and archives Nadace Partnerství, printing POINT CZ, s. r. o. Published in 2011. NOT FOR SALE FOR NOT 2011. in Published o. r. s. CZ, POINT printing Partnerství, Nadace archives and

texts Vladimír Vecheta, authors of photography Igor Zehl, Eduard Timko, photography archives JMK, TSK JMK, archives photography Timko, Eduard Zehl, Igor photography of authors Vecheta, Vladimír texts

www.jizni-morava.cz, production Advertum, s. r. o., graphic layout Ladislav Němeček, map SHOCart, spol. s r. o., r. s spol. SHOCart, map Němeček, Ladislav layout graphic o., r. s. Advertum, production www.jizni-morava.cz, 1. The Břeclav and PošToRná liechTenSTein TRail (cZ) 2. The Podluží Wine TRail (cZ) 3. aRound The confluence (cZ/SK/a) 4. The Baťa canal (cZ/SK) www.kr-jihomoravsky.cz, 111, 647 541 tel.: Brno, 82 601 3/5, náměstí Žerotínovo Region, Moravian South the by Published

The Liechtenstein trails connect the most beautiful monuments from the period of the House of Liechtenstein in the Lednice-Valtice area in South Moravia and in Lower Austria. The House of Liechtenstein built The network of cycle trails under the common name of the Podluží Wine Trails leads through a lat section of the central Podluží area, through the hills at the edge of the Kyjov Downs in the environs of Starý Poddvorov The unique region of the Lower Morava Biosphere Reserve and the future Soutok (Conluence) Nature Reserve include the best preserved complex of meadow forests in the Czech Republic and in some ways one of the Thanks to the renewal of its function as a transport route, the Baťa Canal has become a popular tourist destination and it is now skirted by a cycle trail which is more than 80 km long. The safety of the cycle trail has been signiicantly and moulded the face of the landscape, which is now one of the rarest pearls in the treasure house of historical and cultural wealth, over a period of more than eight hundred years. The route leads over lat terrain and on to the northern winemaking area of Moravian Slovakia where vineyards alternate with extensive areas of forest. The southern section then leads through a lat ield landscape and the meadow forests of the most remote areas. The conluence of the biggest Moravian rivers, the Dyje and the Morava, with the Kyjovka River create a system of looded land, inland lakes and dead-end river arms in the middle of meadow forests increased by the fact that the intersections with all the roads and railway lines have been resolved with lyovers. It is possible to interrupt the trip at any point, because the railway line also follows the route. After getting to know the along asphalt forest roads and former border patrol tracks to the south of Břeclav. The area in the Dyje alluvial plain may be impassable during high water. lower reaches of the Dyje River and it allows riders to experience the local colour of the Podluží villages of Lanžhot, Tvrdonice or Moravská Nová Ves. and looded meadows. At the same time, the entire territory is also a game reserve with a large number of animals. The route passes through the territories of 3 states, whose borders also meat up at the conluence. southernmost part of this hydraulic structure, the route heads from Hodonín initially on the Slovak trail around Holíč and from the Sudoměřice Hopper around the canal up to Veselí nad Moravou on the Moravian side. An attractive trip to the gates of a natural paradise. In the summer months, it is necessary to reckon with increased numbers of mosquitoes.

The starting point: Břeclav lowland meadow on the lower reaches of The starting point: Moravská Nová Ves 1200 The starting point: Hodonín 1200 The destination: Břeclav the Kyjovka, Dyje and Morava Rivers and the The destination: Moravská Nová Ves The starting point: Břeclav The destination: Veselí nad Moravou 1200 1000 1200 1000

The route: Břeclav–Pohansko (–Lány)–the František Fishpond–Poštorná–Břeclav culturally composed landscape of the Led- The route: Moravská Nová Ves–Hrušky–Břeclav–Lanžhot–Kostice– The destination: Břeclav The route: Hodonín–the border–the Kátov Arm–the Hopper–Sudoměřice–Petrov–Strážnice– 1000 800 Cycle trails: 43, 42, the trail’s own markings nice-Valtice area. It has been included in the Tvrdonice–Moravská Nová Ves The route: Břeclav–Pohansko–Lanžhot– 1000 Vnorovy–Veselí nad Moravou 800 800

Length: 14.5 km system of UNESCO protected areas since 2003. Cycle trails: The Podluží Wine Trail the bridge at Brodské–the Slovak Morava 800 Cycle trails: 46, the cycle trail around the Baťa Canal 600 600 600 Height diference: 13 m Pohansko An Old Slav fortress dating from the Length: 38 km River area–the conluence–Hohenau a. 600 Length: 28 km

Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking 9th–11th centuries, one of the centres of the Height diference: 122 m 400 d. March–Rabensburg–Bernhardsthal– Height diference: 71 m 400 400 Tvrdonice Moravská Nová Ves Moravská Nová Ves Hrušky 400 Lanžhot Kostice Břeclav Rabensburg Bernhardsthal Diiculty: 1 – family Great Moravian Empire. There is a museum ex- Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking Reintal–the František Fishpond– Reintal Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking; 3 – road Poštorná Lanžhot Františkův rybník Hohenau an der March Pohansko Břeclav Břeclav Poštorná Františkův rybník 200 Pohansko Břeclav Břeclav Vnorovy Veselí nad Moravou Hodonín Strážnice 200 Petrov Výklopník Kátovské rameno hibition in the Empire-style hunting château. 200 Diiculty: 1 – family Poštorná–Břeclav Diiculty: 1 – family; 2 – tourist 200 177 174 156 161 161 182 176 156 157 161 158 168 168 167 160 163 156 0 0 0 5 0 5 156 157 160 163 156

Břeclav A transport hub with the irst railway in the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1839). A re- Lány A hunting château in the Soutok Game Cycle trails: 43, 44, 004 (SK), 8004 (SK), km 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 0 km m 10 15 20 25 30 35 m 176 159 161 164 175 192 179 0 5 0 km 10 m 0 5 km

naissance château dating from 1540–70 on the site of a Premyslid castle and a medieval for- Reserve on an unmarked track to the conlu- Moravská Nová Ves A lake with an area of about 120 ha was created there in 914 (A), E9 (A), 42B, 42 The Baťa Canal A navigation canal leading in parallel with the Morava River built by the Zlín busi- 10 15 20 25 m tress. The château park freely merges into a meadow forest. The Church of St. Wenceslas dating ence of the Morava and Dyje Rivers – 12 km. the recent past as a result of the intensive extraction of gravel sand. Kostice The Chapel of St. Theresa and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. There are abundant folklore Length: 62 km hilly borders of the forests and the meadows are densely interwoven with a network of old river nessman T. Baťa to transport lignite from the Hodonín mines to Baťov, now Otrokovice. After 1989, from 1995 on the site of the original church which was destroyed by aerial bombing in 1944. A The František Fishpond A meadow forest nature reserve. Hrušky The Church of St. Bartholomew dating from 1861 on the site of an older building. activities in the municipality. Height diference: 130 m arms, riverine lakes and seasonal wetlands. the canal was gradually brought into operation for cruise and sports (motorised) boats. It is neces- Veselí nad Moravou Part of the town on a river island is an urban heritage zone. A renaissance synagogue and Jewish cemetery dating from the 17th century. Poštorná was established in the 16th century as a Croatian colony. The massive Church of the Visita- Lanžhot Original houses dating from the 19th century. The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Tvrdonice The Church of St. Nicholas dating from 1880–84. Homes with elements of original folk Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking Moravský Svätý Ján In the 16th century, Moravian Anabaptists, who were well-known for ceramics sary to sail through a number of locks (there are 13 in all), the passage through the lock is free of château built on the site of a castle in the 16th century. The baroque Church of the Holy Guardian The Lower Moravia Biosphere Reserve This territory with a total area in excess of 300 km2 in- tion of the Virgin Mary dating from the end of the 19th century in a historicised style. Glazed ceram- is late gothic dating from the 16th century. The local museum was established in 1993. architecture. Oil drilling in the environs. Diiculty: 2 – tourist production, moved to the municipality. The Church of St. John the Baptist dating from 1842, the charge. The transportation of bicycles is permitted on some cruise boats. There are boat hire outlets Angels with its conspicuous roof and small towers dating from 1714–34 is located near the railway cludes the unique combination of the ecosystems of the Pálava Clif, the unique Central European ics from the local brickworks were used during its construction. Moravian Anabaptist Chapel of the Birth of Our Lord dating from 1839, the Chapel of the Visitation on the banks and the option of ordering a travel program for your own or a hired boat. station; the buildings of a former Servite monastery are located near the church. The gothic Church Břeclav See the description in trip no. 1. of the Virgin Mary (at Salaš) dating from 1881 and a baroque château. The Čeker-Čertova studňa Hodonín The originally renaissance small château dating from 1556 was renovated in the baroque of St. Bartholomew dating from the 13th century. A synagogue, a hydroelectric power station and Pohansko, the Empire-style hunting château Lanžhot, the local museum Lanžhot, the local museum The Soutok Game Reserve A unique extensive territory at the confluence of the Morava and State Nature Reserve, established to protect the natural societies on a dead-end arm of the Morava style in the mid-18th century; it houses the collections of the Masaryk National History Museum. The the former Lord’s Court (building no. 664). Hodoní, the town hall Dyje Rivers, wetlands of international significance according to the Ramsar Convention, par- River, is located near the municipality. Church of St. Lawrence was established by means of the reconstruction of an older church which was tially flooded during high water. The elevated areas consist of the remains of the sand dunes Hohenau a. d. March (known as Cahnov in Moravia) Established in the 11th century, settled by Cro- mentioned as early as in the 13th century. The old town hall in Masaryk Square dating from the begin- and there is xerophile vegetation in the deforested areas. The Cahnov, Ranšpurk and Na Sou- ats. The municipality was permanently awarded to Austrian in 1920, even though along with the ning of the 17th century. The former Jewish cemetery on the road to Břeclav (opposite the sugar mill) toku Nature Reserves. A game reserve for breeding red and fallow deer. Oil drilling holes in 6 surrounding municipalities it was ethnically Slav, the originally Czech majority is recalled by the with gravestones dating from the 16th–20th centuries has been converted into a park. An iodine spa several locations. The confluence of the Dyje and Morava Rivers is best reached along a forest abundant number of Czech surnames. located in the hospital facility. The Kunc Mini-Brewery has brewed beer in the former courtyard of the road from the border crossing with Slovakia along the Morava River. Arrows point the way to Rabensburg (Raven Castle, known as Ranšpurk in Moravia) The baroque Church of St. Helen Kunc House since 1994. The Museum of Oil Mining and Geology in Kasárenská Street. the confluence. The last 0.4 km of the walking track is almost impossible to ride. There are large on the site of an original Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. A château, origi- The Kátov Arm is one of the last remnants of the dead-end arms of the Morava River with oc- numbers of mosquitoes in places. nally a wooden and stone castle dating from the 11th century, with a gothic tower with a currences of protected and endangered species of fauna and lora bound to aquatic and wetland The Záhorie Nature Reserve The relief to the northeast partially consists of sand dune formations, remarkable spiral stairwell. The renaissance arcades across three floors are a valuable land- biotopes which are important from several points of view. The territory is on the route of the Holíč

