the twelfth stage of hiking
Zlín - Napajedla
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Basic information about the trail
Embark on a captivating journey through the scenic trail from Bata Zlín to Napajedla, perfect for hikers and nature enthusiasts. Starting in the historic town of Bata Zlín, known for its rich industrial heritage, the trail meanders through dense, serene forests, offering a tranquil escape filled with the sounds of nature. Midway, you’ll pass the charming village of Karlovice, providing a glimpse into local life and a great spot for a short rest. As you approach Napajedla, the forest gives way to open landscapes, revealing stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Conclude your journey in the picturesque town of Napajedla, renowned for its beautiful river views and historic sites. This trail offers a peaceful escape, a cultural experience, and numerous photographic opportunities. Remember to wear comfortable shoes, stay hydrated, pack snacks, and respect nature by following Leave No Trace principles. Discover the natural beauty, peace, and cultural richness of the Zlín Region on this unforgettable hike.
What's ahead of us?
Starting point: Zlín
Ending point: Napajedla
Distance: 21,1 km
Estimated travel time: 6:17 hours
Difficulty: medium
Altitude: ascent 400 m, descent 362 m
Surface: paved asphalt road, forest and field paths
Critical points: The bridge over the Morava River in town Napajedla, where the Cyril and Methodius Route passes, is closed. The pedestrian traffic is transferred to a shuttle bus service. Please take this restriction into account if you are passing through. Zlín-Malenovice, Karlovice - walking along or crossing busy roads.
Our tip:
Make sure you have plenty of food and drink for this stage, because in Karlovice, where we are passing through, the shop is open either in the morning or in the afternoon. It is not possible to rely on the well at Svatá Voda, where there is a problem with the purity of the water.
What can be seen?
Archaeological, pilgrimage, technical and natural monuments.
City Information and Tourist Centre
- náměstí Míru 12, 760 01 Zlín
- www.ic-zlin.cz
- is@zlin.eu
- +420 577 630 222
14|15 Bata Institut
- Vavrečkova 7040, 760 01 Zlín
- www.14-15.cz
- info@14-15.cz
- +420 573 032 111 (115)
14|15 Bata Institute
The industrial buildings with the Bata markings 14 and 15 have been transformed into the modern cultural and educational centre 14|15 BATA INSTITUTE. The Regional Gallery of Fine Arts, the Museum of South-East Moravia and the F. Bartos Regional Library are located here. One of the first places to go when visiting Zlín is undoubtedly 14|15 BATA INSTITUT, located on the edge of the former Bata factory complex. Although the edge could be better described as a “gateway” to the now fully vibrant industrial space.
But let’s go back to the beginning for a moment. Let’s go back to 1944, when buildings marked 14 and 15 already existed on the same site, but unfortunately that was also the year of their demise. In this war year, the aerial bombs did not avoid these buildings either and both had to go down completely after the end of the war. The 15th building waited for its resurrection only until 1947. In 1949, Building 14 was also completed. These two mirror-symmetrical buildings came from the pen of architect Jiří Voženílek and were directly designed for the needs of shoe production. After the Bata era, shoe production continued in the buildings under the Svit brand. And then it went downhill for many years, until 2008, when the completely devastated buildings were bought by the Zlín Region. However, if you are interested in the architecture and history of these buildings in more depth, be sure to check out the pages of the ZAM Zlín Architectural Manual.ˇ
After a costly reconstruction, cultural institutions of the Zlín Region have found a home in the renovated buildings. The 14|15 BAŤ INSTITUTE houses the Regional Art Gallery, the Museum of South-East Moravia and the František Bartos Regional Library.
By the Regional Art Gallery you should not imagine just a building with paintings and sculptures, but a place where art is alive. In addition to the permanent exhibitions and other events, the building houses two exhibition spaces, a permanent exhibition, a graphic cabinet and regularly hosts a Galefield for the little ones.
In the Museum of Southeast Moravia, you will find a unique permanent exhibition, The Bata Principle: Today Fantasy, Tomorrow Reality. You will also find here a shoe museum, an exhibition dedicated to the filmmaking beginnings of the Zlín film studios or the travelling discoveries of Mr. Hanzelka and Mr. Zikmund.
