Horní Lhota – Church, Castle Ruins and Marked Trails

Part of Horní Lhota lies within the Bílé Karpaty Protected Landscape Area. Historical traces and marked trails add to the themes you can explore on a trip to the village. At the same time, the Olše stream flows through Horní Lhota; its right-bank tributary is the Komoncový stream. This gives the village various starting points for a trip: you can explore the regional nature, discover cultural monuments or use the village as a starting point for a hiking or cycling tour.

Landscape and trails around Horní Lhota

There are two marked routes for active exploration. A blue-marked hiking trail runs through the cadastral area of Horní Lhota. Cycling Route 5056 also passes through the cadastral area. Another cycling route connects Luhačovice and Vizovice via Dolní Lhota and Horní Lhota. Anyone planning a trip with varied ideas for each day can include these different route options without all activities having to be of the same kind. The “Báje a pověsti pod Starým Světlovem” educational trail is also part of the region’s orientation network: it leads from Pozlovice towards Horní Lhota. Its name already refers to the connection between the landscape and storytelling tradition, while its route provides an additional way to explore the surroundings. For train travel, the nearest railway station is in Luhačovice.

Cultural monuments and historical traces

The village is home to the Church of St. Dionysius, which is listed as a cultural monument. The surviving core of the church was built in 1700 on the site of what was probably an older wooden church. The present interior is decorated with an altarpiece by J. Úprka. The church therefore offers more than just a single building to view; it also preserves various historical layers, from the presumed predecessor structure to the furnishings of the present interior. The ruins of Sehrad Castle (Engelsberk) lie north of Horní Lhota, above the village, on the Vala spur. What remains are limited foundation remnants as well as substantial ramparts with ditches. Sehradice Castle (originally Engelsberk) was built sometime after the middle of the 13th century as an administrative center of episcopal holdings. The surviving features and the historical context emphasize different aspects: on site, the visible rampart and foundation remains take center stage, while the castle’s origins provide the broader historical context. A water mill has also been preserved in the center of Horní Lhota. It adds evidence of the former use of water to the cultural tour and complements the parish church and castle ruins with another tangible element of the village’s history. Annual Fašank processions are also part of the local tradition. If you would like to compare other places from the same selection, you can also check Poteč, Podhradí U Luhačovic, Valašské Klobouky, Bohuslavice Nad Vláří, Mysločovice, Petrůvka, Bohuslavice U Zlína and Vlachovice.

For the broader travel overview: Zlín District.