which are the main components of the landscape, imbedded in this area with many pine forests. mark. Damaged during a siege by the Swedes, there was later a factory for the production of Meadow Forest – Kátov Arms teaching trail. The temperature contrast between the cold lower areas and the warm upper areas has created the parquet flooring there. Sudoměřice Farmstead no. 125/126 is a folk architecture monument. There is a hopper near the www.jizni-morava.cz conditions for a rich variety of plant species where mountains species and species which are typical Bernhardsthal Traces of a Neolithic settlement to the west of the municipality, there was also a bur- intersection of the Rohatec–Sudoměřice line: it was used to load lignite onto boats sailing from for warm and dry areas alternate. The western section of the nature reserve includes a landscape ial ground from the Bronze Age on the same site 2000 years later. Two mounds (the Illyrer mounds) there to Otrokovice along the Baťa Canal. which has been modelled by the activities of a large river with river terraces and a wide alluvial date from the early Iron Age (800–400 BC). A protective moat from a Roman military encampment Strážnice See the description in trip no. 5. plain. The alluvial meadows with a rich variety of lora are unequalled in Slovakia in their size. The (around 178 AD) passes through this territory. Vnorovy The neo-baroque Church of St. Elizabeth dating from the beginning of the 20th century. 5. The MoRava RiveR aRea (cZ/SK) 6. The SKalica and STRážnice vineyaRdS (SK/cZ) 7. The ÚPRKa TRail (cZ) 8. The ZáhoRie aRTeRial cycle TRail (SK) Tips for cycle trips The Strážnické Pomoraví Nature Park protects a unique section of the Morava River, whose unregulated low spills into the surrounding area every spring or during high water and as such constantly reworks A unique cycling circuit which presents the very best places of viniculture in the environs of Skalica and in the Strážnice area. A characteristic element of the Skalica winemaking region is the “Skalica huts”: vineyard Joža Úprka, the best known painter of Moravian Slovakia, came from Kněždub and his extensive body of work was created both there and in Hroznová Lhota. Úprka’s work was based on his native region with the This long distance cycle trail enabling the discovery of the most beautiful monuments in the Záhorie area leads from Senica to the north and then from Skalica back to the south all the way to Devín Castle. You will The border area between the South Moravian the face of the landscape’s meadows, meads and sand dunes which stretch there from the Moravian Sahara. Despite that, the surrounding landscape, densely populated from prehistoric times and with many houses which have stood in the Ska lica vineyards for more than 500 years, some of which have a signiicant historical-architectural value and the oldest of which dates from the 17th century. The slopes of the Žerotín celebrations, customs, ceremonies and everyday life of its people. He admired the beauty of the folk costumes. The sculptor František Úprka (1868–1929) followed in the artistic footsteps of his older brother Joža. He discover the central part of Záhorie which forms the northwestern section of the Trnava self-governing region from the conluence of the Morava and Dyje Rivers to the town of Skalica. Region and the Trnava Self-Governing Region historical and modern monuments, provides an attractive cycling circuit through Moravian and Slovak Podluží areas. The route is practically completely lat and very easy to ride. peak above Strážnice are covered with a number of vineyards, as well as orchards with occasional serviceberry plants. The “Hotařská bůda” in the middle of the vineyards is a place for gatherings of winemakers and studied at a carving school and then studied clay modelling in Prague. He became famous as an excellent singer and dance master. The cycle trail will take you through the region of both artists, through the places th th the holding of the traditional “ritual vineyard closing ceremony” once the grapes have fully ripened. Plže in Petrov is a renowned area of wine cellars dating from the 16 and 17 centuries which is a heritage reserve where they were born and lived and through the places which inspired them to create and where they are buried. A unique landscape of unique artists of the Lower Carpathian slopes. The starting point: Moravský Svätý Ján 1200

