Just a short distance from the unassuming Central Bohemian village of Smolotels is the important pilgrimage site of Maková hora. The Baroque jewel of the Povltava region has been attracting travellers and sightseers from afar thanks to its unmissable nature. Follow Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the nature trail through the surroundings of Smolotely.

TheChurch of St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, built between 1719 and 1722 on Poppy Hill, bears typical features of the Baroque style, supplemented by features of the Wallachian Renaissance. Although the church was never completed according to the original plans, it still amazes with its novel architectural design. Although the name of the hill evokes poppy fields, you would look in vain for red meadows in the surrounding area. The name actually refers to the mining of precious metals, and the mountain that "has metal" is now known as Poppy.

In addition, you can combine a trip to the church on Poppy Mountain with a walk along the nature trail "Around Smolotel". There are seven stops waiting for you, which will introduce you to important buildings, the nature in the surroundings and the history of the village and its parts. Thevillage of Dalskabáty, associated with the work of Jan Drda, will also be familiar to you. The route of the trail isseven kilometres long and will also take you past the inaccessible Smolotely Castle.

The church on Makova hora is connected to a nice story about the so-called Makov donkey. Thepainter and hermit Josef Bosáček, who worked as a churchwarden in Makovka, had a donkey. Since the nearest source of drinking water was located near the village of Smolotely, he brought it to the mountain. However, the donkey was able to walk to the village by himself, have the locals fill the attached bellows, and himself return withwater to the church. So the saying "as smart as a donkey from Mak soon took hold among the locals."