EXCURSIONS FROM PRAGUE to Central Bohemia U SAPÍKŮ RESTAURANT AND GUEST HOUSE Klokočná č.p. 8 • GPS: 49°57'26.01"N, 14°43'4.72"E • tel.: +420 323 641 186 • e-mail: [email protected] • www.klokocna.cz

Weddings and wedding ceremonies, birthday and anniversary parties, children’s parties, company events Hoffmanův dvůr Vinořské náměstí 34, 190 17 Vinoř Tel.: +420 739 737 503 [email protected] www.hoffmanuv-dvur.cz

2 From Prague to Central Bohemia

Prague – a city whose fame reaches the stars. Prague – mother of cities. Prague – the capital city whose historic centre is a UNESCO heritage site. In the city centre, Prague Castle is the biggest castle complex in the world, and Prague is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is what attracts millions of tourists to Prague every year. When you get tired of the crowds in the streets and the traffi c jams, head out of the city to explore Central Bohemia. You won’t be disappointed.

Excursions from Prague to Central Bohemia – 2nd edition (1st edition in 2016) Published by the Central Bohemia Region and publishers Hana Langerová Editor-in-chief: Mgr. Hana Langerová DTP: Igor Ondřej, Translation: Peter Williams Production: MgA. Jan Hladký (+420 603 443 567) Texts and photographs: archive of the Central Bohemia Region, publisher archive

3 chateau

sacred site

museum

castle

outdoor museum

underground

technical monument

viewing tower

natural monument

watercourse

spa

boating

walking

fi shing

mountain climbing

golf

cycling

4 Central Bohemia – west

14

16 12 15 11 10

8

7 6

9

Karlštejn Castle 6 Koněprusy Caves 7 Křivoklát Castle 9 Hořovice Chateau 9 Lidice Monument 10 Czech Railways Railway Museum in Lužná 11 Mayrau outdoor mining museum 12 Krušovice royal brewery 13 Třebíz outdoor museum 14 Kolešovice hop drying plant and hop garden 15

5 from 45 Karlštejn Castle Prague minut

erhaps the most visited monument in the vicinity of Prague is Karlštejn, a massive Gothic castle rising up over the village of the same name. It was founded in 1348 as the private Presidence of the King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. During its con- struction, however, the idea changed and Karlštejn became the repository of the royal treas- ures, collections of relics and crown jewels. The castle was completed in 1365, when the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Great Tower was consecrated. At the beginning of the Hussite Wars, the Czech coronation jewels were moved to Karlštejn for safekeeping, and they remained there with short breaks for about 200 years. After 1480 the castle was rebuilt in the late Gothic style and in the last quarter of the 16th cen- tury in the Renaissance style. Today’s appearance was acquired in the late 19th century when the last adjustments were made in the spirit of purism. The original tiered arrangement of the buildings is very impressive, from the lowest lying Well Tower and Burgrave Palace building up to the majestic fi ve-storied Imperial Palace and further up towards the Marian Tower. On top of the rocky promontory stands the monumental 60 metre Great Tower with an unwindowed gable wall almost eight metres thick shielding the other buildings from attack. One unique feature is the original 14th century murals in the Chapel of the Holy Cross – the ceiling is covered in gold decoration evoking a celestial dome, while the walls are decorated with gemstones and 129 reliquary panel paintings from the workshop of Master Theodoric. In addition to guid- ed tours, you can visit interesting local exhibitions and some traditional festivals.

Nearby you can visit: Karlštejn Museum of Light Fortifi cation – the Karlštejn bunker was part of the Prague Line of Defence against Nazi Contact: Germany – it serves as a museum of weaponry, equipment Státní hrad Karlštejn and contemporary exhibits • Budňanská Rock – one of the 267 18 Karlštejn few outcrops in the Czech Karst displays a clear bound- tel.: +420 311 681 695 ary between the Silurian and Devonian periods • River Ber- [email protected]

ounka – suitable for swimming, fi shing and easy canoeing www.hradkarlstejn.cz Ing. Jaromír Kub ů Photo:

6 from 45 Koněprusy Caves Prague minut

here is the longest cave system in the Czech Republic? Just less than six kilometres south of Beroun above the village of Koněprusy on a hill called Golden Horse. The local caves were Wformed in Devonian limestone, very rich in fossils and as old as 410 million years, and the main phases of karstifi cation took place about 20 million years ago. The caves show the consequences of various tectonic disturbances and a local rarity known as Nep- tune veins. These are cracks that appeared during the period of the Devonian sea, which came to be fi lled with skeletons of the animals that lived at that time. They are visible in several places in the caves. The fi rst parts of the caves were discovered on 14 September 1950, when blasting in a nearby quarry revealed an opening in the rockface. Over the next few years more than two kilometres of corridors, domes and chasms were discovered on three levels. They were opened to the public on 2 August 1958. The tour route is 620 metres long and leads through part of the middle and upper levels. The lower level is not open to the public. You can only enter the caves with a guide. The tour lasts about an hour, during which you will learn about the formation of caves and the structures in them. The “Koněprusy rosettes” contain opal, in amounts making it a world rarity; they are over 1.5 million years old. You’ll also see replicas of some skeletal fi ndings, including human skeletons, and on the upper level at the end of the tour you will enter a faithful reconstruction of a money counterfeiting workshop that was operated in the caves sometime in the second half of the 15th century.

Nearby you can visit: Karlštejn – Gothic castle of Emperor and King Charles IV rises above the village of the same name • Křivoklát – Gothic cas- Contact: tle that used to be the residence of King Wenceslas IV • Točník Koněpruské jeskyně and Žebrák – castles of King Wenceslas IV, now picturesque Správa jeskyní České republiky ruins • royal town of Beroun – attractive urban heritage site pošt. schránka 13, 266 01 Beroun and the Museum of Czech Karst • Hořovice – the chateau fea- tel.: +420 730 572 485 tures an exhibition of game machines and music machines [email protected] from the 18th to the 20th centuries www.caves.cz, www.jeskynecr.cz

7 from 50 Křivoklát Castle Prague minut

řivoklát Castle is one of the oldest and most important castles of Bohemian princes and kings. It was built on a promontory above the Rakovnický stream during the fi rst third of the 13th century, during the reign of Přemysl Otakar II and Wenceslas I. During the Hus- K nd th site Wars the castle burnt down and in the 2 half of the 15 century it underwent extensive restoration during the reign of Vladislav Jagiello. That made it into one of the most magnifi - cent royal residences of its time in Central Europe. But it was not just a place of court life: it also served as a prison for prominent people – the alchemist Edward Kelley spent some time incarcerated here, for example. A large fi re in 1643 led to the decline of the castle. At the beginning of the 18th century, when it became the property of the Fürstenberg family, it mostly served the needs of the local brewery. In the 19th century the Fürstenbergs began the restoration of the castle, so its present-day exteri- or is a valuable example of the late Gothic style. In 1929 the Fürstenbergs sold the castle and sur- rounding estates to the state. Gradual restoration and archaeological research has been taking place here since the 1960s. Křivoklát Castle was designated as a national heritage site in 1989. The castle tour will show you the Royal Chapel of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary, with its altar from the late 15th century. The royal and knights’ halls have an amazing collection of natu- ral curiosities, relics from trips to the Orient, archaeological fi ndings, sacral objects, hunting weapons and historic sleighs. A pleasant walk along the ramparts will take you to the Huderka tower with an open-fi re kitchen and viewing gallery.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Nižbor – baroque chateau that is home to the Celtic Národní památkový ústav Information Centre • Krakovec – a Gothic castle rebuilt správa státního hradu Křivoklát into a Renaissance chateau is now a picturesque ruin • Křivoklát 47, 270 23 Křivoklát Skryje – a small village containing the Barrandův Me- tel.: +420 313 558 440 morial with a collection of fossils, with the Týřov ruins [email protected] and Skryje lakes nearby www.krivoklat.cz

8 from 40 Hořovice Chateau Prague minut

he history of a manor in Hořovice dates back to the 13th century, but construction of the chateau was begun in the 17th century by the Martinic family. Further building work Ttook place at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, when the estate was owned by the Vrbna family. This work enlarged the older ornamental garden and created a commemorative courtyard with a gate with statues by Matthias Bernard Braun. Statues by the same sculptor decorated the remarkable late baroque garden, which is dominated by the Sun Gate. Another owner of the chateau, Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Hessen, had the castle modifi ed from 1856 to a design by the Hesse court architect Gottlob Engelhardt. This late classicist recon- struction in the years 1859–1861 altered the main wing of the castle and added an extra fl oor. The last building work took place in the 20th century interwar period. During World War II the chateau was almost destroyed, including its inventory. In 1945 it became state property and has served many purposes since then. Since the late 1980s the gradual restoration of the castle and its exhibits has been taking place. It was made a national heritage site in 2001. During the tour, you can visit the reception, private and servants’ areas of the chateau. Children will certainly love the Young Aristocrats’ Games and Toys tour route and the permanent exhibi- tion of puppets of writer and artist Vítězslava Klimtová called Fairy-tale Land.

Nearby you can visit: Žebrák and Točník castles – the unique Czech twin castle complex is associated with the name Contact: of King Wenceslas IV • Příbram – the baroque pil- Národní památkový ústav, grimage site called Holy Mountain in Příbram is správa státního zámku v Hořovicích connected to the town by a 450 m long covered Vrbnovská 22, 268 01 Hořovice stairway. The Příbram Mining of Mining is an inter- tel.: +420 724 331 568 nationally unique technical monument • Dobříš [email protected] – the Rococo palace of the Colloredo-Mansfeld www.zamek-horovice.cz family is open all year round

9 from 30 Lidice Monument Prague minut

or centuries, Lidice in the Buštěhrady estate near Kladno was an ordinary farming village. With the development of mining and metallurgy in Kladno district, some men left the village to work in the Fcoal mines. Lidice’s fateful day came on 10 June 1942. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich on 27 May 1942, the Nazi occupiers launched an unprecedented wave of terror against the Czech nation. As part of the monstrous campaign of intimidation, the villages of Lidice and Ležáky in Chrudim district were razed to the ground on the orders of K. H. Franz. In Lidice 173 men and women were shot, and most of the children were transported to concentration camps. The Nazis’ original intention to erase the village from the face of the earth failed, however. Lidice was restored, and many squares, streets, villages and even women worldwide today bear the name of Lidice in their honour. Lidice Memorial, a government organization, looks after the memory of Lidice, the Ležáky Commemora- tive Area and Lety cultural monument, all places that suffered a similarly tragic fate. During the tour of the Lidice Memorial, you can visit the commemorative area with a guide and visit a multimedia exhibition where you can learn the history of the Lidice tragedy, listen to the testimony of survivors and fi nd artefacts from the original Lidice village. Walk through Central Europe’s largest Rose Garden from 1955 and the Lidice Gallery, where you see a unique collection of art of the 20th and 21st centuries. From June to October, you can see the International Children’s Art Exhibition, the largest and oldest exhibition of its kind in the world.