The starting point: Strážnice 1200 of folk architecture. The facades of the cellars have a typically white face with blue contrast lines (sometimes also red, if the winemaker has a daughter of marrying age). The destination: Skalica 1000

The destination: Strážnice The starting point: Strážnice dance master. Another Kněždub 1200 The route: Moravský Svätý Ján, the railway station–Sekule–Borský Svätý Jur–Šaštín- 1000 The route: Strážnice–Petrov–Sudoměřice–Skalica–Kátov–Holíč– The starting point: Skalica The destination: Veselí nad Moravou painter was Antoš Frolka, a pupil Stráže–Petrova Ves–Vrádiště–Skalica 800 1200 1000 600 Hodonín–Rohatec–Rohatec-the colony–Strážnické Pomoraví– 800 The destination: Skalica The route: Strážnice–Tvarožná Lhota–Kněždub–Hroznová Lhota–Žeraviny–Kozojídky–Veselí nad of Joža Úprka, who later studied Cycle trails: 5001, 024 800 1000

Strážnice The route: Skalica–the Skalica vineyards–Veterník–Mokrý Háj–Salaš–Zlatnícka dolina– Moravou art in Munich and Vienna. Frolka’s Length: 41 km 400 600 Petrova Ves Holíč Borský Svätý Jur Šaštín-Stráže Skalica Moravský Svätý Ján Cycle trails: 46, 47, 8208 (SK), C (SK), 024 (SK), 004 (SK) Mlýnky–Žerotín–Strážnice–Petrov–Sudoměřice–Skalica Cycle trails: The Úprka Trail, the Strážnice Wine Trail paintings have a signiicant artis- Height diference: 348 m Vrádiště 800 600 200

Length: 42 km 400 Cycle trails: C, A, the Strážnice Vineyards Trail, the Strážnice Wine Trail, 46, 8208 Length: 18 km tic and documentary value. His Type of bicycle: 3 – road; 2 – trekking 166 171 170 198 178 165 169 0 Sudoměřice Strážnice Strážnice 600 Skalica Rohatec Petrov 0 5 Holíč 400 Kolonie Hodonín Kátov km 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Height diference: 126 m Length: 36 km Height diference: 109 m family lived in Tasov and also on Diiculty: 1 – family with children; 2 – tourist m 200 Hroznová Lhota Tvarožná Lhota Kněždub Kozojídky Strážnice Veselí nad Moravou

Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking Height diference: 445 m Salaš Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking; 3 – road the Dúbrava farmstead between 400 200 Žerotín Mokrý Háj Mlýnky 181 172 185 178 162 168 164 175 166 181 Veterník 0 Sudoměřice Diiculty: 1 – family 0 5 Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking; 1 – mountain Diiculty: 1 – family; 2 – tourist Tvarožná Lhota and Strážnice. All Sekule The Sekule Museum consists of a peasant and crafts yard which includes a period rustic Strážnice Petrov Skalica Skalica km 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 m 183 199 188 204 188 180 0 200

Diiculty: 2 – tourist of the artists are buried at the 0 5 chamber and a kitchen with traditional equipment and costumes. It presents the past of the Záho- and a settlement with narrow alleys paved with stone in its environs. At the opposite end of the hill km 10 15 m

