The Hussite trail near Kutná Hora, including Sion castle and Žižka’s final battlefield – 10 km

• In the high Middle Ages, Kutná Hora was the second most import city in Bohemia, after Prague, due to its extensive silver mines. The area around Kutná Hora was therefore the scene of several important battles during the Hussite Wars of the early 15th century. Most of these battles involved the legendary Hussite general, Jan Žižka, who remained undefeated as a military leader, despite being completely blind in his later years. A 12 km circular educational trail, which visits some important Hussite battle sites, has been created between the villages of Chlístovice and Malešov, a few kilometers to the southwest of Kutná Hora.
• Malešov was actually the site of Žižka’s final and arguably most important battle in Bohemia, against a coalition of royalist Catholic forces and a Prague Hussite faction. The consequence of this bloody battle, which took place on 7 June 1424, was the final reconciliation of different Hussite factions and decision later that year to march on the royalist armies of Emperor Sigismund in Moravia, under Žižka’s leadership. Žižka never made it to Moravia, falling ill at the start of the campaign, possible with the plague. He died on 11 October 1424.
• Following Žižka’s death the Hussite Governor, Jan Roháč of Dubá, assumed command of the radical Hussite forces. Roháč did not enjoy quite the same success, however, as his predecessor and it appears was gradually eased out of his leadership position, just retaining his governorship of the Časlav region, which he controlled partly from his fortress of Sion.
• In 1437, Roháč was effectively waging a private war against the royalist forces from his base in Sion. In May 1437 a force of moderate Hussites, subsequently strengthened by a Hungarian royalist force, laid siege to Sion castle. After four months the castle fell. Roháč was captured and taken to Prague, where he was tortured and executed on 9 September on the orders of the Emperor.
• One highlight of nature trail is the section which visits the ruins of Sion castle and the nearby fortifications created for the 4 month siege. Despite his mixed military success, Roháč became a national symbol particularly during in the 19th century National Revival, for his refusal to concede his radical Hussite principles. Below the castle, which was destroyed after the siege, is a sandstone relief created to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Roháč death in 1937.
• Although the trail technically begins in the village of Chlístovice (and the numbering of the information boards starts from there) a more convenient starting point is the larger village of Malešov, which has train and bus connections to Kutná Hora, as well as parking in the center of the village. There is a village museum and a well regarded microbrewery in the village for exploration before or after completing the trail. The trail is around 10 km long and involves 160m of height to climb-descend. The paths around the castle are a bit rough and there is one short steep descent, but otherwise the paths are easy (but not suitable for a stroller).

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• Starting in the village square of Malešov, follow the nature trail signs (green-white diagonal stripes) initially down a side street opposite the church and then cross the Vrchlice stream using the road bridge
• The first 500m of the trail also follows the RED hiking path, but then turns left to pass the Jewish cemetery
• After 1.6 km (partly on a public road) the nature trail rejoins the RED hiking trail at the village of Polánka
• Follow the nature trail, now coupled with the RED trail, for 1.1 km along the scenic valley beside the Vrchlice stream
• Leave the RED trail again to cross the stream using the footbridge and follow the nature trail into the village of Chlístovice
• From the village take the nature trail to the Church of St Andrew, with its Gothic core and notable wooden bell tower
• Continue past the church on the nature trail to reach the ruins of Sion castle in 700m
• Traverse the ruins and descend steeply to following the stream for a short section. On the right side is the sandstone relief of Jan Roháč of Dubá
• Continue past the relief and after 200m climb back up to the ridge, still following the nature trail markings
• After 400m the trail passes the still visible siege emplacements created in 1437
• Stay on the the nature trail through the village of Maxovna
• 700m after the village is a monument to the battle of 1424 battle of Malešov – the precise location of the battlefield is not known
• Continue on the nature trail, which is now coupled with the BLUE hiking trail, until reaching the center of Malešov village again. Take a moment to visit the village museum and/or brewery for refreshments. These are located just past the village square, near the Malešov fortress, which is occasionally open for visits and events