Orlovice: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Orlovice lies at the foot of the Litenčická pahorkatina hills. On the western edge of the village, on a rocky spur of the Litenčické vrchy hills, is the archaeological site of Orlov Castle.

History and Culture

Orlov Castle was founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries by the Knights Hospitaller of Ivanovice and served as a residence of the Order of St. John for Moravia. Ditches and ramparts have been preserved at the site; an archaeological investigation in the 1930s uncovered the remains of a circular tower.

West of present-day Orlovice, in the area of St. Wenceslas Church and near the ruins of the medieval castle, there was a fortified hilltop settlement; the site was already used during the older Iron Age.

St. Wenceslas Church stands on a slight rise at the eastern end of Orlovice and offers views of the surrounding area. Its complex includes a mortuary and a cemetery that is still in use, and is surrounded by an enclosing wall. During renovation work in the 1930s, masonry probably dating from the Romanesque period, from the 12th or 13th century, was uncovered in the southern wall.

A local legend recorded in 1617 tells of the bold hunter Jarek, who found an eagle's nest with three eaglets on the summit of a hill; he named the castle and his family after the eagles.

Landscape

A ring of mixed forests surrounds Orlovice from west to east. Several small streams rise in the surrounding forests and merge to form the Medlovický potok.

Hiking and Cycling Trails

The blue-marked long-distance hiking trail runs from Vyškov via Moravské Prusy, Orlovice, the remains of Orlov Castle, Pavlovice, Kozlany and Kojátky to Bučovice; it passes St. Wenceslas Church and the remains of Orlov Castle.

A comparatively dense network of field and forest paths connects Orlovice with the neighboring municipalities and makes it possible to walk through the surrounding landscape. A direct footpath connects the western side of the village square to the church via a staircase. Unmarked parking areas in front of the church are available to visitors to the church and cemetery.

Cycle Route 5029 connects Vyškov, Orlovice, Hvězdlice and Nesovice, where it joins EV4.

Other Places

Other places to discover: Malínky, Nemotice, Kožušice, Nemojany, Pustiměř, Hodějice, Bohdalice-Pavlovice, Tučapy.

To the higher-level travel overview: Vyškov District.