Strážnice A château, the Church of St. Martin with the town belfry, 169 247 267 319 259 274 178 172 188 170 Tvarožná Lhota The functionalist Church of St. Anne dating from 1931. The Museum of Peasant local cemetery – the Moravian rie area, its costumes, work clothes, ceramics and the everyday kitchen utensils of the past. The pro- there is a Jewish cemetery, which is however dilapidated. A classicist Calvary built on the site of a 0 0 5 km 10 15 20 25 30 35 a Jewish cemetery. The Institute of Folk Culture and a museum with exhibitions of Moravian Rohatec Oil boreholes and former lignite mines located in the environs. Skalica See the description in trip no. 8. m Life and Quark is housed in peasant house no. 187. The Serviceberry Museum (Tvarožná Lhota no. Slovak “Slavín”. duction of Sekule ceramics can also be seen in the museum: you can even try working on a potter‘s prince‘s fortiied settlement on the protuberance opposite the rotunda. A stone cross with statues Slovak ceramics, folk instruments and the Strážnice Celebrations and an outdoor museum The Strážnické Pomoraví Nature Park protects an example of the harmonic landscape in the direct The Skalica vineyards stretch out along the southern foothills of the White Carpathian prom- 148) serves as an information centre about the nature and landscape and it includes an exhibition Hroznová Lhota The painter Joža Úprka lived and painted there: He originally bought a small house wheel or making decorations. The three large lakes (Mláky, Oširíd, Štrkovňa) located in the town‘s of St. Mary and St. John stands on the acropolis. There are chapels with the Stations of the Cross on with village buildings from south-eastern Moravia. environs of a natural watercourse with the remains of old dead-end branches of the river, wetland ontory. They have not been planted in a continuous line, but often alternate with arable land. They have ites in Skalica who brought the variety to Skalica from northern France. They renamed it Blaufränkisch of the tradition of cultivating serviceberry bushes in the region. The Serviceberry Teaching Trail is in the municipality as a studio. It was later reconstructed as a villa according to a design by the ar- vicinity, which were created as a result of mining activities, are very popular, especially in summer. the bulwark around the acropolis. A catholic and protestant cemetery, where the most signiicant Skalica See the description in trip no. 8. meadows and fragments of looded meadow forest. These fragments of natural meadow country- been divided into individual tracts with names relecting either the natural conditions of the tract, asso- after they had grafted it onto an American rootstock. Skalica has become highly renowned thanks to the connected with the museum: a walking and cycling circuit through the vineyards around Tvarožná chitect Dušan Jurkovič. It was a meeting place for interesting people, especially from artistic circles. Borský Svätý Jur The Church of St. George on the site of an older church, originally a single nave with personalities of the town are buried, is located not far from the Calvary. The sacral monuments Kátov The Church of St. Emeric dating from the 20th century. side are supplemented with old orchards. ciated with historical events or with other meanings. Blaufränkisch, known as Lampart among the older Skalica “rubín” wine which was created by mixing the Blauer Portugieser and Blaufränkisch varieties. Lhota and Radějov under the White Carpathian Forests with stops at some large examples of ser- It is now a memorial house. The baroque house of St. John the Baptist dating from 1654. a sanctum in the northeast and a peculiar square tower in the southwest. A small château from include the gothic Church of St. Michael the Archangel from the 14th century and the baroque Jesuit Hodonín See the description in trip no. 4. inhabitants, is a typical variety in Skalica. Its introduction is associated with the activities of the Carmel- Mlýnky/Kostolnica A reservoir on the Sudoměřice Stream near the settlement of Mlýnky which provides viceberry plants below the Žerotín peak. Kozojídky The Chapel of St. Martin dating from 1971; the Křib winemaking area is located at the 1844 belonging to the family of Juraj Černý. It is currently used as a senior citizens‘ home. The Černý Church of St. Francis Xavier. The technical monuments include the mill of the Pilárik brothers in Strážnice Strážnice, the outdoor museum options for recreation, ishing and cycling. The state border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia Kněždub Local natives, the Úprka brothers and the painter Antoš Frolka, brought fame to the edge of the municipality. Reconstructed wine cellars ofer wines from Kozojídky, Hroznová Lhota family, former landowners, has a small chapel with a crypt in the local cemetery. Pplk. Pljušťa Street: its equipment is preserved and uniquely intact. Petrov-Plže, winecellars passes through the middle of the reservoir which is why this reservoir has two names, Czech and Slovak. folklore of Moravian Slovakia. Joža Úprka was born in Kněždub, his family home now serves as and the environs. Šaštín-Stráže The basilica of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, the main patron saint of Slovakia, a Skalica, the Church of St. Michael and the Charnel of St. Ann Žerotín (322 m above sea level) is a place with a beautiful view of the entire Morava River area. the Úprka Brothers’ Museum. The sculptor František Úprka was famous as a sculptor, singer and Tasov A chapel dating from 1928. A Moravian Slovak house with a typical painted Moravian Slovak convent, a national cultural monument. A triangular chapel and a column with a statue of the Holy Its slopes are covered with a number of vineyards and orchards. The modern Chapel of St. Martha porch (house no. 52). Trinity in the Kláštorné square dating from 1821. Two original gothic churches – in Stráže dating Kněždub, the family home of painter Joža Úprka Kněždub, the family home of painter Joža Úprka dating from 1949 is located on the peak. The Žerotín natural monument at the top of this hill (1.4 from 1339 and in Šaštín dating from 1400. The Calvary near the cemetery in Šaštín was built in ha) is the only preserved fragment of downy oak forest in the White Carpathians – meadows with 1798. The original renaissance-baroque château dating from 1736 was converted into a manufac- cornelian cherry, guelder rose or bladdernut shrubs and downy oak trees. Among the vineyards, tory (the Šaštín calico factory) and later into a sugar reinery in the 19th century. Currently it is used there are massive serviceberry trees which have been declared Trees of Moravian Slovakia. as a warehouse. The synagogue in Šaštín was built in 1852 as a classicistic building. The facade was The biggest is the Adamec Serviceberry which is located under the Žerotín Hill. With a trunk cir- modiied in the 19th century. After many years, the synagogue is now in a dilapidated state. cumference of 462 cm, it is considered to be the largest such tree in Central Europe. The crown is 11 Petrova Ves The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit dating from 1762. metres high and 18 metres wide and it is estimated to be 400 years old. Skalica has maintained the historical character of its town centre with a completely preserved his- M 1 : 95 000 Strážnice See the description in trip no. 5. toric core. The town centre is formed by a unique triangular square with several historic buildings, Petrov A well-known winemaking municipality with fourteen cellars dating from the 18th and 19th both sacral and secular. The torso of the medieval fortiications which are best preserved near the centuries. The Plže village heritage reserve is located on a slope opposite the railway station. A new Franciscan complex with a single preserved gate, the so-called Northern Gate, skirts the central church dating from 2000. area of the town. The most signiicant buildings include the Romanesque Rotunda of St. George The border area between the South Moravian 9. alonG The MoRava RiveR aRTeRial cycle TRail (SK) 10. BRanč caSTle, SoBoTišTe and The Kunov ReSeRvoiR (SK) 11. ThRouGh The WhiTe caRPaThian MeadoWS alonG The BeSKydy-caRPaThian aRTeRial TRail (cZ) 12. ZlaTnícKa dolina and The WhiTe caRPaThian naTuRe ReSeRve (SK) Region and the Trnava Self-Governing Region