Nearby you can visit: Roztoky u Prahy – the seat of the Central Bohemian Museum; the town also includes the Levý Hradec national heritage site • Kladno – Mayrau Contact: Mining Museum preserves a coal mine as it looked after the last miners Památník Lidice left it • Sládeček Museum housed in the former director‘s residence at Tokajická 152 the Poldi steelworks of Kladno Ironworks • The village of Okoř contains 273 54 Lidice the most photographed Czech castle ruin • Zákolany – Budeč fort – tel.: +420 312 253 063 a commemorative place associated with Prince Wenceslas; the Church [email protected] of St. Peter and Paul is the oldest standing building in the Czech Republic www.lidice-memorial.cz

10 from 50 Railway Museum of Czech Railways in Lužná Prague minut

he Railway Museum of Czech Railways lies in the beautiful surroundings of Křivoklát Forest. It is housed in a former engine shed of the Buštěhrady line at the Lužná rail- way station near Rakovník. Following the closure of the heating plant, a steam locomo- T th tives depot was established here. At the end of the 20 century it was used to store historic machines. A group of enthusiasts then started to organize the fi rst exhibition and in 1999 founded the Railway Museum. If you come to the biggest exhibition of historic rolling stock in the Czech Republic, you will fi nd several dozen steam and diesel locomotives, a collection of cars, trucks and service cars and special vehicles, including a snowplough, a snow thrower and rail cranes. The indoor museum exhibition presents a variety of exhibits linked to the history of railways and the evolution of the rail transport sector, such as signalling and communication technology and equipment for locomotive repair and track maintenance. You can spend the whole day at the Railway Museum as you will defi nitely want to ride on narrow gauge track. There is also a model railway and a kids’ corner. Refreshments are served in a restaurant converted from a former wagon. The whole area is barrier-free. The local shop sells postcards and souvenirs and specialist railway literature. Every year the museum pre- sents many historic rail vehicles in authentic conditions of operation and often features ex- hibits from abroad as well.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Kolešovka – a steam train runs on the Kolešovka track Železniční muzeum leading from Lužná to Kolešovice every Saturday in the Českých drah summer holidays • Krušovice – the Royal Brewery will 9. května 255 teach you how to pour, drink and serve beer • Rakovník 270 51 Lužná u Rakovníka – the royal town with many historical monuments, an ur- tel.: +420 313 537 700 ban heritage zone, T. G. Masaryk Museum and the Rabas [email protected] Gallery, lies in the middle of Křivoklát Forest www.cdmuzeum.cz

11 from 40 Mayrau Mining Museum Prague minut

ere you can get a feel of the daily work of former miners in the mining village of Mayrau, a his- torically valuable area, which has preserved a model of the last working day. HThe coalmine in Vinařice was founded by the Prague Ironworks Company in the year 1874 and was named after J. K. Mayer, lord of Mayrau. Mining here ended and the pits were fi lled up in 1997, with the exception of 110 metres of mine tunnels under the Homole (Loaf) hill. These are now accessible and clearly illustrate mining methods. In addition to the buildings of the guild, locker rooms, the shaft station from where miners descended into the shaft, or the smoke building with simulated cave–ins and manholes for training mine rescue workers, you should also inspect the collection of three func- tional mining machines: the unique Art Nouveau Ringhoffer Smíchov steam mining machine from 1905, the Prague Ruston Koepe system and the Škoda electric mining machine from 1932. Because the local mine was notorious for its diffi cult geological conditions, the local foreman Ing. John Karlík invented a safety device called the Karlík tachograph, whose use spread throughout the world. Technical and industrial monuments gain an especial value from the functionality of the key mecha- nisms. For example, your experience of the demonstration of a heavy-duty mining machine from 1905 is enhanced by the machine’s hissing and the smell of oil. The Mayrau mining museum is a sym- bol of the tough job that miners had to do, their skill and the know-how of our ancestors. Once a month from May to October, you can set out for this extraordinary industrial monument on a spe- cial train from Prague.

Nearby you can visit: Kladno – a baroque chateau houses the town museum Contact: and library; Sládeček Ethnographic Museum; the late ba- Hornický skanzen Mayrau ve roque chapel of St Florian was built to a design by K. I. Vinařicích – pobočka Sládečkova Dienzenhofer • Vinařice Mountain – a natural monument vlastivědného muzea v Kladně, p. o. with a nature trail, remnant of an ancient volcano • Slaný Vinařice u Kladna 56, 273 07 – royal city surrounded by nature and full of monuments, tel.: +420 312 273 067, 312 256 161 e.g. the Holy Trinity Church at the monastery of the Dis- [email protected] calced Carmelites mayrau.omk.cz

12 from 45 Krušovice Royal Brewery Prague minut

he Křivoklát forests offer more than a nearly untouched wilderness and beauti- ful Czech castles. You can fi nd history of a somewhat different kind in the village of TKrušovice in Rakovník district, where excellent beer has been brewed since the 16th century. The spread of Krušovice beer’s fame was down to both the suffi ciency of quality raw materials, ranging from water from the forests to barley and hops traditionally grown in the vicinity, and the village’s convenient location on the trade route from Prague to the territory of Germany. After the Krušovice estate and brewery was bought by Emperor Ru- dolf II, beer production increased further, as the emperor himself personally made sure there was a constant supply of the raw materials needed to produce beer and supply it to the royal table. Krušovice brewery has experienced times of prosperity and hardship, but always managed to keep the beer production going. Today, the Krušovice Royal Brewery not only brews beer, it is also a venue for excursions, lectures and courses for amateurs and professionals. You can learn everything about beer production, from production technologies and optimal storage conditions to the principles of how to serve beer to guests and several ways to draw beer. Krušovice brewery offers a wide range of products, which are characterized by a pleasant, mild aromatic bitterness, thick foam and a distinctive tang. Popular brands are Krušovice 10° and 12° lagers, a black beer and a wheat beer, the semi-dark Malvaz 13° and seasonal specials – all with typical Krušovice crown on the label.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Municipal Museum of Nové Strašecí – exposition dedi- Královský pivovar Krušovice cated to the Celts in Rakovník district, including replica U Pivovaru 1 heads of a Celtic god • Lány – this chateau is the sum- 270 53 Krušovice mer residence of Czech presidents and is home to the tel.: +420 737 224 087 T. G. Masaryk Museum • royal town of Rakovník – urban [email protected] heritage zone, Museum of T. G. Masaryk and Rabas Gal-

Text Petra Líznerová, photo: HEINEKEN photo: Petra Líznerová, Text www.krusovice.cz lery • Railway Museum in Lužná near Rakovník

13 from 45 Třebíz Open-air Museum Prague minut

he open-air museum in the heart of the village of Třebíz contains a rare collection of central Bohemian folk architecture that you will not fi nd elsewhere. The village herit- Tage site is centred on the original village green with a pond. This is where you enter the gates of the Ethnographic Museum with its unique feature: all the charming buildings stand on their original sites – unlike in other open-air museums, where they were artifi cially transferred from elsewhere. Take a walk around the yard where farm girls and boys really fed cattle, threshed grain and roasted whole pigs. For a moment you will feel like an apprentice in the cobbler’s workshop. The heart of the museum and the village as a whole was originally a medieval farmhouse called Cífkův Farm, which will introduce you to former husbandry practices in all their glory. In the large yard you will also notice the wing of the building con- taining a tap room and open-hearth kitchen, stables and granary, which today serves as an exhibition hall. Also visit the neighbouring Šubrt Farm, where you will be greeted by a mag- pie carved by sculptor F. A. Skála. There is even a rural shop where you can buy something for your loved ones. The guide will then lead you to the cottages of a shoemaker and a herbalist and fi nally to the birthplace of the famous writer and priest V. B. Třebízský. He has his memo- rial nearby, beneath which there are baroque reliefs carved into the sandstone and cellars still used to this day. From here you go past an alcove chapel with a fountain and then back to the village green. Just like they did centuries ago, you can celebrate the Třebíz pilgrimage at the Chapel of St Martin or visit the August Old Bohemian Fair, where you admire the skills of a miller, a blacksmith or a potter. No wonder Třebíz is so often used by fi lm crews.

