The Cathedral of the Visitation of Our Lady Mary/Chrám Navštívení Panny Marie is the cathedral visible on the hillside to the east of Olomouc on a clear day.
The impressive Baroque cathedral rests on the side of the 421m elevation Svatý Kopeček /Holy Hill above the village of Samotišky, 8 kilometres from Olomouc. It was constructed in the years 1669-1679 on the site of a chapel destroyed by the Swedish army in the Thirty Years War. It has since become the most famous pilgrimage church in the Czech lands and was elevated to the status of a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II on April 11th, 1995.
The Baroque interior is not as majestic as that of St Michael’s in Olomouc, but it's impressive nonetheless. The best feature of the cathedral on Svatý Kopeček is its hillside setting, with fine views over Olomouc and the Hana plain. On a clear day, the tower of the Chateau at Tovacov is visible 40km away.
The cathedral holds regular masses and is open from 8am to 6pm daily.
At only 8km from Olomouc, there are several options for transport. City bus number 11 runs to the cathedral from Stand E outisde the Olomouc train station. I used a normal 8kc 40 minute ticket, but I’m not sure if this was correct and you may wish to check this with the driver or the lady at the ticket office in the station. Cycling takes around 45 minutes and includes a long steep stretch towards the end, but is predictably much easier on the way down. Walking would also be possible and I would estimate that it would take between 90 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the length of your pace and depth of your resolve. There’s no chance of getting lost as the cathedral is visible from just about everywhere. A taxi ride would be a fourth option, but I have no basis upon which to estimate the cost.
Sharp-eyed visitors to the cathedral may have noticed a photograph of the Pope holding a koala in his arms. This might seem slightly odd, unless you know that there is a large zoo less than twenty minutes' walk across the top of Holy Hill. The apparently catholic koalas are kept company by seemingly agnostic kangaroos and playful Buddhist monkeys. The primate enclosure is particularly impressive, but the big cats never fail to impress, and the bat cave and butterfly house are further highlights.
The zoo breeds more than 250 animals and participates in the protection of several endangered species. It’s open from 8am until at least 4pm daily and is located on the aptly named Darwinova Ulice/Darwin Street. The admission is 60Kc for adults and 40Kc for students, with permission for photgraphy an extra 5Kc.
There are several refreshment and souvenir stands close to the cathedral, as well as restaurants in the village, but the well-priced kiosk within the zoo grounds is the best place to relax and collect energy for the discussion/argument that is bound to spring up between the creationists and evolutionists within your group of friends. If you are visiting alone, you may wish to declare yourself victorious in the argument and proceed up the lookout tower beside the kiosk for more panoramic views across the Hana plain and back across towards the cathedral.
Holy hill and the zoo make a good day trip from Olomouc, also because they are close enough to be visited in half a day, should you find yourself with that amount of time to spare.
Recommended.