An undemanding long-distance cycle trail enabling riders to discover the alluvial plains of the Morava River in the area where it forms the state and historical border. It mostly follows the river embankments, but The Myjava Downs and the solitary cottagers‘ region below the White Carpathians constitute a recreational area to the northwest of the town of Senica. The variedly undulating landscape of hills, valleys and small The beginning of a demanding long-distance trail which leads through the eastern Moravian border mountain ranges of the White Carpathians and the Beskydy. In the South Moravian Region, it passes through The route provides the opportunity of making one-day trips to an attractive countryside of wooded hills in the northernmost part of the Trnava self-governing region. It leads along state and special-purpose asphalt Both regions neighbour with the districts of Břeclav and Hodonín on the Moravian side and the districts they may be closed and impassable during the spring thaw or looding. It is an alternative to the trail on the Moravian side with which it is connected only by the Holíč–Hodonín and Brodské–Lanžhot bridges. settlements is also attractive thanks to its sporty terrain for cycle trips to the most famous historical sites – the ruins of Branč Castle, the Sobotište château and the Kunov Reservoir, where you can refresh yourself at the most attractive sections of the White Carpathians from the Strážnice Foothills into the interior of the mountains. As such, it passes through the unique Horňácko region of Moravian Slovakia which is displayed in roads. The cycle trail starts in Skalica and passes through Zlatnícká dolina, Čupy and Tlstá hora to the Chropov and Radošovce villages, where it terminates at the Záhorie Arterial Cycle Trail, along which you can return of Skalica and Senica on the Slovak side. At the same time, the two geographically and ethnographi- the end of the trip. all its variety, both natural and ethnographic. The initially lat terrain near the Morava River changes into hilly terrain which makes signiicant demands of the riders’ itness once the route enters the massifs of the to Skalica. cally distinct areas of Podluží in Moravia and Záhorie in Slovakia are separated by the Morava River

1200 Carpathians. The physical demands are, however, compensated for by the increasing attractiveness of the natural environs and the distant views of the countryside. and the ridge of the White Carpathians. Even though these two areas have been separated by natural 1200 The starting point: Holíč The starting point: Senica The starting point: Skalica 1200 and regional borders for centuries, the historical period of Great Moravia joined these two landscapes 1000 1000 1200