Nearby you can visit: Neprobylice u Slaného – an educational trail Contact: runs through the village with a unique wood- Národopisné muzeum Slánska v Třebízi en belfry • Klobuky – the fi elds near the village Třebíz č. p. 2, 273 75 Třebíz are home to the largest Czech menhir called tel.: 312 579 540 “The Stone Herdsman” • Panenský Týnec – un- [email protected] fi nished Gothic cathedral www.muzeumtrebiz.cz

14 from 60 Kolešovice hop drying plant and hop garden Prague minut

he historic hop drying plant and hop garden in Kolešovice are unique technical monu- ments that commemorate several centuries of the Czech tradition of growing hops in the Tworld famous Žatec hop growing region. The Kolešovice drying plant is the only function- ing historic hop drying plant in the Czech Republic, where the hops stripped manually from the adjacent hop fi elds are dried using the original technology and process: warm air from coal-fi red furnaces. Hops from Kolešovice and the surrounding area are the best in the world. The local hops grown on hop-rods are a genuine product of the region and have recently inspired the re- newal of the local beer brand, which was brewed in Kolešovice up to 1925. All the work here is done by hand – the erecting of the hop poles, the cutting and tethering of the hops vine and hops picking. On the last Saturday in August every year you have the unique opportunity to see with your own eyes the harvest and drying process. The all-day demonstration of the history of Czech hops growing then culminates in the village hops harvest festival. Part of the fi ve-fl oor drying plant in Kolešovice has been converted into an exhibition space. Its pride and joy is an artwork entitled The Ten Stages of Hops and Beer. It was made by local artists and shows the tradition and history of growing hops and brewing in Rakovník district.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Kolešovka railway museum and rolling stock depot in Rakovnicko o. p. s. Kněževes u Rakovníka organizes steam-train rides and a tour Lubenská 2250 of the collections of historic locomotives and railcars during 269 01 Rakovník the summer holidays • Kounovské stone rows and Špičák [email protected] are the most famous Czech megalithic sites www.chmele.cz

15 Central Bohemia – east

31

Kutná Hora 17 30 34 Cathedral of St Barbara in Kutná Hora 18 29 27 32 Museum of Silver 19

Ossuary 20 28 Vrchlice valley 21 35

Kačina chateau 22 39 Čáslav 23 Žleby 24 43 36

Bohdaneč and Bohdanka viewing tower 25 33 Zruč nad Sázavou 26 41 42 38 Mnichovo Hradiště chateau 27 44 37 ŠKODA Museum, Mladá Boleslav 28

Příhrazy cliffs and Drábské světničky 29 45 Greenway Jizera 30 40 Bohemian Paradise Geopark 31 18 20 22 Ruin of Valečov Castle 32 17 19 21 Milovice nature reserve 33 23 24 Hruboskalské cliff town 34 Aviation Museum of Metoděj Vlach 35 Loučeň Chateau 36 25 Poděbrady 37 26 Nymburk 38 Mělník 39 Kolín 40 Chleby Zoo 41 Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav 42 Benátky nad Jizerou 43 River Elbe 44 Český Brod 45

16 from 70 Kutná Hora Prague minut

utná Hora is one of the historically most important cities of the Czech Republic and is rightly re- garded as the treasury and jewel of our country. The city’s history began in the early Middle Ages, Kand its importance grew in connection with silver mining. Kutná Hora boasts a rich tapestry of ar- chitectural styles and totally unique buildings from different historical periods. Within the city there are two cathedrals, Romanesque, Gothic and baroque churches, three large monastic buildings, a Gothic chapel, a number of townhouses and stone sculptures, and a medieval mine called the St George Shaft. The historic centre of Kutná Hora, with the Cathedral of St Barbara and the Cathedral of the Assump- tion of the Virgin Mary in Sedlec, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1995. This city offers a wide range of ways to spend pleasant moments here. The spectrum of available ac- commodation is also diverse and the local specialties are defi nitely worth trying. If you are a fan of monuments, there is a very long list of attractions, but if you are after other experiences, all sorts of concerts, music festivals, exhibitions, historical celebrations and sporting events are held here. In the Klimeška complex, for example, you can relax in a salt cave or indulge in activities such as a bobsleigh track, swimming pool, fi tness centre, ice rink and tennis courts. The immediate surroundings of the city offer beautiful walks and even climbing possibilities along the river Vrchlice that inspired J. K. Tyl to write the words of the Czech national anthem.

In the historical centre you can visit: The Italian Court – initially a fortifi ed castle protecting an important trade route. In 1300 King Wenceslas II, aided by Italian experts, carried out monetary reform. He abolished 17 Contact: mints scattered around the kingdom and set up one central Informační centrum mint in the castle. In honour of the experts from Florence, Palackého náměstí 377 Italy, the mint was called the Italian Court. For the next 400 tel.: +420 327 512 378 years, this was the economic heart of the Kingdom of Bohe- www.kutnahora.cz mia and the summer residence of Czech kings. For almost Vlašský dvůr, Havlíčkovo nám. 552 250 years, the Prague groschen, one of the “hard currencies” tel. +420 327 512 873

í Coubal MgA. Ji ř í Coubal Photo: of the Middle Ages, were minted here www.vlasskydvur.com

17 from 70 Cathedral of St Barbara in Kutná Hora Prague minut

hen you come to Kutná Hora you cannot miss the Nearby you can visit: unique work of high and late Gothic architecture that Jesuit College – a two-storey ba- Wis the Cathedral of St Barbara. The cathedral, whose roque building with transverse construction was begun in 1388 by architect Peter Parler, is ded- wings in the shape of an inverted “F”, icated to St Barbara, the patron saint of miners. This spectacular built on the site of purchased Gothic project was fi nanced by the local patrician families, owners of buildings in 1667 by Giovanni Do- prosperous mining businesses in the city. Today’s appearance menico Orsi. The site was deliberate- of the cathedral is the result of long and repeatedly interrupted ly chosen to be close to Kutna Hora’s building work, which was dependent on the profi tability of the most important cathedral, which local mines and on the political conditions in the country. was administered by the Jesuits. The The defi nitive end of the building work came in 1905. The old- artifi cially raised terrace in front of est part of the church’s chancel and the screen vault above it is the college forms part of a wall with the work of Matěj Rejsek and was completed in 1499. Between thirteen statues of saints. The prem- 1512 and 1532, Benedikt Rejt, the architect who designed the ises are currently home to the Gal- Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle, worked on the cathedral. Above lery of the Central Bohemian Region the bottom fi ve-nave area Rejt created a separate three-nave (GASK), the second largest gallery in area that is unrivalled; the vaulting of the main nave was also his the Czech Republic and dedicated design. The arches are adorned with the emblems of the town mainly to Czech modern art guilds that contributed to the construction of the cathedral. The eastern part is covered with the emblems of Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Lower and Upper Lužice, the imperial eagle, and Contact: the eagle and the letter W signifying Vladislav Jagiello. Chrám sv. Barbory Jesuits arrived in the city in 1626, taking over the administration of Barborská, tel.: +420 327 515 796 the cathedral and making a series of baroque alterations. The di- www.khfarnost.cz verse medieval colour scheme was replaced by a combination of Jezuitská kolej – GASK gold, black and white and imitation marble. The Cathedral of St Barborská 53 Barbara was made a national heritage site and was inscribed on tel.: +420 725 377 433, 327 511 135

the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1995. www.gask.cz MgA. Ji ř í Coubal František Renza, Photo:

18 from 70 Museum of Silver Prague minut

o you know which museum is among the oldest and richest in the Czech Republic? It is the Czech Museum of Silver in Kutná Hora with such extensive collections, mainly archaeological, Dgeological and numismatic, that only a fraction of the items can be exhibited at one time. The Hrádek building it is housed in was bought in 1490 by Jan Smíšek of Vrchoviště and the originally enclosed castle was converted into a stately patrician mansion with all the architectural features of the day. Today, Hrádek even contains a medieval mine that was discovered by chance in the late 1960s. If you wish, you can change into a period mining outfi t called a perkytle, and explore the St George Shaft that was dug in the period from the 14th century to the early 16th century; on your walk you will pass areas fl ooded with crystal-clear water. Above ground in Hrádek itself there is an exhibi- tion called “Silver City,” which shows the development of Kutná Hora from its origins to its status as the second important city in the kingdom. Stone House, which is also administered by the Czech Museum of Silver, is one of the most beautiful late Gothic buildings in Central Europe. Its façade covered with sculptural ornament depicting souls ascending to heaven is particularly outstanding. Today’s appearance of the Stone House is the result of several construction phases. It currently houses an exhibition called “Royal Mining Town of Kutná Hora – bourgeois life and culture from the 17th to the 19th century”, while its cellars contains a sculpture museum devoted to the art of medieval stonemasons.

Contact: In the historical centre you can visit: České muzeum stříbra, p.o. Tyl House – Josef Kajetan Tyl, writer, playwright and author Hrádek, Barborská 28 of the text Czech national anthem, Where is My Home, tel.: +420 327 512 159 was born here on 4 February 1808. The house has a per- Kamenný dům, Václavské nám. 183 manent exhibition on the life and work of this prominent tel.: +420 327 512 821 Czech national revivalist, as well as an exposition called Tylův dům, Tylova 507 Kutná Hora Underground and Its Exploration presenting tel.: +420 327 511 504

Photo: František Renza Photo: the most important and interesting discoveries www.cms-kh.cz

19 from 70 Ossuary Prague minut

f you go northeast from the centre of Kutná Hora about two kilometres you come to Sedlec, which is now part of the city. In 1142 monks of the Cistercian order founded a monastery here. Large depos- Iits of silver made it possible to fi nance the construction of the magnifi cent Gothic Cathedral of the Assumption and St John the Baptist, which was commenced in the 1290s and completed in 1320. In 1421 it was looted by Hussite forces. It was only restored by the abbot Jindřich Snopek in the years 1699–1709, when architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichel rebuilt it in the bold lines of the baroque Gothic. In the cathedral you can see the treasury, which holds the Sedlec monstrance, probably the third most precious artefact in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest Gothic monstrances in the world world. Not far from the cathedral is the famous ossuary, an underground chapel of the Church of All Saints from the 14th century. According to legend, one of the local abbots brought back some soil from Jerusalem and scattered it in the cemetery. It thus became the oldest known “sacred fi eld” in Central Europe. After an outbreak of plague in 1318 about 30,000 dead were buried here, followed by a further 10,000 during the Hussite Wars. After the cemetery was abolished, the exhumed bones were stored both outside and inside the church, where in 1511 a blind monk assembled them in the shape of pyramids. At the beginning of the 18th century, the church was modifi ed by Jan Blažej Santini Aichel in the baroque style. The basic concept of the present-day bone decoration is also attributed to him. After the monastery was abolished by Emperor Jo- seph II, the monastery estates were bought in auction by the Schwarzenberg family from Orlík.

