In Orlovice, traces of a castle, a church steeped in history and trails through the surrounding countryside come together. This makes the village an interesting destination for travellers who want to combine cultural history with time outdoors. The archaeological site of Orlov Castle lies on a rocky outcrop in the Litenčické Hills, on the western edge of Orlovice.

Orlov Castle: a residence of the Knights Hospitaller and a local legend

The castle was founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries by the Knights Hospitaller of Ivanovice and served as the order’s residence in Moravia. Ditches and ramparts have survived at the site. An archaeological investigation in the 1930s also uncovered the remains of a round tower. The history of the place can therefore be read in different traces: in the castle’s recorded role and in the still-visible elements of its fortifications.

A local legend recorded in 1617 tells of Jarek, a daring hunter. He is said to have found an eagle’s nest with three eaglets on a hilltop. According to the story, he named both the castle and his family after the eagles. The legend offers a different way of engaging with the name Orlov than the archaeological evidence: it preserves a local explanation as a story, not as a confirmed event.

The history of settlement here also reaches far back. A fortified hilltop settlement stood in the area of St. Wenceslas Church, west of present-day Orlovice and close to the ruins of the medieval castle. The site was already in use during the Early Iron Age.

St. Wenceslas Church and local history

St. Wenceslas Church stands on a slight rise at the eastern end of the village and offers views of the surrounding area. The church complex includes a mortuary chapel and a cemetery that is still in use; an enclosure wall surrounds the site. During renovation work in the 1930s, masonry on the church’s south wall was uncovered and is thought to date from the 12th or 13th century. The cautious dating is important: the masonry is considered probably Romanesque.

A direct footpath leads from the west side of the village square to the church, via a staircase. This connection adds a specific route through Orlovice to the broader landscape perspective. Visitors interested in architectural history will find both the described evidence of older masonry at the church and the cemetery, still in use within the walled complex.

Forests, water and trails

Orlovice lies at the foot of the Litenčická Uplands. A belt of mixed forest surrounds the village from west to east. Several small streams rise in the surrounding woods and join to form the Medlovický potok. Forest and water shape the landscape as much as its notable historic sites. A comparatively dense network of field and forest tracks connects Orlovice with neighbouring municipalities and makes it possible to explore the area on foot.

A municipal planning document from 2011 shows a blue-marked long-distance hiking route from Vyškov via Moravské Prusy and Orlovice, past the remains of Orlov Castle, and onward through Pavlovice, Kozlany and Kojátky to Bučovice. The route also passes St. Wenceslas Church. Check the current trail markings on site before planning to follow this route.

There is also a named cycling connection: cycle route 5029 links Vyškov, Orlovice, Hvězdlice and Nesovice, where it joins EV4. The hiking trail and cycle route offer different ways to include nearby places in a trip. No information about route duration or difficulty is provided here, so plan according to a route that suits you and check the route details.

There are unsigned parking areas in front of the church for visitors to the church and cemetery. Check the local parking situation on site. When choosing accommodation, you can consider Orlovice as a base for cultural history, trails through the hilly countryside and the connections to neighbouring municipalities described above.

Discover more destinations: Zbýšov U Slavkova, Luleč, Mouřínov, Drnovice U Vyškova, Dětkovice, Hodějice, Račice-Pístovice, Švábenice.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Vyškov District.