Svatý Kopeček near Olomouc
Information about the pilgrimage site
Svatý Kopeček (German: Heiligenberg or Mariendorf) is a historical village, now a town district, a place of pilgrimage and a cadastral territory in the northeast of the statutory city of Olomouc.
Until the 17th century the area was covered with forest. Between 1629 and 1632, Jan Andrýsek, a townsman and wine merchant from Olomouc, had a Marian chapel built here, which was administered by the Hradisko monastery. However, it was destroyed by Swedish troops in 1654. Thanks to the monastery, it was restored and rebuilt into a larger church in 1669-1679, to which side wings and other buildings were added after 1712. The pilgrimage site also included St. Norbert’s hospital and a pilgrimage house. The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary became a destination for processions from the surrounding area.
Svatý Kopeček gradually became the centre of the whole area, in 1784 a school was founded here and a year later a new parish was established. After the Josephine reforms, Svatý Kopeček fell into a crisis, pilgrimages were banned, the hospital was closed and the farmstead was confiscated from the monastery. It was not until 1846 that the Premonstratensians returned here, coming from the Strahov monastery, and restored the whole area.
After the onset of communism in 1950, the local priests and nuns were taken to an internment camp and the buildings of the pilgrimage site were put to other uses. An institute for hearing impaired children, a school for the hearing impaired, boarding and children’s homes, etc. were established there. In 1952 a zoo was opened, and in 1959 the word “Svatý” was removed from the name of the village. In 2018, the pilgrimage site on Svatý Kopeček was classified as a national cultural monument.
The legend of the creation of the Basilica on Svatý Kopeček is connected with the name of a wealthy Olomouc wine merchant, Jan Andrýsek, who lived from 1595 to 1673. While looking for a place to build the future chapel, a vision of the Mother of God came back to him and he decided to build a small shrine here.
The fame of Svatý Kopeček rose and the Virgin Mary was worshipped there as the Queen of Moravia. The construction of the present church began in 1669 and the church was consecrated in 1679. In 1995, the church was elevated to the status of “Basilica Minor”. The Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary underwent extensive renovations between 2018 and 2020.
Tourist attractions in the vicinity
Olomouc – the metropolis of the Haná region and the seat of bishops and archbishops – is nowadays primarily a regional and university town. Many monuments from the Gothic and Baroque periods have been preserved here. The jewel of the city is the Holy Trinity Plague Column, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other sights include the Premyslid Palace, a set of Baroque fountains, Baroque churches and the Archbishop’s Museum. More at https://www.kudyznudy.cz/aktuality/jak-poznat-olomouc-za-jediny-den .
ZOO in Olomouc – ZOO breeds more than 1700 animals in 350 species. It offers the possibility of viewing rare species of animals in five pavilions and many other enclosures and expositions, a tour by train or a 32 m high observation tower from which you can see the city of Olomouc and the Basilica on St. More at https://www.zoo-olomouc.cz/ .
Mladečské Caves – in the protected landscape area of Litovelské Pomoraví there is a large underground complex of Mladečské Caves. In prehistoric times, people lived in them and at the end of the 19th century the explorer J. Szombathy discovered their remains. Apart from human bones, other evidence of prehistoric life was discovered, such as fireplaces and stone tools, as well as the bones of prehistoric animals. There is a sightseeing circuit through the cave, which is approximately 400 metres long. For more information visit https://mladecske.caves.cz/ .
Šternberk Castle – it towers over the town of the same name, was built in the 13th century and is dominated by a preserved cylindrical tower. Apart from the regular tour of the castle, you can visit the photographic studio where you can have your picture taken in period costumes. Inside, there are collections of objects imported from all over Europe, as John II of Liechtenstein was an avid collector. More at https://www.hrad-sternberk.cz/en .
Oderské vrchy Nature Park – the southeastern part of the Low Jeseník Mountains. They were declared a nature park in 1994 for their charms. The rich forests with many natural attractions invite you to go for walks all year round, in late summer and autumn they become a mushroom picker’s paradise. More at http://www.oderske-vrchy.cz/ .
Other tourist attractions in the area can be found on the website:
https://www.vyletnik.cz/clanky/lo/olomoucky-kraj/st/turistika/
Accommodation
- Affordable accommodation in beautiful surroundings is possible in the centre of Olomouc in Pension Tode, https://www.rehole.cz/cs/formacni-dum-tode
- In Olomouc it is possible to choose from a wide range of commercial accommodation.
Availability
By car
By car, it is best to take the route through Olomouc, parking is available at the ZOO.
By public transport
By public transport, the place is accessible by train to Olomouc. From there it is possible to use public transport to the pilgrimage site. More information can be found at www.idos.cz
On foot
The pilgrimage site is crossed by marked tourist routes of the KČT, and the Moravian-Silesian route of the St. Jacob’s Way, which has an international overlap, is also marked on them. Details are available at www.mapy.cz.
On a bicycle
There are several cycle routes through the pilgrimage site, for more information visit www.mapy.cz.
