Sázava – Monastery, Glass Art and Riverside Trails

Sázava combines a significant monastery, a vibrant glassmaking tradition and varied trails along the river. This creates a destination where culture, pilgrimage history and outdoor excursions can be combined in different ways. The town is particularly interesting if you want to compare accommodation with access to historical sights and various tours when planning your trip.

By train to Sázava

Sázava Monastery is a national cultural monument. The “Svatoprokopská Sázava” tour takes you to the chapter house, through the cloister with wall paintings that are currently being restored, and into the refectory. The northern monastery garden is an area of the complex that can be accessed freely. The foundations of the Church of the Holy Cross, dating from 1070, are located there. This allows you to combine a guided tour of historic interiors with a visit to the garden.

Glass Art, Remembrance and Pilgrimage

Huť František is the oldest glassworks in Sázava. It has been classified as an immovable cultural monument because it is one of the few glassworks preserved in its original condition. The Jiří Voskovec Memorial Hall focuses on a different aspect of culture. It documents the history of the Voskovec family, his student years, the famous period of the Osvobozené divadlo theatre and his time in the United States.

In the monastery complex, you can learn about the pilgrimage site of St Procopius on the “Czech Patron Saint Procopius” tour. It includes the St Procopius Gallery, with objects from the monastery treasury, including a cup and a spoon allegedly belonging to Saint Procopius. The tour ends with a descent into a restored crypt containing the mortal remains of Saint Procopius. The town’s religious heritage also includes the Vosovka spring in the Lázně area. A Baroque chalice can be seen there, surrounded by legends about Saint Procopius and the Devil. The U Martina cultural complex is located in a secularised church rebuilt in the Baroque style, which has been used for concerts, author readings and exhibitions.

River, Hiking Trails and Various Tours

The Sázava River flows through the town; approximately 208 km of the river are navigable. The section from Český Šternberk to Sázava is 21 km long for paddling trips. For cyclists, the 40 km Cyril and Methodius Trail is another specific option. Sázava also lies on the Posázavská Trail, a marked hiking route from the confluence of the Sázava and Vltava rivers via Pikovice and Čerčany along the Sázava to its source near Žďár nad Sázavou. The different route lengths help you plan shorter discoveries and longer active days separately.

Sázava lies on railway line 212. The Sázava zastávka stop and Sázava–Čerč Budy station are each approximately 1 km from Sázava Monastery.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare other destinations in addition to Sázava, here are the direct options: Krcmy, Křivsoudov, Vracovice, Libež, Keblov, Libohošť, Maršovice and Porící Nad Sázavou.

To the overview of the wider travel area: Benešov District.