A visit to the Santini masterpiece at Mariánský Týnec and former monastery lands: 10 km

• In 1710, the Baroque monastery in the village of Mariánský Týnec was redesigned by the prolific Czech-Italian architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichel at the request of Eugen Tyttl, abbot of nearby Plasy, which owned the whole monastic complex. The monastery is a classic example of Santini’s imaginative and original architectural style and is one of his most famous Bohemian works. Santini was involved in over 80 major projects in Bohemia and Moravia before his death in 1723.
• The new church took over 30 years to build and was finally consecrated only in 1762. Twenty three years later the Plasy monastery and its associated pilgrimage site at Mariánský Týnec were abolished under the reforms of Emperor Joseph II, and the buildings stated to decay. In 1920 the church dome collapsed and the whole complex became uninhabitable. It was only in 1996 that a massive reconstruction project began. It continues today.
• The church and associated buildings have now been beautifully renovated and house the North Pilsen museum and gallery. Unusually, the church and museum are open year-round (this is one of the few historic buildings in Western Bohemia that can actually be visited in wintertime!)
• Combine a visit to the church and museum (which includes a section on some of Santini’s other major projects) with a walk in the former monastery lands, which include an old game reserve and a large Baroque farmstead at Sechutice.
• There are various potential routes in the area, including the 10 km walk along the ‘old road’ (stará cesta) that runs between Mariánský Týnec and Plasy monasteries. However, for a circular route returning back to Mariánský Týnec, try the route outlined below.
• This follows the first part of the ‘stará cesta’ and then takes a loop around the Sechutická nature trail which is partly in the forest. The trail includes information boards discussing the local environment (in Czech only). This is an easy, nearly flat, 10 km route on (sometimes muddy) farm and forest tracks.
• For refreshments, there is sometimes coffee available at the ticket office, but otherwise the nearest options are in the town of Kralovice, 2 km down the road.

Directions

• There are bus connections to the monastery from Manětín and Kalovice, but most will probably visit Mariánský Týnec by car. There is extensive parking at the site
• After visiting the church and museum, follow the stará cesta footpath, which starts immediately after passing through the angel statues in from the monastery (the route is currently unmarked but is obvious and is lined with a newly planted tree avenue)
• The path runs perpendicularly to the monastery buildings and leads after 2.5 km to the Sechutice Baroque farmstead
• At the farmstead, turn right along the road for 700m to reach the edge of the forest where the nature trail begins
• Follow the trail in an anticlockwise direction (there are two variants of the nature trail – the shorter version is shown in the map below – this avoids the hilly section)
• Apart from the information boards the trail itself appears to be unmarked – apart from a section along the RED hiking trail – so it is best to follow the route on a map, or the mapy.cz phone application
• After completing the nature trail loop, return back along the (stará cesta) outbound path