Nearby you can visit: Havířská bouda – barrier-free viewing tower of solid-stone Contact: cyclopean masonry with a restaurant offering stunning Katedrála Nanebevzetí views of Kutná Hora and its surroundings. On top of Kaňk Panny Marie a sv. Jana Křtitele hill there are also many interesting artefacts from the past, Vítězná, tel. +420 326 551 049 including a national natural monument, cave-in sites of a Kostnice, Zámecká medieval mine and the Calvary, a monument to Hussites tel. +420 326 551 049

who were killed by being thrown down the local mineshafts www.sedlec.info František Renza Photo:

20 from 70 Vrchlice valley Prague minut

fter visiting Kutná Hora, head off on the nature trail called “Vrchlice Valley” that leads directly from the city towards Velký rybník. The trail, which runs for just three kilome- Atres through beautiful natural scenery, will take you to remnants of historic silver min- ing, bricked-up entrances to tunnels and old quarries, many former mills and old bridges, fords, fl umes and dykes. The nature trail will give you a good insight into the fl ora and fauna of the valley and the history of prehistoric settlements and various mills. At the end of the valley you reach Velký rybník, meaning Big Pond. Two artifi cial outlets were built on the sides of the dyke, giving rise to beautiful waterfalls, measuring 3.5 metres on the left and 7 metres on the right. The trail leads along asphalt or reinforced gravel roads, forest tracks and foot- paths. It is not specially marked, but mostly follows the red tourist trail. Information on every panel will show you the way. The trail is navigable by wheelchair, but you should reckon with slightly challenging obstacles such as rock steps, potholes and the like. The valley has its own cultural history. In the 19th century, one Emil Frída fell in love with the Vrchlice valley in spring bloom. At the instigation of his classmate, he chose the name Vrch- lický for his pseudonym. The author’s relief is carved in sandstone at the start of the valley. The local landscape was also roamed by Kutná Hora native Josef Kajetan Tyl. And it is said that this place, with its roaring water and rustling pine trees on cliff crags, inspired him in 1834 to write the lyrics of the song Where is My Home, which later became the Czech national anthem.

Nearby you can visit: Malešov – the village is dominated by an ancient for- tress from the early 14th century, where cultural events are held several times a year and the fort is opened to the public. Not far from Malešov is a pond called Contact: Prosík, where, on 7 June 1424, the now totally blind Naučná stezka Údolím Vrchlice Jan Žižka won a battle over the bigger army of the http://denemark.jidol.cz Praguers. This event is commemorated by a stone Tvrz Malešov, Malešov

sta Kutná Hora M ě sta and archive MgA. Ji ř í Coubal Photo: memorial at the pond dyke www.malesov.cz

21 from 90 Kačina Chateau Prague minut

hat was life like for the nobility and the common people two centuries ago? Visit Kačina Cha- teau to get an insight into the lives of the lords and commoners. WKačina chateau is one of the few Empire buildings in the Czech Republic, and by far the most important and splendid. It was built as a summer seat by J. R. Chotek, who was burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia. The building work to a design by Dresden architect C. F. Schuricht lasted nearly twenty years and was completed in 1824, just a year before the burgrave’s death. The chateau was then used by his three sons. The Chotek family lived at Kačina until 1911, when the local branch of the family died out. The chateau was inherited by the nephew of the last Chotek, Quido Thun Hohenstein, but he fell into debt and abandoned the chateau in the early 1930s. In 1950 the building was made available to the Agricultural Museum as a museum and exhibition space. It has been a national heritage site since 2001. In part of the building you can see the preserved entertaining spaces, including an extensive library, theatre, an unfi nished chapel and private and guest rooms. Another part presents the everyday running of the chateau: the kitchen, laundry, icehouse, greenhouse and more. The Czech Countryside Museum now offers fi ve guided tours and the castle and adjacent park host several interesting cultural events during the summer. The English park dates from 1789 and was built to plans by the famous Viennese botanist F. N. Jacquin.

Nearby you can visit: Ringelland Zoo – a unique zoo less than 3 km towards Pardubice Contact: in the village of Habrkovice, founded by the animal-taming Rin- Zámek Kačina gel family, who have devoted decades to breeding and training Svatý Mikuláš animals, especially big cats. The Ringels have the largest breed- www.nzm.cz ing group of Siberian tigers in the country. In addition to tigers in www.otevrte13komnatu.cz the park, you can see hippopotami, llamas, goats and porcupines. Zoopark Ringelland The park is open all year round. Animal-taming performances are Habrkovice

staged for the public on weekends during the summer www.ringelland.cz Kutná Hora M ě sta and archive MgA. Ji ř í Coubal Photo:

22 from 100 Čáslav Prague minut

he town of Čáslav was founded in the mid 13th century by King of Bohemia Premysl Otakar II. The historic centre is dominated by a vast square with a baroque Marian column, a ba- roque fountain, a monument to Jan Žižka by J. V. Myslbek and the baroque town hall from T th the 18 century, whose Žižkov hall contains a monument to Hussite leader Jan Žižka. One of the oldest local landmarks is the originally Gothic Church of St Peter and St Paul, which subsumes the Romanesque Church of St Michael from the beginning of the 12th century, which today serves as a vestry. The local assembly met in the church in June 1421 in an event that went down in history as the Čáslav assembly. In 1910, the remains of Jan Žižka were discovered during the rebuilding of the chapel beneath the tower. The Čáslav town museum was built in 1884, one of the fi rst purpose-built museums in the Czech Republic. A tour of the museum showcases the original exhibition from the 19th century. The town has the oldest stone theatre in the eastern half of Bohemia: the Dusík Theatre was completed in 1869 and was named in memory of composer and pianist Jan Ladislav Dusík. Other important monu- ments include the town fortifi cations from the 14th century with the Otakar Tower, one of the oldest and best preserved towers in the country. The recent history of the city is represented by a Jewish synagogue built in the late 19th century by the Viennese architect Stiassný in a fascinating Moorish style. Lastly, Čáslav is home to the Museum of Agricultural Technology. Its unique collection of his- toric tractors and ploughs ranks it among the most important and largest such collections in Europe.

Nearby you can visit: Church of St James – church in the village built in the 12th century by Lady Maria of Švábenice, sister of the founder of the Sedlec monas- Contact: tery. The importance of the site and building was so great that the Informační centrum Čáslav consecration was even attended by King Vladislav and Queen Judith. tel. +420 327 300 265 The church is especially notable for its sculptures on the southern fa- www.cmuz.cz çade. It is the largest surviving collection of Romanesque sculpture Kostel sv. Jakuba, Jakub in Bohemia and probably the oldest depiction of Bohemian patron tel. +420 737 338 158

sta Kutná Hora M ě sta and archive Pavla Sedlmajerová Photo: saints. Since 2008 it has been a national cultural monument www.sedlec.info

23 from 120 Žleby Prague minut

he town of Žleby takes its name from the word Nearby you can visit: for a gorge in reference to the steep-sided Žleby park – one of the sites TDoubrava river valley. The fi rst written mention where rare white deer are of Žleby castle dates from 1289, when it was origi- kept. Spread over 121 hecates, nally a Gothic castle of the Lords of Lichtenburg. it is located south of the village After being destroyed by the Hussites in the 15th of Žleby in the forest adjoining century, it was rebuilt in the late Gothic style. The the park. A fi ve-minute walk castle underwent Renaissance and Baroque modi- from the chateau will take fi cations and its romantic present-day appearance you to this easily accessible dates from building work commissioned by Prince area, where you can see the V. K. Auersperg in the years 1849–1868 in the style deer and also learn all about of the Elizabethan Renaissance and French Goth- the past, present and future ic. The castle is now administered by the National conservation work to ensure Heritage Institute. Žleby is unique for its richly fur- this beautiful animal thrives. nished historical interiors that were created during In the park you can even see the 19th century by the princes of Auersperg. moufl on, fallow deer, sika deer, The romantic interior mixes original historic arte- roe deer or wild boar. There are facts with period features and antiques imported also falconry demonstrations, from all over Europe. Leather drapes, stained glass combined with commentary collections, a lot of wall panelling, plush furniture on the breeding and protec- and installations based on historical documenta- tion of birds of prey tion have been preserved as a kind of usable col- lection of antiques, making the chateau highly atmospheric and uniquely picturesque. There are Contact: three tour circuits to choose from. For example, you Zámek Žleby, Žleby can see the theatre with period costumes, a large www.zamek-zleby.cz tower with an observation gallery or the fully Obora Žleby, Žleby

equipped castle kitchen. www.oborazleby.cz Žleby zámek archive Photo:

24 from 90 Bohdaneč and the Bohdanka viewing tower Prague minut

wenty kilometers south of Kutná Hora in the valley of Pilský stream lies the picturesque village of Bohdaneč. The fi rst mention of Bohdaneč dates back to 1233, when it was sold by the grand master of the Teutonic crusaders Herman Balka to Abbot Herman of Želiv for a hundred talents of silver. T th From that time until the mid-14 century it was administered by the Bohdaneč Premonstrates of the Želiv monastery. The local early Gothic Church of the Annunciation was built in the 13th century. The original apse, the in- terior fi xtures and in particular the chandeliers made in the nearby glass factory in Tasice have survived to this day. Other attractions include the baroque parish house and chapel. Bohdaneč experienced its biggest boom in the early 16th century, when King Vladislav Jagiello made it a town with many privileges, but that status did not last long. Today the biggest attraction is probably the 52 m high viewing tower called Bohdanka. It is a unique structure made of round wood with steel joints. According to the available information, it is the highest tower of its kind in the Czech Republic and Europe as a whole. If you want an active holiday, Bohdaneč and its surroundings are the perfect place for you. There are many opportunities for activities, and if you are an angler you should head to Pilské pond for sport fi shing. The area is suitable for intermediate hiking and cycling. Local manufacturers produce a variety of natural organic products: it is home to the regional headquarters of a distillery and juice maker, and a local farm raises attractive breeds of cattle whose grazing herds can be seen in the valley almost until winter.

