Olomouc Region – Jeseníky Mountains Location Tour: Bunker with a telephone exchange, plus a log church, chateaus, and spas

Filmmakers explored locations worth visiting in the Jeseníky Mountains during location tour organized by the Olomouc Regional Film Office in cooperation with the Czech Film Commission. Producers, directors, and location managers visited a four-level equipped nuclear bunker, a Renaissance log church, and a fairytale village with a chateau and bailiff's residence on April 16 and 17, 2024. 

“The most amazing place was the Přáslavice bunker. It’s an ideal location for filming - it's easy to plan. It is a place that inspires the writing of the most amazing stories. It is absolutely beautiful in its authenticity,” says Margareta Hrůza, director, film critic of Modern Times and expert advisor for the doc.incubator international workshop.

“The permanent exhibition is well maintained. From a production point of view, there would be no need for a large crew. All the essentials are there,” Jiří Marek, director and producer at Soft Pillow, agreed with Margareta.

Aleš Hudský, a producer at Synergia Film, who regularly collaborates with the German company Berlin Producers on their projects for Arte TV, was inspired by the log church in Žárová and the Schroth therapeutic spa. 

Margareta Hrůza welcomed networking as a positive side effect of the location tour: “Four of the participants were film directors, and we had the opportunity to discuss our projects and exchange tips and contacts. Getting to know representatives of regional film offices is also a huge benefit.” 

Loučná nad Desnou Chateau

The partially restored Renaissance chateau from the beginning of the 17th century with unfurnished interiors is privately owned and currently inaccessible to the public. At the end of the 17th century, it was enlarged into a baroque three-winged building with two towers. The renovated chateau park of 12 hectares, open to the public, is owned by the municipality. 

Kolštejn Chateau   

This 14th-century castle was rebuilt in the 16th century into a chateau with predominantly Gothic and Renaissance elements. The ruins of the original castle and chateau complex are currently in private ownership. Part of it is used by the owners as a hotel, restaurant, and brewery and another part is used for public tours. The chateau is adjacent to the rectory, which retains its original floor plan and a domed tower. The original bailiff's residence, which served as a primary school in the past, has been unused for many years.

Church of the Archangel Michael   

The originally evangelical church dates to the beginning of the 17th century. Its spacious and unusually bright interior features a wide gallery that connects the altar and choir with the organ on both sides along the entire length of the church. The 59-metre-high tower has seven floors and spiral staircases on both sides. 

Petrovy Kameny (Peter’s Stones) Hotel   

The building from the 1980s still retains the atmosphere and many of the amenities of its time. The 60-room hotel features a gym with fitness machines and a wellness centre with a hot tub, Finnish sauna, and steam room. The hotel is the highest mountain resort in the Czech Republic, located at an altitude of 1,335 m above sea level just below the peak of Praděd, and is exceptional for its views of the dense forests of the surrounding nature reserve.

Praděd Lookout Tower   

The concrete-and-steel transmitter, which began construction in 1968 to meet the growing demand for television signals, was not completed until 1980 due to the harsh climatic conditions. Like the nearby hotel, the tower's interior is frozen in time. The tower is 146.5 m tall, and its upper platform exceeds Sněžka by 35 m. The 73 m high lookout tower is accessible by lift. In good weather, you can see the High Tatras from here. 

Schrot Therapeutic Spa   

In a small village in the middle of undisturbed nature, there is an eclectic complex of impressive Art Nouveau villas with modern accommodation, doctors’ offices, and spaces for medical procedures. Several dilapidated buildings are also awaiting reconstruction. The spa, with 180 years of tradition, reopened in 2017. In 2022, the Living Water Park opened to the public with two trails designed for barefoot walking. The Lázeňský Vrch ski area is 300m away.  

Church of St. Martin in Žárová   

The log-framed church from 1611 has been preserved in its authentic form with a completely wood-panelled interior. It was built in the Renaissance style with late Gothic elements made of wood from an older church that was demolished in Velké Losiny. The modest interior has a highly evocative atmosphere. The white-painted wood in the altar area contrasts with the darker panelling of the nave. The wooden gallery is decorated with paintings of the Stations of the Cross. The church stands in the middle of a fenced cemetery.  

Perk Hotel

The renovation of the 1930s functionalist Grand Hotel in Šumperk, which began in 2020, was crowned with the Interior Design Award 2024 for Lucie Koldová Studio by the Institute of Interior Design. On the roof there is a cosy terrace with an outdoor bar and two Finnish saunas with a relaxation room. There are also two conference halls, which, when connected, have a capacity for 84 people. On the ground floor there is a restaurant with an open kitchen.

Contact for filming in the Olomouc Region:

Olomouc Region Film Office, Michael Žáček (michael.zacek@centralaok.cz, +420 775 863 537)