of transport used in agriculture, forestry, commercial activities, passenger transport and other trades and crafts. In 2008 – 2009, the complex was expanded with new objects – a dwelling house from Trojanovice, a forge from Horní Lidec and a barn from Velké Karlovice – Podťatý. A timbered bell tower from Dolní Bečva, which originally stood in the area of the Wooden Town, was also added to the Hamer part of the Mill Valley.
Wallachian village
Wallachian Heritage is the largest area of the Wallachian Open Air Museum. Farmsteads, shepherd’s buildings, a mill and a forge are located in a landscape whose ruggedness is reminiscent of many villages on the slopes of the Beskydy Mountains. The first buildings were constructed in 1962 and the area was opened to the public in 1972. The interiors of the houses depict the way of living from the middle of the 19th century in different social classes. Throughout the year, programmes are held here, reviving the old ways of farming. Fields, gardens and fruit trees are reminiscent of the cultivation of old crops. During the tour one can meet many domestic animals and a flock of sheep.
When visiting the Rožnov Open-Air Museum, you will get to know Wallachia as it was 100 years ago and more. You can walk through the new exposition – a small town under Radhoštěm and continue to wander among the houses of the old Rožnov square, the Wallachian village, where old crops and fruit trees with ancient varieties are still grown today, or take a look into the hammer mill, pressing plant, souk, mill or sawmill, where all the equipment is powered by water and is fully functional. In 2017, the museum staff built a stone barn here themselves. It is a faithful copy of the building that stood in Wallachia.
Various events are held in the Open-Air Museum throughout the year – fairs, festivals, demonstrations of traditional crafts and folk customs, as well as tastings of Wallachian specialties.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Where to eat and sleep?
Restaurants and accommodation along the trail.
Restaurant Mountain Hotel Radegast
- Dolní Bečva 287, 75655 Dolní Bečva
- www.hotelradegast.cz
- hotelradegast@centrum.cz
- +420 556 835 130
Cottage Peace
- Dolní Bečva 318, 75655 Dolní Bečva
- www.chatamirbeskydy.cz
- recepce@chata-mir.cz
- +420 722 910 440
Accommodation in Rožnov p. Radhoštěm
- 756 61 Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
- www.visitroznov.cz
- ic@roznov.cz
- +420 571 652 444
Tourist Information Centre Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
- Masarykovo náměstí 131, 756 61 Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
- www.visitroznov.cz
- ic@roznov.cz
- +420 571 652 444
Tourist Information Centre Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
- Náměstí Míru 1 744 01 Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
- www.frenstat.info
- ic@mufrenstat.cz
- +420 556 836 916
Information centre Trojanovice
- Trojanovice 210, 74401 Trojanovice
- www.trojanovice.cz
- ic@trojanovice.cz
- +420 556 835 022
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