Penitence cross of Šimon Nitzka

The Penitence Cross of Šimon Nitzka is a stone cross standing beside the road between Strážkovice and Veselka, within the cadastral territory of Ostrolovský Újezd in the České Budějovice district of South Bohemia. It is a modest yet telling marker of a violent event that took place more than four and a half centuries ago, and it is today listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

How to get there?

The cross stands in open farmland along road II/156, which connects Strážkovice and Veselka, within the municipality of Ostrolovský Újezd. The site lies roughly a dozen kilometres east of České Budějovice, making a car the most convenient way to reach it — the drive from the city takes about twenty minutes. Its coordinates are approximately 48.8865°N, 14.5812°E, which helps pinpoint the exact spot among the fields, since the cross is not always visible from a distance.

What will you see?

The monument takes the form of a tall granite stone shaped like a cross, carved with a relief cross on its face. It belongs to a well-known category of Central European folk monuments known as penitence or reconciliation crosses (smírčí kříže) — markers erected in the medieval and early modern period at the site of a killing or other violent event, sometimes as part of a legal settlement between perpetrator and victim's family, and sometimes, as here, as a private memorial commissioned by grieving relatives.

The cross commemorates Šimon Nitzka, a mečíř — a craftsman and merchant of bladed weapons — from České Budějovice, who was killed on this spot on 3 October 1577. Nitzka was travelling together with a group of fellow craftsmen and merchants from České Budějovice to a fair in Trhové Sviny, carrying goods for trade. The group was ambushed by a band of robbers; besides Nitzka, several other travellers lost their lives in the attack, while the remaining members of the party were robbed of their possessions. Nitzka's widow later commissioned the granite monument at the exact place of his death, ensuring that the memory of her husband and the tragedy that befell him would endure.

In the central registry of Czech stone crosses the monument is catalogued under number 0507, and as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic it carries registration number 33672/3-429. Although modest in size, the stone offers a striking window into the legal customs and folk religiosity that once surrounded violent death in the Bohemian countryside.

Why is it worth a stop?

Penitence crosses like the one dedicated to Šimon Nitzka are among the oldest and most authentic traces of local history in the region — unlike grand monuments, they are humble stones that have survived for centuries simply by becoming part of the landscape and the collective memory of the area. For travellers exploring South Bohemia, it offers a quiet but meaningful stop connecting the history of customary law, folk piety, and the everyday risks faced by travelling merchants of the past.

When to visit?

Since the cross stands in open countryside beside a public road, it can be visited at any time of year. Spring and summer are the most rewarding seasons, when the surrounding fields and meadows are at their most scenic and the longer daylight hours make it easy to include the site in a broader day trip through the region.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Šimon Nitzka? He was a mečíř — a craftsman and merchant dealing in bladed weapons — from České Budějovice, murdered in 1577 by a band of robbers who attacked merchants travelling to a fair.

What is a penitence cross (smírčí kříž)? It is a traditional type of monument erected at the site of a violent death, either as part of a legal settlement or as a private expression of mourning by the victim's family — Nitzka's cross belongs to the latter category.

Can the cross be visited independently? Yes, it stands in open countryside along a public road and is freely accessible year-round.

Are there similar monuments nearby? South Bohemia is rich in penitence crosses from a similar era, forming part of the region's heritage tied to historical customary law.