Radešín

Radešín represents castle history, balloon construction and a living pilgrimage tradition. At its heart is Radešín Castle: It was founded in the second half of the 13th century as a monastic farmstead of the Cistercians and later served Cistercian abbots as a rural retreat for relaxation. This makes the town particularly appealing to travellers who want to combine their stay with cultural history and unusual discoveries.

Radešín Castle and its history

The castle’s present appearance is also shaped by its Baroque renovation. This took place between 1706 and 1710 and is attributed to Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl. Another special feature of the castle complex is the niche chapel of the Virgin Mary in the castle park. It was restored in 2007 based on historical photographs and the memories of contemporary witnesses. The castle thus brings together a medieval foundation history, Baroque architecture and a later reconstructed element. When arriving by car, take the Bohdalec–Radešín road. Turn right approximately 100 m after the Radešín town sign. This specific direction is especially helpful if the castle is a fixed part of your day’s itinerary.

Balloon Museum with a special connection to the Czech Republic

A museum dedicated to the production of hot-air balloons in the Czech Republic opened at Radešín Castle in 2019. The museum on the history of balloon manufacturing presents the development and production of hot-air balloons in Czechoslovakia and subsequently in the Czech Republic. It therefore complements a visit to the castle with a subject that extends beyond local architectural history and provides insight into the development of a technical and craft-related field. The museum has no regular opening hours. Visits must be arranged by telephone at +420 734 44 30 30. Therefore, do not plan this stop as a spontaneous visit during generally accessible opening hours; arrange the appointment by telephone in advance.

Chapels and the Radešín pilgrimage

The town’s religious history includes the chapel in Radešín dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1884 and solemnly consecrated on 15 August 1887. The annual Radešín pilgrimage includes a festive pilgrims’ Mass at the Chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Those interested in sacred sites, regional traditions and historical dates will find a different way of experiencing Radešín here than through a visit to the castle or museum.

Hiking and other excursion options

For an active addition, the red circular trail of the educational path around Bobrová is a good choice. It is 6 km long, leads through forests and meadows and runs mostly away from roads. This means that the focus of this excursion is not the castle’s architecture but the landscape. The Santiniho stezka Vysočinou also connects a stay in Radešín with other stops: Along the route, lunch at the Balónový hotel in Radešín and a visit to Radešín Castle are followed by the towns of Sklené and Ostrov nad Oslavou. For further research, you can also Saar, Ujčov, Dlouhé, Fryšava Pod Žákovou Horou, Krásné, Rousměrov, Obyčtov and Dvořiště explore.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Žďár Nad Sázavou.