Nearby you can visit: Jakub Foundry glassmaking museum – located four kilometres from Bohdaneč, this is a unique glass museum, the oldest and most valuable Contact: Czech and European glass factory, where it is preserved as on the last Rozhledna Bohdanka working day, meaning that all key manufacturing equipment and tools Bohdaneč are still in the same place as when production stopped. The glassworks www.obecbohdanec.cz featured in a Czech television serial and the name “Jakub” comes from Huť Jakub the hero of that serial. In 2014 the glassworks was declared a national Tasice

sta Kutná Hora M ě sta archive Photo: cultural heritage site www.tasice.cz

25 from 50 Zruč nad Sázavou Prague minut

hat do we know about the origin of the place called Zruč nad Sázavou? The fi rst mention comes from the year 1328, stating that Zruč was promoted to town sta- tus during the reign of Ferdinand of Hapsburg in 1561 and that there was a Gothic W th castle, which was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau in the second half of the 16 century. The importance of the town declined during the Thirty Years War. For the next two centuries the manor changed hands several times, until in 1885 the Zruč estate was bought by the Schebek family. Baron Adolf Schebek, a railway engineer, was responsible for the romantic redesign of the castle as well as the construction of local railways. The Schebeks owned the castle until 1948 when it was confi scated by the state. Today it is owned by the city. A completely new stage of development then began after 1939, when the Ba’ta company from Zlín in Moravia moved in and started a shoemaking business here. The company’s plan was that Zruč be equal both in size and volume of production to the city of Zlín. Plans for the construction of an airport, hospital and university were fi rst delayed by the German occupation and then de- fi nitively scrapped when the company was nationalised. Nevertheless, production continued un- til 1997, and especially children’s shoes were exported to many countries in Europe and overseas. Today Zruč’s main attraction is the reconstructed pseudo-Gothic castle, where you can see the renovated interiors, climb the castle tower or explore the maintained park, which incorporates the remains of the former castle ramparts. The names of local exhibitions speak for them- selves: The Kingdom of Dolls and Teddy Bears, the interactive Milota Kolowrat’s Knights Trail in the castle moat, and the Regional Museum’s exposition called From the Workbench to Baťa.

Nearby you can visit: Kácov – a small town in the picturesque valley of the river Sázava sought out primarily by tourists in the summer months, when sporting activities on the river are popular. The local Renaissance and baroque chateau from the fi rst Contact: third of the 18th century is connected by a corridor to the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, where the remains Zámek Zruč nad Sázavou of St Liberatus are laid. The “Posázava Pacifi c” railway line runs through Kácov. The manorial brewery from 1457 has 285 22 Zruč nad Sázavou been restored • Švihov reservoir – the dam on the river Želivka is four kilometres from Zruč. The reservoir, also known tel.: +420 327 531 329

as Želivka, supplies drinking water to both Zruč nad Sázavou and Prague www.mesto-zruc.cz o.p.s. archiv Posázaví Photo:

26 from 40 Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau Prague minut

he Renaissance chateau and estate in Mnichovo Hradiště was originally the seat of Lord Václav Budovec of Budov, one of the leaders of the uprising of the noblemen in the 17th Tcentury. After his execution in Prague’s Old Town Square on 21 June 1621, the estate be- came the property of Albrecht von Wallenstein, and the estate remained in the Wallensteins’ hands for several centuries. When he moved here in 1690, Count Arnošt Josef Wallenstein be- gan a large-scale rebuilding project, which lasted for about thirty years. The castle was mod- ernised, raised by one fl oor and the section with the clock tower and stables, sala terrena and orangery were added. The tour of the chateau takes you through the period interiors, the Empire theatre, the col- lection of baroque sculptures and a new exhibition called Meeting of the Holy Alliance com- memorating the local meeting of the Austrian Emperor Franz I and Russia’s Tsar Nicholas I over a game of billiards. The grounds are also home to a Capuchin monastery with a Church of the Three Kings and a Chapel of St Anne, where the remains of Albrecht von Wallenstein were laid. The chateau also houses the town museum, which features displays of historical pharmacy, archaeological fi nds from around the town, an ethnographic exhibition, and also a model of the nearby Drábské světničky and Hussite castle. The chateau in Mnichovo Hradiště offers a variety of attractions for lovers of history and archi- tecture. In summer it is a great destination for families with children or for groups of children who come for untraditional excursions through its history, and it can be a good starting point for trips into the surrounding picturesque countryside.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Klášter brewery – a traditional brewery • Příhrazy rocks NPÚ – Státní zámek Mnichovo with the former rock fortress called Drábské světničky • Hradiště, V Lípách 148 Vrch Mužský – a hill with a 360º view of the countryside 295 01 Mnichovo Hradiště and preserved folk architecture • Valečov – one of the domi- tel.: +420 326 773 098 nant features of Bohemian Paradise, with a cliff-top castle [email protected] and dwellings carved into the rock, a prison and a dungeon www.mnichovo-hradiste.cz

27 from 35 ŠKODA Museum, Mladá Boleslav Prague minut

hen you come to Mladá Boleslav, do not miss the Nearby you can visit: unique local collection of cars of one of the oldest Mladá Boleslav Metal Path Wautomobile brands in the world – Laurin & Klement, educational trail – audiovisu- which later became Škoda. The ŠKODA museum is housed in al panels accompany you on a former factory building, and it is in fact a historical exhibit as your walk through historical its oldest part dates from 1899. The museum was established parts of the city • Mladá Bole- in 1995 on the centennial anniversary of the Laurin & Klement slav Castle, Mladá Boleslav company and it was completely overhauled in 2012. This purely District Museum – exhibition industrial structure has thus become a kind of display cabinet focusing on the history of the for ŠKODA and also an important cultural centre of the region. city and the district, combined The permanent exhibition will inform you about the long his- with an innovative museum tory of the Mladá Boleslav motor works, with unique exhibits playroom • Michalovice ruin that include a two-seater open-sided Voiturette from 1905, – a ruined castle with a mas- the fi rst car produced in Mladá Boleslav. sive leaning tower, sightseeing The permanent exhibition is divided into three thematic areas spot • Loreta in Kosmonosy – Tradition, Evolution and Precision, which explore more than – Loreta with a Chapel of St a hundred years of history of the Škoda brand and feature Martin, an architectural gem many interactive elements. Right next to the museum build- from the early 18th century ing, this history continues today in the large state-of-the-art facility where new Škoda cars roll off the production line every day. Visiting the factory is possible by prior arrangement by Contact: telephone, and you will fi nd that the brand’s present day is at ŠKODA Muzeum least as interesting as its history. Tř. Václava Klementa 294 The ŠKODA Museum hosts both permanent and regularly 293 01 Mladá Boleslav changing exhibitions, and also a number of special exhibi- tel.: +420 326 832 038 tions and other events, including concerts, lectures, excursions tel.: +420 326 831 134 to the Training Centre in the former Na Karmeli convent and [email protected]

tours around the prototypes depository. museum.skoda-auto.cz AUTO archiv ŠKODA Photo:

28 from 40 Příhrazské skály and Drábské světničky Prague minut

here are many reasons why the Příhrazy cliffs area was declared a nature reserve in 1999: this signifi cant geomorphological area, with its many caves, bizarre rock formations, sink- Tholes, older and more recent landslides and deep overhangs, is also home to rare species of thermophilic fl ora and fauna. You do not have to be scientists, but if you love the beauty of nature and a little adrenaline the Příhrazy district will certainly impress. In the western part of the Příhrazy cliffs called Drábské světničky, near the hill called Vrch Mužský you will come across a series of rock towers. Here there is a hidden prayer-house called Hynšta that was carved out of the rock. In the 17th century it served as a shelter for persecuted non-Catholics. The group of seven sandstone blocks was settled in the younger Stone Age. The cliff-top castle called Drábské světničky was founded in the 13th century. Wooden build- ings on the towers of rock are connected by bridges, stairways and passageways. Eighteen surviving small rooms (“světničky”) and six corridors carved out of the rock were fortifi ed with wooden palisades and superstructures. This gave rise to a defence system with living rooms, a chapel, a prison and a guardhouse. Besides the medieval castle remains, you can admire beautiful views of the surrounding coun- tryside. The area is crisscrossed with a dense network of marked footpaths and the peak called Vrch Mužský offers panoramas of the Krkonoše and Jizerské mountain ranges, Hruboskalsko district, the Lužický mountains and Ještěd peak. Contact: Suitable points of entry to the area are the villages of Příhrazy, Dneboh Olšina, Boseň or Nová Sdružení Český ráj Ves, where you can park. Entry to the cliff-top town is free. Antonína Dvořáka 335, 511 01 Turnov tel.: +420 481 540 253, [email protected] Nearby you can visit: www.cesky-raj.info Valečov Rock Castle – one of the dominant features of Bohemian Paradise, the castle com- Městské informační centrum Mnichovo Hradiště plex also features rock dwellings, a prison and a dungeon • Komárovský pond – recreational Masarykovo nám. 299, 295 01 Mnichovo Hradiště centre suitable for families with children • Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau – baroque chateau tel.: +420 326 776 739, 326 772 464 with original interiors and an Empire theatre, whose history is linked with the Wallenstein [email protected] family • Cliff towns of Bohemian Paradise: Hruboskalsko, Klokočské and Betlémské cliffs, www.mnhradiste.cz Borecké cliffs, Prachovské cliffs • Trosky Castle – the symbol of the Bohemian Paradise district

