Chapel of Saint Othmar

The Chapel of Saint Othmar is a small chapel standing at the heart of Otmarov, a village in South Moravia, Czech Republic. It is the settlement's most recognizable landmark — built in 1883 by the villagers themselves to mark the 100th anniversary of Otmarov's founding. For travelers exploring the Cezava micro-region south of Brno, it makes for a quiet, low-key stop that says more about local history than any guidebook entry.

How do you get to the chapel in Otmarov?

Otmarov lies south of Brno and is the smallest and youngest village in the Cezava micro-region. The chapel stands right in the village center, so it's impossible to miss once you arrive — it visually dominates the small settlement. The coordinates (49.1005375, 16.6730747) make it easy to find with any map app. Given the village's tiny size, the most practical way to reach it is by car, followed by a short walk through Otmarov itself.

What will you see there?

The Chapel of Saint Othmar is a modest building, typical of 19th-century rural religious foundations — it was raised entirely through the initiative and funds of local residents, without support from nobility or a religious order. That grassroots origin is part of what makes it distinctive among the many roadside chapels scattered across the region. While in the village, it's worth noting a handful of other historical markers: a stone cross from 1865, a World War I memorial from 1920, and a monument unveiled in 2003 to commemorate the village's 220th anniversary. Together they form a small trail of local memory, of which the chapel is the oldest and most prominent piece.

Why is the village called Otmarov, and where does the chapel's name come from?

The chapel's story is inseparable from the village's own history. Otmarov was founded in 1783 on the initiative of Otmar Konrád, prior of the Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad, acting on the order of Emperor Joseph II. The new settlement was established on the site of the former hamlet of Dunajovice and took its name from its founder — hence Otmarov. A century later, in 1883, the villagers marked that milestone by building a chapel dedicated to the very saint whose name the village carries, Saint Othmar. Notably, Otmarov is only the second place in the Czech Republic — after Hoštka, home to a church of Saint Othmar — to house a shrine dedicated to this saint, giving the chapel a significance that reaches beyond the village itself.

When is the best time to visit?

Since the chapel stands outdoors as part of the village landscape, it can be viewed year-round. Spring and summer are the most pleasant seasons for exploring Otmarov and the neighboring villages of the Cezava micro-region on foot. Pairing a visit with a look at the village's other historical markers mentioned above is the best way to get a fuller picture of local history in a short stop.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Chapel of Saint Othmar in Otmarov built? The chapel was built in 1883 on the initiative of the village's residents, to mark the 100th anniversary of Otmarov's founding.

Why is the village called Otmarov? It is named after Otmar Konrád, prior of the Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad, who founded the village in 1783 at the order of Emperor Joseph II.

Is this the only Chapel of Saint Othmar in the Czech Republic? No — Otmarov is the second place in the country with a shrine to this saint, after Hoštka, which has a church under the same dedication.

What else is there to see in Otmarov? The village also has a stone cross from 1865, a World War I memorial from 1920, and a monument from 2003 marking the 220th anniversary of the village's founding.