The František Bartos Library, the largest library in the Zlín Region, has finally found a dignified and much-needed home here. Those interested can find here more than half a million documents in various formats.
You will find the Red Brick Design Shop in the lobby of Building 15, full of designer clothes, handbags and jewellery. Dozens of Czech brands have taken up residence here, many of them coming directly from Zlín or the surrounding area.
It’s also worth visiting the 14I15 Bata Institute for the Regional Information Centre, which you’ll find right on the ground floor of the 14th building, where you can get valuable advice and materials before visiting the city as a tourist.
The varied cultural life does not only take place inside the 14th and 15th buildings, but very often also between them. The buildings are connected by a large concrete platform, which often hosts concerts and various open-air events.
14I15 The Bata Institute brings constant variety to the lives of Zlín’s residents and visitors, be it the aforementioned concerts or lectures, travel talks or festivals. Lovers of art, architecture and history will find their own here. Moreover, the permanent exhibitions provide a comprehensive view of the Bata phenomenon in Zlín. Before you do, be sure to find out what there is to see in Bata’s Zlín, preferably plan a weekend in Zlín.
Building 21, Zlín skyscraper
- třída Tomáše Bati 21
- www.kr-zlinsky.cz
- podatelna@kr-zlinsky.cz
- +420 577 043 111
Administrative building No. 21 – the Zlín skyscraper
The administrative building number 21 of the Bata factories – the “Zlín skyscraper” is one of the top works of pre-war Czechoslovak functionalist architecture. With 16 floors and a height of 77.5 metres, it is the tallest building in Zlín. There is an observation deck with a stylish café on the roof of the building, which offers an unusual view of the city and its surroundings. The terrace is open to the public.
The 21st administrative building of the Bata company – the Zlín skyscraper was one of the first high-rise buildings in Europe and the tallest building in Czechoslovakia. It deservedly won the Building of the Century award together with the entire industrial complex of the former Bata factories. The building was built in 1936-1938 according to the design of architect Vladimír Karfík, who was the head of the design department of Bata’s factories in 1930-1946. It is situated in a traditional row of factory buildings, directly influencing the Square of Work, the northern side of which it closes, and thus became a typical landmark of the modern concept of the city.
In terms of layout, it is a three-tract building, designed on the same modular network (6.15 x 6.15 m) as the production buildings. The entire floor, measuring 80 x 20 metres, was a large office, mostly without partitions, where about 200 people worked. The work area remained clean, as both the vertical circulation (staircases with lifts) and the sanitary facilities and air-conditioning chambers were allocated outside this space. The structure of the building is reinforced concrete, the envelope is made up of steel double-glazed windows and brick lining with Nightingale tiles. You can visit the exhibition about the history of the Bata company on weekdays in the 8th floor.
A real technical treat is the air-conditioned elevator – the mobile office of J. A. Bata measuring 6 x 6 metres, equipped with air conditioning, telephone and washbasin. This masterpiece of the architect V. Karfík is today a national cultural monument of the functionalism period.
Tomas Bata Memorial
- nám. T. G. Masaryka 2570, 760 01 Zlín
- pamatnikbata.eu
- pamatnikbata@zlin.eu
- +420 572 570 720
Tomas Bata Memorial
The Memorial to Tomáš Bat’a closes the ascending park avenue between the dormitories. According to the original design, the whole complex was to contain a group of buildings of a study and educational character, culminating in a museum building on the park axis. However, the plans were changed by the sudden death of the founder of the shoe empire, who died in 1932 shortly after take-off from nearby Otrokovice during a planned aerial work trip to Möhlin, Switzerland.
The memorial was built in place of the museum and only two of the eight study institutes (1936-1938) were built, which were architecturally connected to the memorial building. The typical skeleton of a production building with a variable storey layout was also used here. The architect Gahura used the strength of the reinforced concrete skeleton to create an interesting interior and exterior design with impressive smooth continuous glazed surfaces.
