Sv. Kliment Osvětimany

Sv. Kliment (Hradisko svatého Klimenta) is a forested hilltop in the Chřiby range in Moravia, rising to 461 meters above sea level, roughly 4 km northwest of the village of Osvětimany and 5 km southeast of Koryčany. Locals know it affectionately as "Klimentek." Since 1999 the site has held the status of a national cultural monument, combining an important archaeological site, the remains of an early medieval hillfort, and an active pilgrimage destination.

What is on top of the hill?

Archaeological excavations have confirmed continuous settlement from the 9th century through the end of the 15th century. The hill sat along an old trade route linking the Pomoraví region with the Brno area, which made it an attractive settlement spot already in the Great Moravian era. Foundation remains of the original church are still visible today, standing next to the present-day chapel of St. Clement.

Where does the name come from?

The hill's name is tied to a local tradition holding that Saints Cyril and Methodius brought the relics of Pope Clement I here from Chersonesus. According to that tradition, the missionaries may have finished translating the Bible into Old Church Slavonic on this very hill, and the site is sometimes named as one of the main centers of their activity after they arrived in Great Moravia in 863. The claim is hard to verify from written sources, but the legend is deeply woven into the regional identity of the Podchřibí area.

How did the chapel's history unfold?

The earliest written mention of the site dates to 1358, when the bishop of Olomouc, Jan Očko z Vlašimi, confirmed a grant of a chapel dedicated to St. Clement to the Augustinian canons of Brno, made by the Moravian margrave Jan Jindřich of Luxembourg. The convent was seriously damaged during the Hussite wars in 1421, and the site was gradually abandoned over the 15th and 16th centuries. It wasn't until 1838 that a parish priest from Boršice, Jan Studeník, had a wooden chapel with a bell tower built near the excavated foundations of the original church. Today's chapel of St. Clement continues that 19th-century initiative.

Is it still a place of pilgrimage?

Yes — every year, on the feast of Pentecost, pilgrims from surrounding parishes climb the hill for a service. It remains one of the notable pilgrimage sites in the Moravian Slovácko region, and its 1999 designation as a national cultural monument reflects both its historical and its spiritual weight.

What should visitors know before going?

The hill lies within the Chřiby nature park, surrounded by dense deciduous forest, about 500 meters from the road connecting Osvětimany and Koryčany. Visiting the hillfort site, the chapel, and the viewpoint typically takes around two hours. It makes for a rewarding family walk that combines history, nature, and the atmosphere of a living pilgrimage site.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Sv. Kliment hill? 461 meters above sea level.

How far is it from Osvětimany? About 4 km northwest of the village.

Where does the name Klimentek come from? From the legend that Cyril and Methodius brought the relics of Pope Clement I here from Chersonesus.

Can you walk there? Yes, the hill is about 500 meters from the Osvětimany–Koryčany road, inside the forested Chřiby nature park.

When is the pilgrimage held? Every year on the feast of Pentecost.

Are there remains of the original church? Yes, foundation remains from the 14th century are visible next to the modern chapel.