Olomučany: Majolica, Woodland Springs and Čertův hrádek (the Devil's Castle)

Olomučany (population 1,076) lies just south of Blansko, in the woods above the Svitava valley, and part of the parish extends into the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area. The village is famed for its majolica, a ceramic ware that was known throughout Europe. It is commemorated by the Olomučany Ceramics Exhibition at the municipal office. The surrounding forests hold the springs of the Lesnický Slavín (Foresters’ Pantheon), the ruined castle of Čertův hrádek (the Devil’s Castle) and traces of Slavic ironworks from the 8th century. In summer you can swim in the Bahňák pond. For an overnight stay, there is the Olomučany Holiday House (Rekreační dům Olomučany), whose prices are not given here, so check them before you book. The only price in this article, a 3.15 kg iron brick from the village’s ironworks, is a weight rather than a cost, so no currency conversion applies.

QUICK LINKS 🏺 Ceramics · 🌲 Woods and springs · ⚒️ Iron · 🛏️ Where to stay · ❓ FAQ

Olomučany lies off the main tourist trails. But if you are after quiet woodland and places with a story to tell, you will find more here than you would expect from a village of a thousand people.

Olomučany ceramics

The village’s fortunes were closely bound up with Nový hrad (New Castle) and its owners, the Liechtenstein family. They founded a glassworks here, and its wares were exported around the world. In the mid-18th century, ceramics took up the glassmaking tradition. At first the village produced brown earthenware, then stoneware and stoves, and finally production specialised in the rare majolica that made Olomučany famous across Europe. This golden age came to an end at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Olomučany Ceramics Exhibition is housed in the municipal office building (Olomučany 123). It has no fixed opening hours, so arrange a visit in advance: tel. 516 412 550, muzeum@olomucany.cz.

Woods, springs and viewpoints

• Lesnický Slavín (Foresters’ Pantheon). The woods around the village hold several springs set in well-kept woodland parks. The best known are U Srnce (At the Roe Buck), U Huberta (At St Hubert’s) and U Tetřeva (At the Capercaillie).
• The Olomučany educational trail leads past viewpoints, springs and the ruins of Čertův hrádek (the Devil’s Castle). You can read the legend of the devil who carried off girls here in the article Devils in the Moravian Karst.
• The Mácha Memorial above the village offers the finest view in the area, and a waymarked trail leads up to it.
• The woodland cemetery is so picturesque that it attracts film-makers.
• Josefov and Býčí skála (the Bull Rock). From the village, cyclists and walkers can reach the Josefov Valley; see Josefov Valley and Býčí skála.
• The Bahňák pond, beside the picnic and recreation area of the same name, is a popular summer spot for a swim.

The village also has the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a restored bell tower.

Traces of iron

The area around Olomučany is among the oldest ironmaking regions in Moravia. Beneath the forest track from Olomučany to Nový hrad, by the stream below the U Kukačky (At the Cuckoo) spring, archaeologists uncovered 2 Slavic ironworking workshops dating from the turn of the 8th and 9th centuries, with rows of 7 and 8 furnaces. Another workshop with five furnaces stood in the village itself, in what is now Růžová Street, and a brick-shaped piece of iron weighing 3.15 kg was found there. You can read the whole story in the article The Iron Karst.

On Suchá louka (Dry Meadow) near Olomučany lies a site of calcite concretions known as Olomučany koblížky (Olomučany doughnuts). They were named by the teacher from Rudice, Hugo Václav Sáňka.

Where to stay

• Olomučany Holiday House (Olomučany 75), a new house sleeping up to 9 guests, with a terrace, kitchen and parking. Tel. 602 790 505, website ubytovaniolomucany.cz.
• You will find more hotels and guesthouses in nearby Blansko; see Blansko.

Accommodation availability changes, so check before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

What is Olomučany known for? Olomučany majolica, a ceramic ware exported from here across Europe, and the woodland springs of the Lesnický Slavín.

Can you visit the Olomučany Ceramics Exhibition? Yes, but only by prior arrangement with the municipal office (tel. 516 412 550).

How do you get from Olomučany to Čertův hrádek (the Devil’s Castle)? Follow the Olomučany educational trail, which runs past springs and viewpoints all the way to the ruins.

Can you swim in Olomučany? Yes, in the Bahňák pond beside the picnic and recreation area.

Information verified as of 11. 10. 2026. Sources: brochure by the Moravian Karst Rural Development Association (Spolek pro rozvoj venkova Moravský kras), Olomučany village profile; Olomučany municipality; Kudy z nudy: Olomučany Ceramics Museum; Merta, J.: Železářství Moravského krasu (Ironworking in the Moravian Karst), Ochrana přírody 8/2006; AOPK ČR (Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic), Analyses of the Moravian Karst PLA (2017); Olomučany Holiday House.

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