The Memorial of Tomáš Bat’a is the most impressive architectural work of F. L. Gahura, a modern paraphrase of the buildings of the High Gothic period: only a support system and coloured stained glass windows, only a reinforced concrete skeleton and glass. In its first ten years, it was visited by 1.5 million people.
However, it ceased to serve its mission in November 1944, when the glass shell was severely damaged during the wartime bombing of Zlín. Cultural activities (already under the name of the renamed House of Art) were restored in June 1948, with the opening of the XI. Zlín Salon.
The building was rebuilt in 1954-1955 by the academic architect J. Staša to serve simultaneously the Workers’ Philharmonic and the Regional Art Gallery Gottwaldov for more than 55 years. The House of Art (originally the Tomáš Bat’a Memorial) was entered into the Central List of Immovable Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic in 1985.
When considering the restoration of the Tomáš Bat’a Memorial, it was thought of in a European and global context. The conclusions of the October 2006 expert conference were unequivocal – to return the Memorial to its original form and ideological function, with the proviso that the use should be adapted to the building, not the other way around.
Present
These conclusions were approved by the Zlín City Council in 2011 and in 2012-2014 an architectural study of the restoration was created on the basis of these conclusions. The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in Zlín acquired new premises in the Congress Centre, the Regional Art Gallery in the building 14|15 of the Bata Institute. In 2013, the name of the building was returned to the Tomáš Bat’a Memorial.
The demanding restoration was carried out in 2016-2018, financed by the Ministry of Culture, proceeds from the public collection and the City of Zlín. The latter, together with the Bata family, the town of Möhlin and other major donors approached by the Tomáš Bata Foundation, also contributed financially to the realisation of the main exhibit, a monumental replica of the JU F13 aircraft. An architectural icon and the pinnacle of Gahur’s urban design work has reopened its doors to the public.
Source: www.zlin.eu
Malenovice Castle
- Švermova 448, 76302 Zlín - Malenovice
- hradmalenovice.cz
- Hrad.Malenovice@muzeum-zlin.cz
- +420 577 103 379
Malenovice Castle: An Architectural and Cultural Jewel of the Zlín Region with a Rich History
Malenovice Castle, situated in a picturesque landscape just 6 km from Zlín, represents a significant historical and architectural complex that reflects the region's development from the Middle Ages to modern times. Founded in the mid-14th century by the Moravian Margrave Jan Jindřich, the castle underwent transformations over the centuries, turning the original Gothic fortress into a Renaissance chateau-type residence.
Architecturally, Malenovice Castle is characterized by a combination of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque elements, testifying to its rich construction history. Visitors can admire the late Gothic vault of the Painted Hall, Baroque paintings in the domestic chapel of St. Anthony of Padua, and Renaissance details in the interiors. The castle tower, open to the public, offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, allowing visitors to glimpse the castle’s strategic importance in the past.
The cultural heritage of Malenovice Castle is presented through rich exhibitions, including historical interiors, a collection of clocks and weapons, and the Wood – Wicker – Straw exhibition in the forester’s lodge building in front of the castle. This exhibition showcases traditional folk crafts and documents production processes that testify to the skill and ingenuity of rural creators.
Malenovice Castle has been the seat of many noble families over the centuries, including the Tetours of Tetov, Liechtenstein-Kastelkorns, Salm-Neuburgs, and Šternberks, who left a distinct mark on its history. In 1953, the castle was acquired by the Museum of Southeast Moravia in Zlín, which contributed to its restoration and opening to the public.
During the visitor season, the castle hosts various cultural events, including concerts, theatrical performances, and performances by historical fencing groups, which revive the castle’s historical atmosphere and attract visitors from far and wide.
Malenovice Castle is an ideal destination for lovers of history, architecture, and culture, seeking a combination of knowledge and aesthetic experience. A visit to this historical complex allows one to delve into the region’s rich past and immerse oneself in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Svatá voda, pilgrimage site Kaménka
- Zlín - Malenovice
- www.farnostmalenovice.cz
- fazlin-malenovice@ado.cz
- +420 731 604 304
Pilgrimage Site Kaménka, Svatá voda
The pilgrimage site Svatá voda – Malenovice is located 7 km from Zlín. The local well has a reputation of healing water. The well is covered with a stone vault. Above it is a steep slope, in which a rock cave with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes is located. We learn from the history of the pilgrimage site, which is also referred to as a place of excursion, that already Saints Cyril and Methodius preached and baptized here. People began to notice that sincere prayer and washing with spring water gave mental and physical refreshment. Help was mainly sought here by mothers of small sick children who hung children’s shirts on trees in gratitude for hearing their pleas.
