Following the battle of Jankov (1645) nature trail, starting at Ratměřice chateau: 16 km

• The battle of Jankov took place on 6 March 1645, in the low hills some 20 km south of the central Bohemian town of Benešov. The Imperial forces of the Holy Roman Empire faced the invading Swedish army in one of the bloodiest and most important battles of the Thirty Years’ War. The result was a decisive victory for the Swedish forces, which marked a turning point in the bloody conflict. Peace negotiations continued for a further three years after Jankov, but the battle severely dented the Austrian Empire’s hopes of a favorable settlement.
• The impact of the punishing war on the Bohemian countryside was catastrophic. Villages were destroyed and populations decimated. Many areas of the country, including this part of Central Bohemia, took up to a century to recover. It is not a surprise, therefore, that surviving historical buildings in this area date from the mid 18th century and later. However, some fine Baroque chateaux dot the landscape, constructed in the 18th century by the aristocracy of the recovering Austrian Empire.
• One example is Ratměřice chateau, which was reconstructed in a neo-Renaissance style in the second half of the 19th century after a major fire. The chateau today houses a luxury hotel and restaurant, but the park can be visited by the general public at weekends, where two unique specimens of sequoia trees (imported from California in the 19th century) stand over 45m tall. These are the tallest redwood trees in the country.
• In 2010 an educational trail around the villages surrounding the Jankov battlefield was created, featuring 14 information boards (only in Czech). The trail officially starts in the village of Jankov, but an alternative starting point is Ratměřice. The battlefield memorial (pictured in the header photo) is located on a low hill between the two villages.
• The route outlined below begins and finishes in Ratměřice and is approximately 16 km long with 260m of height to ascend-descend. Most of the trail is in attractive open, somewhat hilly, countryside. None of the paths are difficult. There are good views along the route and even a modern stone circle above the village of Vlčkovice to discover along the way. The best option for refreshments is to wait until the end of the walk and then sample something in the hotel restaurant (open for non-residents), particularly if the attractive terrace is open.

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

• Ratměřice (and Jankov village) are on a bus route from the larger town of Vlašim. If driving, there is a public parking area ouside the hotel gates
• The battle of Jankov trail is (surprisingly) not marked with the usual nature trail markers, so it is best to follow the route with a map – preferably the mapy.cz application
• Following the route clockwise is how the trail was designed in terms of numbered information boards