29 from 30 Greenway Jizera Prague minut

he river Jizera is the largest tributary of the Elbe (or Labe). It Nearby you can visit: rises in the north on the Czech-Polish border and empties Zvířetice Castle ruins – extensive into the Elbe at Lázně Toušeň, about ten kilometres from romantic ruined castle from the T th Prague. Running alongside the river is the Greenway Jizera cy- 14 century, rebuilt into a Renais- cle path, which connects the Jizerské hory mountain range, the sance chateau above the village western Krkonoše mountains, Bohemian Paradise and the Elbe of Podhradí • Jewish cemetery in basin to Prague. The total length of the main cycle path is ap- Mladá Boleslav – a unique gal- proximately 160 kilometres, with almost 70 kilometres of that lery of gravestones covering the passing through the Central Bohemian Region. If you are setting past four centuries; the ceremo- out on bicycles from Prague, fi rst take cycle path no. A26, then nial hall houses an exhibition cycle path no. 17 via Benátky nad Jizerou towards Mladá Boleslav, about the infl uence of the Jewish and then via Klášter Hradiště nad Jizerou and Mnichovo Hradiště community in Mladá Boleslav to Loukov, where the Central Bohemian part of the Greenway • Přerov nad Labem Outdoor ends. In the opposite direction, set off from Lázně Toušeň along Museum – the museum contains the Elbe Cycle Path, which will eventually take you into Germany. folk architecture dwellings giving The terrain is suitable for easy cycling roughly as far as Mladá an insight into the culture of the Boleslav. Along the way, you can stop in the ancient twin towns central Elbe basin district from of Brandýs nad Labem and Stará Boleslav with the Church of St the mid 18th century to the fi rst Cosmas and St Damian, at whose door Saint Wenceslas was assas- half of the 19th sinated in the year 929, or at the chateau in Benátky nad Jizerou, where astronomer Tycho Brahe and composer Bedřich Smetana spent some time. The marked Greenway Jizera cycle path does Contact: not only take you to charming chateaux and sites of ecclesiastical Sdružení Český ráj architecture, it also reveals the beauty of the Jizera basin, its natu- Antonína Dvořáka 335 ral sights, remarkable technical structures and folk architecture. 511 01 Turnov While exploring the Jizera basin you can combine travel by bike, tel.: +420 481 540 253 roller skates, on foot or on a scooter, and of course the river is [email protected] there to be navigated as well. www.greenway-jizera.cz

30 from 40 Bohemian Paradise Geopark Prague minut

he area called Bohemian Paradise lies northeast of Prague. In 1955 its unique combination of natural beauty and charming, romantic historical monuments made it the fi rst region in the Tcountry to be declared a protected landscape area. 50 years later, the territory became part of the prestigious network of European and Global UNESCO geoparks. Bohemian Paradise is an area of highly varied geological development. For hundreds of millions of years it was covered by seas and lakes, and there used to be a lot of volcanic activity here. The result is a beautiful landscape with wild cliffs, long-extinct volcanoes, karst phenomena, rivers, romantic valleys, forests, meadows and ponds. One of the three regions in whose territory Bohemian Paradise lies is Central Bohemia, specifi cally the Mladá Boleslav and Mnichovo Hradiště districts that are connected by the river Jizera. In the vicinity of Mladá Boleslav, the landscape is varied mainly due to the alternation of large sandstone formations and volcanic basalt ridges. The landscape near Mnichovo Hradiště Hill is dominated by Vrch Mužský hill, a knot of lava that once broke through the sandstone, and the Drábské světničky cliff-top castle. In this region you can visit a wide range of sites of geological, archaeological and cultural signifi - cance. There are also a lot of opportunities for more active visitors, especially ramblers, cyclists, climbers and canoeists. Trips to the Geopark can be combined with visits to local museums. Bo- hemian Paradise is simply a complete natural and geological textbook showcasing the basic geol- ogy of Bohemian Paradise, but it is especially interesting to explore it with an experienced guide.

Nearby you can visit: Valečov – the ruins of a medieval cliff-top castle near the village of Boseň near Mnichovo Hradiště – a cultural her- Contact: itage site since 1958 • Mnichovo Hradiště – a town with Informační centrum geoturismu a baroque chateau and deaconry church and a neo- Skálova 71, 511 01 Turnov Renaissance town hall • Klášter Hradiště monastery – tel.: +420 481 540 111 the Klášter brand brewery in the grounds of a Cistercian [email protected] monastery. • Mladá Boleslav, Templ – city palace dating www.geopark-ceskyraj.cz from 1490, now serving as a museum www.cesky-raj.info

31 from 40 Valečov Castle ruins Prague minut

he ruined Valečov Castle is rightly regarded as one of the most beautiful cliff-top castles in the Czech Republic. The original wooden fort was founded between four natural massive sandstone Tblocks at the beginning of the 14th century by the Valečovský family of Valečov. As one of the supporters of Jan Žižka, the family allowed the Hussite warriors to build a complex of cliff dwellings near the castle as a winter camp. After the defeat of the Hussite movement, Valečov was taken and burnt down by Jindřich Vartenberg. The castle remained in ruins probably until the mid-15th century, when Vaněk of Valečov, royal chamberlain of Jiří of Poděbrady, rebuilt it and endowed it with strong fortifi cations. Other owners of the castle gradually converted the fort into a stone building. The stone castle was completed in the 16th century. About a hundred years later Valečov was acquired by the Wallensteins, who used it as a residence and the administration centre of their estates. After the end of the Thirty Years’ War, the castle remained derelict, but the cliff-side village continued to serve the local poor right up until the end of the 19th century, when the locals were forcibly evicted and sent to the municipal poorhouse. When you visit Valečov, you will see the core of the castle with a walled palace, cliff-side chambers and corridors. Outside the castle are cliff-side dwellings, a prison and a dungeon – and if you like being scared, you can book a night tour. The natural amphitheatre in front of Valečov castle hosts concerts, festivals and other cultural events in the summer. The entrance exposition presents a collection of archaeological fi nds from the collections of the museum in Mladá Boleslav, including a surviving set of tiles that belonged to Vaněk of Valečov.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Příhrazy cliffs with the former rock fortress called Drábské světničky Obec Boseň – a nature reserve with lots of rock towers, caves and deep overhangs Boseň 86 • Vrch Mužský – hill with a 360° view of the countryside and preserved 295 01 Boseň folk architecture • Mnichovo Hradiště – baroque chateau with origi- tel.: +420 326 784 204 nal interiors and an Empire theatre, whose history is associated with tel.: +420 603 837 024 the Wallenstein family • Zvířetice and Michalovice ruins – romantic [email protected] ruined castles with viewing towers www.bosen-obec.cz

32 from 45 Milovice nature reserve Prague minut

oday’s Milovice nature reserve is a former military training ground dating back to the Hab- sburg period. Military exercises by domestic and foreign troops took place here from 1904 Tto the start of the 1990s. A few years after the military training ground was discontinued, the hard work of clearing unexploded munitions began. It was not until 2002 that the unused area became the Pod Benátským vrchem nature reserve covering just under 70 hectares. To- day’s nature reserve in Milovice has gradually expanded to more than twice that size. Life has come back to the former military area. Wild horses, aurochs and bison were gradually released here to help restore the ecosystem. All the herds are successfully growing – in a world fi rst, these three species of large European ungulates are successfully breeding in one reserve, which has thus become the most closely watched Czech project in Europe. Releasing these three species into the wild is made even more effective by the fact that each of them grazes the steppe differently. While the entire area used to be colonised by airborne-seed-dispersal vegetation that gave fl owering plants no chance, the soil “treated” by various types of grazing is today home to many unique species of fl ora and fauna. The critically endangered mountain Alcon blue butterfl y, for example, can only lay eggs on the rare star gentian plant. Since the reserve was founded, the entire area has become a place of great biodiversity. For the fi rst time anywhere in the world, visitors have the chance to see the three key large ungulates in one location, which they are he

Contact: Nearby you can visit: Česká krajina o.p.s. Dražice – all that remains of the castle over the River Jizera is a three-storey shell, visible from Šultysova 170 afar • Italian Military Cemetery – established during World War I, when there was a prisoner- 284 01 Kutná Hora of-war camp for Italian and Russian POWs in Milovice. Of the 20,000 POWs interned here, tel.: +420 606 635 303 more than 5,700 were buried here, most of whom died of typhoid and starvation • Milovice [email protected] Tankodrom – off-roading, shooting range and military vehicles to watch and try out • Miraku- www.ceska-krajina.cz/rezervace/ lum Park in Milovice – rope centre, petting zoo, underground passages, narrow-gauge railway,

írodní rezervace Milovice P ř írodní rezervace archive Photo: prirodni-rezervace-milovice/ giant trampolines and other attractions for young and old

33 from 50 Hruboskalsko cliff town Prague minut

ruboskalsko is one of the most famous cliff towns of Bohemian Paradise, characterised by impressive towers reaching up to 55 metres and steep canyons. It lies south of the Htown of Trutnov. The mountain ridge route follows the Golden Trail of the Bohemian Paradise, marked in red, with many vantage points such as the Marian observation point, Na kapelu observation point, U lvíčka observation point and Hlavatice tower. The softness of the sandstone and the constant working of forces of nature have given rise to a vast wealth of rock formations, mak- ing Hruboskalsko a popular area for climbers. In the rocky area called Údolíčko you can also see a beautiful example of folk architecture called Kopicův Farm, with nearby rock reliefs. In Hruboskalsko you can visit Valdštejn Castle, one of the oldest castles in Bohemian Paradise, a 250-year-old collection of trees in the Bukovina arboretum or gaze out over the surround- ing area from the observation tower at Hrubá Skála Chateau. The area is crisscrossed by an exceptionally dense network of marked trails. The main Golden Trail of Bohemian Paradise has for decades connected the most beautiful sites in the region. Covering over 100 kilome- tres, it winds its way through the countryside from Mladá Boleslav to Jičín, passing through valleys, cliff towns, hills, rivers and pine forests. The trail is lined with medieval castles, obser- vation towers and gems of folk and urban architecture. Hruboskalsko cliff town can also be explored by bike. It is accessible for wheelchairs and peo- ple with prams – mainly along the cycle paths, but partly also on the walking routes. Contact: Sdružení Český ráj Nearby you can visit: Antonína Dvořáka 335, 511 01 Turnov Turnov – this town of jewellery and precious stones is the gateway to Bohemian Para- tel.: +420 481 540 253, [email protected] dise • Valdštejn Castle – the castle built on sandstone rocks connected by bridges has www.cesky-raj.info accessible interiors, cellars and exteriors • Hrubá Skála – Renaissance chateau built on Regionální turistické informační centrum Turnov sandstone rocks with an accessible courtyard and lookout tower • Podtrosecká Valley – Nám. Českého ráje 26, 511 01 Turnov nature reserve with a set of eight fi shponds in canyon-like valleys whose banks are lined tel.: +420 481 366 255, 481 366 256, [email protected] with sandstone cliffs www.infocentrum-turnov.cz