The first chapel mentioned in history is the forest chapel from 1854, built by Josef Buksa from Šelešovice, who thanked the Virgin Mary for healing him from blindness. In the chapel there was placed a picture of Our Lady of Provodov.
The stoneware statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was erected above the spring in 1902 and later moved to a niche in the rock. There were more and more pilgrims with music and priests from Slovácko, Wallachia and Haná. The project of a small pilgrimage church was drawn up in 1933, but its construction did not take place. Instead of a general overhaul of the original chapel in 1963, a new chapel was built in two days thanks to the efforts of the then spiritual administrator of Malenovice, P. Vojtěch Krále, and especially thanks to the extremely courageous dedication of the parishioners from Lhota u Malenovic. At this time, the Lourdes cave and the surroundings of the spring were also renovated.
Pilgrim processions with music have been banned since the 1950s. Only the parish of Lhota u Malenovic was allowed to march with music every year, because the procession through the forest “did not disturb anyone and did not interfere with traffic”.
The common pilgrimage is held on the first Sunday in September and its continuity has never been interrupted.
Source: www.farnosthalenkovice.eu
Napajedla Castle
- ulice Zámecká 265, Napajedla
- www.zameknapajedla.cz
- pavlica@zameknapajedla.cz
- +420 733 191 735
Napajedla Castle breathes the past and lives in the present
There are few places that leave a mark on you. One of the unforgettable places is Napajedla Castle. You can go here for a tour, sit with a cup of coffee, visit various cultural programs, get married or rent rooms for your own organized events. The castle in the centre of Napajedla near Zlín was built in the middle of the 18th century. There were over fifty living rooms on three floors, in addition to the facilities. The building is surrounded by a ten-hectare English-style park with rare trees and a romantic pond with water lilies. The park serves not only for a pleasant walk, but also for organizing various events and activities. The beautiful historical monument has been in private hands since 2008 and has been gradually opened to the public since 2009.
You can admire the beauty of the historical halls, which were used by the Napajedel nobility, especially the Rottal, Kobenzl, Stockau and the important Baltazzi families. In 1886, they founded a famous stud farm with English Thoroughbreds.You will sleep in rooms where the local comtesse used to sleep.
You’ll visit a park that has witnessed famous horse auctions. After all, the centuries-old trees could tell….. Our philosophy: “The sweetest happiness is that which we share together”.
Napajedla Castle is open to everyone who loves people and life. Here you will find not only the historical legacy of our history, but also comfort that will take your breath away. You will feel at home here, a place where you will experience luxury in our castle accommodation and at the same time home cooking like from your grandmother.
Enjoy special relaxation treatments in the atypical and unique holistic studio or directly in the rooms. Here you can make merry at weddings, family celebrations or corporate events. All this with full service, but at the same time with a human home-like approach.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Napajedla Town Hall
- Komenského 304 763 61 Napajedla
- ic.napajedla.cz
- infocentrum@napajedla.cz
- +420 703 146 131
Town Hall Napajedla
The town hall was built in 1904 under the design of Dominik Fey from Uherské Hradiště. The impetus for this construction was, among other things, the promotion of Napajedel to a town in 1898. The town hall was built in the pseudo-Renaissance style. Important Moravian artists were invited to decorate the building. Franta Uprka is the author of the statue of St. George placed between the windows on the first floor. The dial of the tower clock was designed by Jano Köhler. The interior of the town hall is also richly decorated. There are rich stained glass windows, paintings in the meeting room and wooden tiles. During important cultural events, the town hall tower is open to view the city (St.Wenceslas Festival, Open Monuments Day, European Heritage Days). Opposite the town hall is the Church of St. Bartholomew, with majestic staircases leading up to it.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Church of St. Bartholomew
- Masarykovo nám. 213, 763 61 Napajedla
- napajedlafarnost.8u.cz
- fanapajedla@ado.cz
- +420 739 692 213
Church of St. Bartholomew
Opposite the Old Castle is the Baroque building of the Rectory, which was built in the 1780s and forms a single complex with the Church of St. Bartholomew, which is reached by a majestic staircase lined with statues of national saints. The church was completed in 1712 and is one of the region’s most important religious monuments. The church was built between 1710 and 1712 and some of the structural elements and statues from the old church were used in its construction, such as the stone statues of St. Peter and St. Paul placed in the front of the church. There is a coat of arms of the Rotal family above the portal of the main entrance, held by two angels, and the year of completion of the construction in 1712. There are two Renaissance tombstones of Friedrich and Bartholomew of Žerotín on the sides of the main entrance, dated 1568.