The destination: Moravský Svätý Ján The destination: Senica The starting point: Strážnice The destination: Skalica 1000 into a single centre of power and monuments to this period exist upon both sides of the Morava River. 800

The route: Holíč–Kopčany–Brodské–the Slovak Morava River area–the 800 The route: Senica–Prietrž–Podhorie–Podbranč–Podzámok (Branč Castle)– The destination: Velká nad Veličkou The route: Skalica–Zlatnícka dolina–Čupy–Koválovské lúky–Machnáč– 1000 conluence–Moravský Sv. Ján Majeričky–Sobotište–the Kunov Reservoir–Kunov–Senica The route: Strážnice–Radějov–Lučina–Malá Vrbka–Kuželov– Chropov–Radošovce–Mokrý Háj–Skalica 800 Podluží 600 Čupy 600 800

Cycle trails: 004 (SK), 5001 (SK) Cycle trails: 2003, 022, 8309, 5302 Megovka–Javorník–Velká nad Veličkou Cycle trails: 2202, 024 600 It is possible to ind the typical folk architecture of South Moravia in any of the municipalities in hrad Branč Machnáč Cycle trails: 46, 5047, 5046 Nová hora

Length: 38 km Length: 38 km 400 Length: 37 km the Podluží area. Moravian Slovak cottages, wayside crosses, typical painted Moravian Slovak Podbranč 400 Podbranč 600 Sobotiště Senica 400 v. n. Kunov Prietrž Zlatnícka dolina Mokrý Háj Senica Chropov

Height diference: 37 m Height diference: 624 m Length: 42 km Height diference: 749 m Radošovce porches on the houses or wine cellars have been preserved throughout the entire Podluží area by Holíč Moravský Svätý Ján u Brodského u Kopčan u Soutoku Skalica Skalica Velká nad Veličkou 200 200 Kuželov Javorník 400 Malá Vrbka

Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking Height diference: 918 m Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking; 1 – mountain 200 the local people with love. Archaeological indings in Mikulčice still document the local existence Radějov Strážnice 192 224 283 413 278 240 231 192 166 156 157 151 166 0

Diiculty: 2 – tourist 0 Diiculty: 2 – tourist Type of bicycle: 2 – trekking; 1 – mountain Diiculty: 2 – tourist of the Great Moravian Empire. The charming countryside, folk architecture and large number of 170 278 537 454 248 219 267 169 0 5 0 5 0 200 km 10 15 20 25 30 35 km m 10 15 20 25 30 35 m 0 5 km 10 15 20 25 30 35

Diiculty: 2 – tourist; 3 – biker m folk customs attract people to come and get to know the area. In the same way, the local people 182 230 270 310 308 324