34 from 35 Metoděj Vlach Aviation Museum Prague minut

he Metoděj Vlach Aviation Museum at the Aeroclub Mladá Boleslav airport was inaugurated in 2015. The museum is primarily devoted to the early days of aviation and features 25 origi- Tnals and replicas of historic aircraft. In a city of automobiles, this museum is a reminder of a historic event. The constructor Metoděj Vlach became the fi rst Czech airman when, in the city of Mladá Boleslav, he took to the air in a makeshift machine powered by an automobile engine. The museum building was awarded the title of Building of the Year 2014. Its modern shell hides historical treasures. Besides a replica of Metoděj Vlach’s aircraft, the most valuable museum ex- hibits include a Polikarpov PO-2, made in 1937 and one of eight fl ying machines of this type in the world. Aviation during World War II is showcased in a section called Dark Blue World, named after the famous fi lm by Jan Svěrák. For genuine aircraft enthusiasts there are fi lms detailing the construction of various exhibits. Besides the aircraft themselves, you can see uniforms, overalls, aviation equipment and aircraft parts. Flying is So Easy is the name given to a section where, under the supervision of a pilot, you can fl y in one of two open-cockpit biplane simulators. An- other remarkable experience can be had in the skydiving simulator, while the overload simulator shows you what it feels like to be an astronaut. The aviation museum has a restaurant with a terrace right next to the runway, so on calm, warm evenings you can admire both the machines and the sky.

Nearby you can visit: Mladá Boleslav – ŠKODA Museum, a modern exhibition de- Contact: tailing the history and present day of automobile production Letiště Mladá Boleslav in Mladá Boleslav • Old Town Hall observation tower – great Regnerova ulice views in the historic centre • Stránov Chateau – a romantic 293 60 Mladá Boleslav chateau on the river Jizera with a turbulent history, offering tel.: +420 326 211 080 tours of the interior and observation towers • Dobrovice Mu- tel.: +420 326 325 616 seum of Sugar, Distilling and Beet Production – attractive ex- [email protected] position of the most important food production sectors in the www.lmmv.cz Czech Republic www.muzeum-mb.cz

35 from 54 Loučeň Chateau Prague minut

his small baroque chateau near the town of Nym- Nearby you can visit: burk was founded on the site of a fortress, fi rst Jabkenice – Museum of Bedřich Tmentioned in written records dating from the year Smetana, who was inspired to 1223. Its gradual conversion to its present form was be- compose his masterpieces by gun in the early 18th century, fi rst by Karl Ernst von Wal- the local countryside • Hunting lenstein and subsequently by later owners. During the park – originally connected to tenure of Karl Anselm Thurn-Taxis an English garden the Loučeň chateau park – fal- started to be created around the building. low deer • Dobrovice Museum of It is interesting that Loučeň was not sold after 1623 and Sugar, Beet and Distilling and passed to two other families, the Fürstenbergs and Dobrovice town – interactive ex- Thurn und Taxis, by inheritance. hibition presenting the produc- The chateau often played host to famous personalities tion of sugar and spirits • Křinec such as Emperor Franz I, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, the – chateau showing a slightly composer Bedřich Smetana, and Alice Masaryk, founder different side of Czech history of the Czechoslovak Red Cross and daughter of the fi rst • Chotuc Hill – site with a pagan president of Czechoslovakia. tradition and views of the sur- The chateau now has two permanent exhibitions with rounding area tour guides dressed in period costumes, and you can even stay the night in stylish apartments in the guest wing. One truly unique feature is to be found is in the English park where, apart from precious trees, ponds, fountains, an orangery, an amphitheatre and suspen- Contact: sion footbridges and a rope-climbing centre, there are Zámek Loučeň eleven labyrinths, each of a different material. Walking Loučeň č. p. 1, 289 37 Loučeň through mazes of all kinds used to be a favourite pas- tel.: +420 325 585 228 time of the nobility. Many current owners of similar parks [email protected] in our country and the world are restoring discontinued www.zamekloucen.cz

mazes, just like the current owners of Loučeň Chateau. www.polabi.com pruh Polabí o.p.s. Zlatéý photobank Photo:

36 from 45 Poděbrady Prague minut

he spa town of Poděbrady has long attracted visitors with its slogan “Poděbrady in the Heart”. This slogan has two meanings: one is that the local Poděbradka spring water actually helps cure heart and Tvascular diseases; the other is that Poděbrady is an affair of the heart for proud locals and visitors alike. Poděbrady offers you a combination of a relaxing spa-town atmosphere, First Republic gentility, fi lm and music festivals, and the spiritual legacy of King Jiří of Poděbrady. The town, regarded as the birth- place of King Jiří, who fi rst proposed the idea of a pan-European peace union, is dominated by the chateau built on the site of an older settlement by Czech King Přemysl Otakar II. The early Gothic castle was later rebuilt: in the Renaissance style in the 16th century, and in the baroque in the mid-18th. Today, the chateau houses the Museum of the Elbe Basin and the King Jiří of Poděbrady Monument. In the town centre, the main square is dominated by a neo-Renaissance equestrian statue of King Jiří by the sculptor Bohuslav Schnirch, co-author of the sculptures in the National Theatre in Prague. The heart of the spa town is a beautiful park with the famous fl oral clock, a covered colonnade, sculp- tures and a fountain. Near the park there are Art Nouveau spa houses and villas, two of which were designed by famous Czech architect Josef Fanta. Poděbrady also boasts cubist buildings, e.g. the hy- droelectric power plant on the river Elbe. You can end your tour of architectural styles at the local functionalist railway station. For active relaxation, head to the undemanding path along the river on roller skates or bicycle. Other activities include the golf course or perhaps natural swimming in a lake.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Czech Crystal – Poděbrady is home to glassworks producing deli- TIC Poděbrady cate and beautiful glass articles that have won fame around the Jiřího náměstí 19 world • Libice nad Cidlinou – the confl uence of the Elbe and Ci- 290 01 Poděbrady dlina rivers • Slavníkovské hradiště – a monument on the spot tel.: +420 325 511 946 where in the 10th century the Přemysl family forces wiped out [email protected] their Slavníkov rivals • Dobšice – small Museum of the Celts with www.polabi.com an artifi cial oppidum • Kouty – village where Koutovka, another www.polabskemuzeum.cz/

Photo: Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo: medicinal spring, rises podebrady

37 from 52 Nymburk Prague minut

ymburk, a royal town on the river Elbe, was founded in the 13th century by Dutch merchants on the site of an ancient trading settlement. Two moats, fortifi cations, the monumental Gothic NCathedral of St Giles and the Chapel of St John of Nepomuk, a remnant of a Dominican mon- astery, have survived from that time. As a result, Nymburk boasts brick Gothic architecture that is unique in the Czech Republic. The Renaissance town hall and water tower date from later periods. The Thirty Years’ War put an end to the town’s prosperity for a few centuries. A recovery came after 1870, when the sugar factory was built and the railway arrived. In addition, the town became a major transport hub and repair workshops were set up, later to become the largest industrial plant in the area. Near the railway there are the remnants of a railway workers’ housing colony, whose notions of a decent standard of living and amenities in one place for workers were later adopted by Baťa in Zlín. Nymburk is linked to the famous writer Bohumil Hrabal. Although a native of Brno, he considered the Elbe basin as his native region. He spent a substantial part of his life in Nymburk and nearby Kersko, both of which also featured in his works. The infl uence Nymburk and its surroundings had on the author’s life and work is the subject of a permanent exhibition in the local Ethnographic Museum. Nymburk is also a centre for sporting activities – including top-level sport. Recreationally, you can go canoeing, cycling or roller-skating on cycle paths along both banks of the Elbe. And when you have visited Nymburk, hop on Blanice, a boat that will take you along the Elbe to other places of interest.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Botanicus Ostrá – herb gardens and old Czech village handi- TIC Nymburk crafts • Kersko – picnic spot with the Kuba ceramics studio, Náměstí Přemyslovců 165 a mineral spring and the Hájenka restaurant • Open-air Mu- 288 28 Nymburk seum in Přerov nad Labem – museum with buildings from tel.: +420 325 512 433 around the Elbe valley typical of the 18th and 19th centuries [email protected] • Hradištko u Sadské – riding school and seat of the Equus www.mesto-nymburk.cz

Kinsky horse breeders www.polabi.com Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo:

38 from 39 Mělník Prague minut

his strategically important site at the confl uence of the Vlta- Nearby you can visit: va and Elbe rivers was inhabited as early as the Neolithic pe- Mělník – Ossuary – in the Triod. Later additions were Pšov fort and a medieval residence. crypt of the provost Church As a town, Melník is fi rst mentioned in a charter of King Přemysl of St Peter and St Paul Otakar II dating from 1274, which awarded the town important there are the remains of up privileges and rights. Mělník gained fame in the fi rst half of the to 15,000 people • Kokořín 16th century thanks to progress in viticulture, when Charles IV im- – the chateau was built af- ported quality vines from Burgundy. In addition Mělník was de- ter 1320 • Kokořín Mines clared a permanent royal dowry town and the local castle then – rock formations in the became the residence of the wives of other rulers. From the 16th Kokořín valleys • Kadlín – century the castle was owned by the Berka of Dubé, Černín and fi - museum devoted to the nally Lobkowicz families, who all gradually transformed the castle. simplest agricultural tools – During the Thirty Years’ War and even after it ended the city hoes • Vrátenská mountain did not enjoy peaceful times. It was ravaged by more raids, – with a height of 508 me- fi res and pestilence. After a lull in the 19th century, Mělník was tres it is the highest point in bombed at the end of World War II, on 9 May 1945, by the Sovi- Mělník district, and the tow- ets, who wanted to prevent the Germans from retreating into er on the top offers views of American captivity. Even in peacetime in the second half of the entire Kokořín district 20th century, the central historic part of the Pražsky suburb was incomprehensibly demolished and replaced by new buildings. Mělník has nevertheless retained its charm. Come and see Contact: Mělník Chateau, the town hall that has been rebuilt several TIC Mělník times, and the Renaissance and baroque buildings in the main Legionářů 51 square and Palacký Street. You should certainly not miss the 276 01 Mělník Regional Museum, which specialises in the whole Bohemian tel.: +420 315 627 503 wine region, and there are also wine-related events in the city [email protected] – Wine Night in spring, the St Laurent festival in August, and www.ticmelnik.cz

