Chotýšany: Church, Castle and Historical Discoveries

Chotýšany combines village history, castle culture and small discoveries by the water. For families and other travelers who want to fill their stay with specific sights and regional stories, the village offers several points of interest: from the Church of St. Havel and the castle complex to the New Pond, historic crosses and the ceramics of Ivana Syslová.

Church of St. Havel and Castle Complex

The Church of St. Havel is the landmark of Chotýšany. Its earliest written references date from 1350. The single-nave church has a west tower; its present appearance dates from a renovation in 1884. In the northern part of the municipality, west of the church, lies the Chotýšany castle complex.

The listed castle complex includes the castle, two granaries, a stable, a farm building, a fortress, the enclosing walls, a castle park, a garden and a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. The castle park is among the protected components of the complex. The castle has a Baroque south wing dating from before the mid-18th century and a Neo-Gothic north wing dating from before 1841.

Fortress Remains and Local History

The former Chotýšany fortress stood in the grounds of the former farmyard immediately next to the castle. It had a detached residential building from the late 13th or early 14th century. After its residential function ended, the fortress was first converted into a brewery and later into a distillery. The surviving remains today include the ground floor of a rectangular, tower-like residential building and part of a curved defensive wall. The history of the village can thus be traced through architectural remains from different periods.

Small Monuments Between the Village Square and Road Crossings

A stone cross stands in the village square; it was erected on September 28, 1881. In 1928, it was moved next to the war memorial, where it still stands today. A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes is also located in the village square. It was built in 1933 and consecrated on August 13, 1933. Chotýšany also has a pillar-shaped Boží muka, a small religious monument.

Further roadside markers complement the village landscape. The wayside shrine by the road to the former “U Váňů” mill stands at the junction from Chotýšany to the settlement of Onšovice and the mill. The cast-iron cross now known as “Kuthanův křížek” was erected on a stone pedestal around 1990 and stands between two linden trees. Originally, this cross stood at a road junction by the “Císař” pond.

New Pond, Ceramics and Events

The New Pond in Chotýšany was formerly called “Židák” and is used for sport fishing. A small park with ornamental trees and shrubs was created around it. The ceramics of Ivana Syslová provide another cultural highlight: her predominantly wheel-thrown, glazed and fired functional ceramics are usually glazed in white, blue or green and decorated with incised patterns or small dots. You can discover her work at ceramics markets, fairs or farmers’ markets in the surrounding area.

The Friends of Chotýšany association is associated with the Chotýšany celebrations, musical evenings and theatrical performances. For an additional excursion, Jemniště Castle is located in the neighboring cadastral area toward Benešov, about 3 km from Chotýšany. There are guided tours of the castle and park, summer theater performances for children and concerts during Advent.

If you would like to compare other places for your travel plans in addition to Chotýšany, you can find Rataje, Soběhrdy, Václavice, Hulice, Drachkov, Soutice, Vlašim and Ceský Sternberk here.

For the broader travel overview: Benešov District.