A chapel with a distinctive floor plan, crosses of art-historical significance, and tours with different focuses give Nelepeč-Žernůvka a clear identity. For your travel plans, cultural history and outdoor activity go hand in hand: you may be interested in the chapel’s architecture, a marked hiking and cycling route, or challenging mountain biking.
Valley, Hillside Setting, and Townscape
Žernůvka lies in a narrow valley of the Závistka stream. Nelepeč is situated below a ridge at the foot of Pasník, which is listed as 544 metres above sea level. The local area thus combines valley and hillside settings. Extensive forests also stretch around Nelepeč-Žernůvka. This landscape provides the backdrop for the local routes, though that does not mean the individual routes all follow the same course.
Chapel and Historical Traces
The Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows is open to visitors; check the latest information before your visit. It was consecrated on 19 November 1930. Its design is an elongated central-plan building with a polygonal ground plan, a shallow apse, and a prismatic turret above the western entrance façade. The description thus combines an elongated overall form with a central-plan structure. On the terrace in front of the chapel stand statues of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia.
The Domov sv. Alžběty in Žernůvka is also part of this architectural history. Jindřich Vágner was commissioned to design the chapel and the Domov; the Basilica of Saint Paul in Rome served as a model. Construction of what later became the Domov sv. Alžběty began in March 1930. It was initially intended as a convalescent home for the Franciscan Sisters. This original purpose and the start of construction provide another historical connection to the area, separate from the chapel’s consecration in the same year.
Other cultural monuments include a historicist stone cross dating from 1868, regarded as a valuable cultural and historical monument. Near the edge of the village there is also a wooden cross with a naïvely rendered silhouette of Christ painted on sheet metal. It is considered a notable example of folk art. The crosses complement a visit to the chapel with two distinct examples of local commemorative culture.
Hiking, Cycling, and Getting There
The regional excursion brochure lists the Žernůvka–Úsuší route as 8.4 kilometres long and suitable for hikers and cyclists. It starts in Žernůvka, passes through Nelepeč, and follows a green-marked hiking trail around Pasník and Loučský vrch. Another option is the challenging mountain biking route Deblín–Úsuší–Nelepeč–Žernůvka. It passes through small villages and runs alongside the Loučka and the Závistka stream. The 8.4-kilometre distance applies to the Žernůvka–Úsuší route; the mountain biking route stands out for its explicitly challenging nature. Route conditions can change seasonally, so take this into account when planning.
The regular IDS JMK 312 bus service runs hourly in both directions and serves Nelepeč-Žernůvka. In Tišnov, you can connect to trains towards Brno. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current timetable before setting off. Your planned routes and how you will get there may influence your choice of holiday apartment: check whether the specific accommodation suits your plans rather than choosing solely by destination name.
Discover more destinations: Rohozec, Katov, Radostice, Rozdrojovice, Oslavany, Žatčany, Ostrovačice, Moutnice.
Return to the main travel overview: Brno-Country District.