th 0

Holíč A stone cult structure with a round loor plan made of 25 stones, partly Senica The centre of northern Záhorie. The Chapel of St. Anne dating from the 15 century, the 0 5 Zlatnícka dolina A suburban recreational tourism area ofering accommo- have also preserved folk festivals and celebrations such as Shrovetide, folk costume feasts, dulcimer km 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 decorated with pictures of tools and mythological scenes, has been discovered on the hill Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary dating from 1631, a protestant church in the classicist style dat- Sobotište A Moravian Anabaptist court represents the heart of the heritage zone with the preserved Strážnice See the description in trip no. 5. m dation and catering, summer and winter sports and hiking. A large natural Zlatnícka dolina parties, wine tasting or folklore festivals, of which the best-known are The Podluží Area in Song and Javorník, the old barn above the town. Approximately 5,500 years old. The only preserved windmill in Slovakia. and partially into the Pálava Nature Reserve while the establishment of the Soutok (Conluence) ing from the 19th century. A baroque château – a three-wing building dating from 1760, renovated buildings of an old mill, a town hall, a chapel, a former school, etc. A renaissance-baroque château, Čertoryje The most extensive complex of typical White Carpathian low- swimming pool, tennis courts, a football ield, volleyball or petanque are Dance Ethnographic Celebrations held annually in Tvrdonice. The richly decorated folk costumes Kopčany Owned by Francis Stephen of Lorraine, the husband of Maria Theresa, from 1736: he Nature Reserve is under preparation. in 1978–1984; it currently houses the Záhorie Gallery. which now houses the municipal authority, a local library and the Samuel Jurkovič Museum. An ering meadows with occurrences of numerous protected and endan- available to the public. Its environs are a frequent destination for local bear witness to the skill of the local embroiderers, lace makers and seamstresses. Apart from these Along the Morava River built a baroque stud farm there (the irst one in Hungary). The baroque Church of St. Stephen, Prietrž A memorial room and a memorial to the Slovak National Uprising at the U Rehušov settlement. observatory can be found in the primary school premises. gered types of lora and fauna. One of the most valuable territories in the mushroom pickers. The surrounding hills and forests ofer many possibili- crafts, the carving, painting and potting crafts have also been handed down through the genera- renovated in the 19th century. The parents of Tomáš G. Masaryk, the irst President of Czecho- Branč The ruins of a large castle dating from the mid-13th century. Along with a network of other The Kunov Reservoir A recreational area near Senica. Grass-covered areas and a 250 m long sandy White Carpathian Nature Reserve with a high landscape value which has ties for hiking and discovering the beautiful lora and fauna of the White tions there. The soil of the Podluží area covers signiicant mineral wealth, especially brown coal, oil slovakia, lived in the town. The Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, probably the oldest stand- border castles, the castle used to protect the paths and roads passing over the Carpathian Moun- beach. Regular and pedal boats can be rented at the dock. The sports facilities include mini-golf, no equal in Central Europe. Carpathians. and natural gas. ing Christian church in Central Europe dating from the 9th century, from the period of Great tains to Moravia. In 1663, it became a refuge against the Turks for the local people. It started to volleyball and tennis courts, Russian skittles and a large chess set. Swings, climbing frames and Kuželov A replica of a brick windmill dating from 1842, a permanent The White Carpathian Nature Reserve preserves and improves the ex- Moravia, is located in the ields west of the village. Three graves with typical Great Moravian become dilapidated after being abandoned in the 18th century. The walls are currently being uncov- sandpits for children. Fishing possible. A restaurant, a bufet, a grocery and refreshment kiosks exhibition of the housing in the Horňácko region and the local farming emplary areas of the unique landscape of the White Carpathians whose Záhorie buttons and earrings from the 9th century discovered near the church. ered and gradually conserved. open in summer. methods. variety and natural bounty have been determined by both the natural From a tourism and cultural point of view, Záhorie has many varied and interesting things to ofer. The Kunov Reservoir Moravský Svätý Ján See the description in trip no. 3. Machová A mosaic of White Carpathian meadows with scattered solitary conditions and long-term human intervention which have increased its Záhorie has the mysterious castles of Devín, Branč, Pajštún, Korlátko and Plavecký and the majestic The Danube, Morava and Dyje River meadows (Donau-March-Thaya Auen) A project for the trees, wetland meadows and tufa springs. diversity in comparison with its original intact condition. A system of forest châteaux of Holíč, Senica, Malacky and Sobotište You will ind places of pilgrimage there at Mari- international protection of the most extensive European territory including inland mead- Javorník Unique primeval forests and a complex of lowering meadows complexes alternates with farmed rural countryside, meadows and pas- anka and Šaštín, monasteries in Skalica and Malacky and a synagogue in Malacky. The remnants ows along the Dyje, Morava and Danube border rivers has proposed the establishment of a known as Jazevčí where it is possible to see numerous protected lowers tures with typical White Carpathian lora and with a number of old fruit of the culture of the Moravian Anabaptists in Sobotište and in Malé Leváre and the legacy of the quadrilateral national park. Currently, the territory is protected under the so-called Ramsar are located near the municipality. trees, groves and balks. Great Moravian Empire in the form of the Church of St. Margaret in Kopčany and Celtic megaliths in Convention with its inclusion in the European list of important wetlands and in the Natura Velká nad Veličkou Burnt down and looted several times during inva- Čupy (574 m above sea level) is the highest point in the area where hiking Holíč are also of interest. Other points of interest there include the only windmill in Slovak territory 2000 system. Each of the parties to the Convention enforces the protection within its own sions of the Tatars and the armies of Hungarian aristocrats during the 17th tracks cross and where a “communist” concrete memorial has been built. at Holíč, the originally Romanesque Rotunda of St. George in Skalica, but also the burial mound of legislation. The following have been established: The Donau-Auen National Park and the century. The battlement wall around the church and the texts of many Machnáč (771 m above sea level) The peak itself is somewhat on the right M. R. Štefánik at Bradlo. Záhorie has been and continues to be the cradle of a number of interest- March-Thaya-Auen and Unter Marchauen (WWF Naturreservat Marchegg) Nature Reserves in Horňácko songs and ballads are reminders of those evil times. The Church and, despite being lat, it ofers a nice view of Trenčín. ing personalities. These include General Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Jozef Austria; Szigetköz Tájvédelmi Korzet in Hungary; the Záhorie and the Dunajské luhy Nature Re- of St. Mary Magdalene with a presbytery dating from the 14th century Koválovské lúky is a popular place ofering views of not only the surround- Miloslav Hurban, Samuel Jurkovič and Ján Hollý. serves in Slovakia; in Moravia the territory stretches into the Lower Morava Biosphere Reserve and a baroque nave dating from the 18th century. ing landscape of the White Carpathians but also of the Small Carpathians.