Discover Holíč – Culture, Water Landscapes and Holiday Apartments

Culture and History

Holíč Castle was built in the mid-13th century as a fortress to protect the so-called Bohemian Road between Hungary and Bohemia. In 1970, it was declared a national cultural monument. The Baroque-Classical buildings of the Holíč manufactory complex date from the second half of the 18th century.

The Municipal Museum is located in a renovated part of Holíč Castle. It is primarily dedicated to the life and work of the Habsburgs in Holíč and also includes a collection of Holíč faience. The Holíč City Gallery is located in part of a former faience manufactory building.

The megaliths of Holíč are also among the notable historical remains. They originate from a prehistoric rondel with a diameter of 60 metres and comprise 22 surviving cult stones. The surviving stone windmill of Holíč is a three-storey, basemented building dating from the 1880s. It can be visited individually; upon request, a guide explains the facility.

Other structures lead into different historical periods. The Baroque Granary was probably begun in 1757, put into operation in 1761 as the central granary of the imperial estates, and is a national cultural monument. The historic water mill of Holíč retains most of its mill equipment from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is privately owned and is not open to the public.

Landscape and Trails

A viewing platform in Holíč is located 12 metres above the ground and offers views of the town, the surrounding area and the panorama of the White Carpathians. The Holíč herb garden continues the tradition of growing kitchen plants and herbs in the castle grounds.

The Holíč castle gardens include a water-focused educational trail with information panels. At Zámocký rybník, the lawns by the water provide space for informal leisure, picnics and relaxation. The piers at Zámocký rybník serve as viewpoints for observing the water and Holíč Castle.

Cycling and walking routes are also connected with the local history. The Maria Theresa Cycle Route begins at Holíč Castle and leads through the Bažantnica area towards Hodonín. Valša is an access point to the Holíč floodplain forest and has a rest area for pedestrians and cyclists near a former branch of the Chvojnica River.

Churches and Places of Remembrance

The Church of St. Martin with its monastery was created to meet the spiritual needs of the ruling couple. The Orthodox Church of Holíč was built between 2013 and 2018 in the classical Orthodox style and consecrated on 28 and 29 April 2018.

The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was built in 1397 in the Gothic style. Its former dedication to Saint Martin was later replaced by its present dedication to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Loretánska Chapel stands on the foundations of a 13th-century church and is considered the oldest architectural monument in Holíč. It is currently not open to the public.

The Jewish Cemetery of Holíč was probably established in the second half of the 18th century. Its tomb inscriptions are in Hebrew; in the 18th and 19th centuries, they were written in Hebrew and German, and after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, also in Slovak. The Calvary of Holíč has been documented since 1801 and was renewed in 1995 as a group of three wooden crosses.

Town Life and Regional Locality Pages

Café Zámocká is located in the Tabačiareň building. The Holíč Tourist Information Centre is located in the reconstructed Koniaren building.

Holíčsky štamperlík is a traditional tasting of spirits held to open the tourist summer season in Holíč. The associated Sladká sobota includes the tasting and sale of homemade cakes.

Further locality pages: Skalica, Kopčany, Lopašov, Kátov, Vrádište.

To the higher-level travel overview: Skalica.