The wooden statues of the apostles (St. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were transferred from the old church. The altarpiece of the Passion of St. Bartholomew is the work of Fr. Kančić from 1809. The stained glass windows above the chancel date from the end of the last century. There are now two bells in the church tower. The most extensive renovation of the interior was carried out at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Museum Napajedla
- Komenského 304, 763 61 Napajedla
- www.muzeum.napajedla.cz
- muzeum@napajedla.cz
- +420 703 146 131
Napajedla Museum
The Napajedla Museum attracts both young visitors to the permanent exhibition of toys as well as adults to temporary exhibitions and historical permanent exhibitions. The museum is located in the former monastery. In the Napajedla Museum you can see the permanent exhibition Playground of Toys, which will introduce you in a playful, interactive way to the legendary toys designed by Libuše Niklová and Alfréd Klug, which have long been produced and are still being produced in the Fatra Napajedla company. The author of the exhibition is Libuše Niklová’s son, the well-known artist Petr Nikl, who designed it as a “Man Don’t Be Angry!” exhibition where children and adults can play with the toys themselves.
There are also permanent exhibitions Fatra in Time – 80 years of the factory in an imaginative cube, The Story of the Town – an introductory edition of facts and extraordinary facts from the history of Napajedel and Slavia, the story of the factory – more than a century of the company’s history with a demonstration of historic engines.
The Napajedla Museum has a unique audiovisual hall in which it organizes temporary exhibitions – historical, association, art.
New Monastery Napajedla
In addition to the museum, the New Monastery also houses a primary art school, a Culture Club, an information centre, a café, a monastery chapel, a chamber hall, two small gyms, facilities for athletes, pensioners, a beekeeping club and folklore groups.
Source: www.kudyznudy.cz
Information centre Napajedla
- Komenského 304, 763 61 Napajedla
- ic.napajedla.cz
- infocentrum@napajedla.cz
- +420 703 146 131
Where to eat and sleep?
Restaurants and accommodation along the trail.
Recreation centre Hájenka
- Pohořelice 115, 763 61 Pohořelice
- www.tabormaleta.cz
- ji.ti@seznam.cz
- +420 608 256 875
Recreational area Pahrbek
- Pahrbek 735, 763 61 Napajedla
- www.pahrbek.cz
- recepce@pahrbek.cz
- +420 731 102 690
Pension Baltaci Old Chateau
- Masarykovo náměstí 75, 763 61 Napajedla
- www.napajedla.eu
- staryzamek@baltaci.cz
- +420 773 870 874
Hotel and restaurant Malina
- Na Malině 1380, 763 61 Napajedla
- www.hotelmalina.com
- provozni@hotelmalina.com
- +420 577 159 292
Restaurant and Pension Asterix
- Svatoplukova 63, 763 61 Napajedla
- penzionasterix.napajedla.net/asterix/
- peska.roman123@seznam.cz
- +420 777 829 073
Hotel Castle Napajedla
- Zámecká 265, 763 61 Napajedla
- www.zameknapajedla.cz
- pavlica@zameknapajedla.cz
- +420 733 191 735
Other accommodation in Napajedla
- ic.napajedla.cz/cs/ubytovani
- infocentrum@napajedla.cz
- +420 703 146 131
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Photogalery
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