The early medieval Přemyslid educational trail around Starý Plzenec (Old Plzeň) – 4 km

• The Slavic fortress at Starý Plzenec (located 6 km southeast of Plzeň) was at one time the most important site in Western Bohemia. For several centuries the castle controlled the important medieval trade route between Bavaria and the developing Bohemian kingdom under the Přemyslid rulers. It was at Starý Plzenec that the Přemyslid Prince Bolesław II defeated the army of the German king Otto II in 976.
• From a distance, the only visible signs of this early medieval seat of power, is the rotunda of St Peter & Paul located on low hill of Hůrka (431 m), just north of Starý Plzenec. This 10th century rotunda is the oldest standing church in Western Bohemia.
• The hilltop site was, however, probably occupied long before the Slavic Přemyslids took control of the region towards the end of the first millennium. Archeological findings from the late Stone Age, the middle Bronze age and the (Halstatt era) Iron Age, suggest this was an important strategic site for several millennia. The tumulus burial mounds, near the highest point on the hill, are famous for the rich grave goods of a significant number of Bronze Age warriors.
• There is an excellent 4 km educational trail starting in the village of Starý Plzenec. The trail circles around Hůrka hill, with (multilingual) information boards focusing on the role of the site in the early medieval period especially its role along the trade route between Prague and Regensburg. Starý Plzenec would likely have been the penultimate stop for travelers on their way to Prague.
• Apart from the informative trail, the countryside is attractive, and the views from the hilltop worth the trip. None of the paths are particularly steep, but can be muddy. There is 120m of height to ascend-descend on the route. Refreshments are available in various spots in Starý Plzenec, including the popular restaurant Český Dvůr.

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

• Start in the main square of Starý Plzenec. The village can be reached by bus from Plzeň. For drivers, there are several parking areas in the village
• Begin by following the YELLOW hiking trail in the direction of Malá Strana. This is also marked as a nature trail (green-white diagonal stripes)
• Immediately after crossing the river Úslava on the road bridge, leave the YELLOW trail and continue on the educational trail (the Stará Plzeň a kupci trail is marked with a triple green diagonal stripe) to reach the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary after 700m
• Continue on the trail past the church for 500m to reach the trail junction of Malá Strana. Here, turn left onto the YELLOW trail again in the direction of Merfánka
• Continue for 1.2 km until the YELLOW trail bends left (near a small monument and bench) and the marked educational trail turns right. Take the right turn and continue on the educational trail for 900m to reach the center of the early medieval fortified settlement
• Descend the hill past the rotunda to return back to the Malá Strana trail junction. Rejoin the YELLOW trail and return back to the the center of Starý Plzenec