Photo: Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo: fi nally the Mělník wine harvest in September. www.polabi.com

39 from 56 Kolín Prague minut

lthough present-day Kolín is an industrial centre, transport hub and administrative centre, its charming medieval heart has survived. Karlovo náměstí, the town’s main square, is on the left bank of the river Elbe. It is dominated by a plague column and is lined by more A th th than twenty townhouses dating from the 13 and 14 centuries and buildings in the style of the late baroque, classicism and historicism. The town hall, with its Gothic core and pseudo-Renais- sance additions and sgraffi to, takes pride of place among them. Near the square stands the monumental Cathedral of St Bartholomew, which was founded by King Přemysl Otakar II and rebuilt after 1360 by Peter Parler, the architect behind the Cathedral of St Barbara in Kutná Hora and the Cathedral of St Vitus in Prague. A massive Gothic tower called Práchovna on the opposite bank of the Elbe, opposite Kolín Chateau, is a remnant of the town’s fortifi cations. It was originally meant to protect the wooden bridge over the Elbe and served as a lookout. In the late 18th and 19th centuries it was a gunpowder store for the Kolín garrison. Since 2006 it has been a viewing tower again. Kolín Castle was rebuilt by later owners as a chateau, which is now awaiting reconstruction. The town has a number of monuments linked to the large Jewish community that lived in Kolín since about the 14th century. Both the Kolín synagogue and Jewish cemetery with tombstones dating from as early as 1492, are the oldest and most valuable in the country outside Prague. The New Cemetery at Zálabí has been used since 1887. We recommend you visit the city during the international festival of brass bands, which takes place every year in June.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Sendražice – Kolín beet track – replica of the narrow-gauge Městské informační centrum railway track that was used to transport sugar beet to the tel.: +420 321 712 021 refi nery • Radim – Renaissance chateau, renovated country tel.: +420 321 722 988 house of middle-ranking nobility • Bauer Villa in Libodřice [email protected] – villa designed by architect Josef Gočár, who also de- www.infocentrum-kolin.cz signed the House of the Black Madonna in Prague; it is the www.polabi.com

only Cubist villa in the Czech countryside www.muzeumkolin.cz Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo:

40 from 55 Chleby Zoo Prague minut

he zoo at Chleby in Nymburk district was founded in 1997 and became the fi rst li- censed privately owned in the Czech Republic. It can boast of many breeding suc- Tcesses and its qualities were recognised when it was accepted among the members of the Union of Czech and Slovak Zoos. The Chleby zoo is home to more than 420 animals of around 120 species. The zoo’s greatest treasure is its red-shanked douc, an extremely rare primate that is considered the most beautiful monkey in the world. The zoo’s group of these primates is the biggest outside their country of origin. The zoo has recently started keeping Asian black bears, whose playfulness makes them a big favourite among visitors. Other key residents of the zoo are yellow-cheeked gibbons, cheetahs, two species of lemur, guerezas, marmosets, many bird species, a rare Fiji banded iguana, and many more. As well as the animals, visitors enjoy the zoo’s beautiful design, with lots of plants and trees, and the high-quality expositions and structures: the pavilion for langurs, the gibbon house, the Angkor Wat pavilion, Livingstone House that is home to the cheetahs, the bear pavilion, the Mendel Ecocentre with terraria, the fallow deer enclosure that visitors can walk through, and the huge freshwater aquarium. The Chleby mini-zoo’s advantage over larger zoos is that it allows closer contact with the animals. Some of the animals are tame, so you can see them very close-up – and some you can even pet. There is also a children’s playground, one of the biggest in Czech zoos. The zoo has its own car park and lots of facilities for visitors.

Nearby you can visit: Křinec – this chateau still bears scars from the communist period Contact: and offers an untraditional experience of recent Czech history ZOO Chleby • Chotuc or “Witness Peak” – a lone hill offers views of the Elbe ba- V. Otty 1 sin lowlands • Romanka viewing tower – even one of the lowest 289 31 Chleby viewing towers lets you see as far as the Krkonoš mountain range [email protected] • Rožďalovice – the town is home to a Baroque Church of St Gall www.zoochleby.cz

Photo: archiv Zoo Chleby Photo: and a chateau, in front of which are two statues by Michal J. Brokof www.polabi.com

41 from 27 Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav Prague minut

hen it was decided in 1960 that these two separate towns would become one but there was no agreement on a new name, a double-barrelled name was the last re- Wsort. This is now the longest town name in the entire country. Brandýs nad Labem has always been associated with the imperial and royal traditions of the Czech lands. The eponymous chateau in the centre, one of the most important Renaissance monuments in Central Bohemia, it is proof of that. Besides Prague Castle, it is the only seat in the country where all the kings of Bohemia lived over four centuries between the years 1526 and 1918, including the last Austro-Hungarian emperor Charles II and his wife Zita. We recom- mend you also visit the Rudolfi nka, a covered Renaissance passageway along which Emperor Rudolf II used to walk on his way to the chateau gardens, the local executioner’s house, the synagogue and the Jewish cemetery. Stará Boleslav is the site of the beginnings of Czech statehood. The local churches dedicated to the St Wenceslas and Marian traditions of Christianity have the status of national cultural heritage sites. The historic centre of the town is an urban heritage zone. In the year 935 (or perhaps 929) the pious Prince Wenceslas was assassinated at the door of the Church of St Cosmas and St Damian. He was later canonised for his noble deeds and martyr’s death and is to this day the patron saint of the Czech nation. In 1039 Prince Břetislav I founded a Roman- esque basilica on the site of his death, which has been preserved to this day. The two towns are bisected by the river Elbe and are ringed by woods. The surrounding area offers many opportunities for sports and cycling.

Nearby you can visit: Prague East Regional Museum – conserves and exhibits items with some link to this region Contact: • Vrábí – a former fortress, which was converted into a granary and now serves as warehous- Infocentrum, Masarykovo nám. 1 es • Lázně Toušeň – an ancient market town with peat baths used to treat musculoskeletal 250 01 Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav disorders • Jenštejn – this village on the outskirts of Prague is home to a ruined castle from tel.: +420 326 909 188 the 14th century • Dřevčice – village adjacent to Jenštejn; the local medieval fortress was [email protected]

converted into a granary and is currently used as a warehouse www.infocentrum-brandysko.cz; www.polabi.com Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo:

42 from 40 Benátky nad Jizerou Prague minut

isit the Central Bohemian town of Benátky nad Jizerou with its unique museum in the local chateau. It was once the site of a Cistercian monastery, which was completely destroyed Vduring the Hussite Wars. An early Renaissance chateau was erected on the monastery’s foundations by Bedřich, Lord of Donín. It was later bought by Rudolf von Hapsburg, who put up alchemist and astronomer Tycho Brahe there. It is said that the Holy Roman Emperor gave the famous Dane a choice of three seats: Lysá nad Labem, Brandýs nad Labem and Nové Benátky, as the town was then called. Benátky won thanks to its convenient location on a hill. According to witness accounts, the astronomer fi lled thirteen rooms with just his instruments. Another important guest around 1844 was the composer Bedřich Smetana, who taught music to the fi ve children of Leopold Thun-Hohenstein, the then owner of the chateau. During its long history, the Benátky chateau survived many misfortunes, many owners and a number of building alterations. In the late 19th century it came into the possession of a Viennese bank and fell into dis- repair until 1920, when the town bought up the dilapidated complex. The town authorities carried out an extensive renovation of the chateau and opened it to the public. There are two museums in the chateau: the Town Museum is mainly devoted to persons of note and the history of the Benátky district, while the Toy Museum will please both young and old with its historic dolls, trains, cars and even carousels from all over the world. When you have tried out the period astronomical instruments or the functional model of a Ferris wheel, do not forget to climb the chateau tower: the views of the countryside are unparalleled!

Contact: Nearby you can visit: Muzeum Benátky n. J. Dražice – the romantic ruins of a castle that was abandoned at Zámek 49 the end of the 16th century • Hrabanovská Černava – a nature 294 71 Benátky nad Jizerou reserve with a conserved fl ood-plain forest • Lysá nad Labem tel.: +420 326 316 682 – chateau with a baroque garden and an English park with [email protected] unique sculptures • Mirakulum – a park full of surprises and fun www.benatka.cz/muezum especially for children • Bon Repos – the former summer resi-

Photo: Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo: www.polabi.com dence of Count Špork can be viewed by telephone appointment

43 from 65 River Elbe Prague minut

he river Elbe (“Labe” in Czech) is the largest Czech river. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains in a place called Elbe Meadow (“Labská louka”), heading southeast towards Jaroměř and then south to Par- Tdubice, where it turns west to Kolín. Before reaching Kolín it enters the Central Bohemian Region near Týnec nad Labem, leaving the region near the village of Horní Počaply beyond Mělník. Along the way it is joined by a series of tributaries from left and right, including the biggest, the river Vltava. The middle stretch of the Elbe is called the Elbe basin. These are mostly fertile lowlands that have long been inhabited, as evidenced by a number of local archaeological fi nds. The towns on the Elbe feature historic castles, chateaux and folk architecture, and the surrounding countryside offers many oppor- tunities for relatively undemanding activities. There are many bike paths alongside the Elbe, above all the main 1st class cycle route no. 2 – the Elbe Cycle Path. Although it has a different numerical designa- tion in neighbouring Germany, it is the same route in both countries. If we take Špindlerův Mlýn in the Krkonoše Mountains as the starting point, with the end point where the Elbe empties into the North Sea near Cuxhaven, the cycle path is 1220 km long. The Central Bohemian section is signifi cantly shorter. In addition to cycling trips along the river, the Elbe can itself be navigated. On some sections it is possible to rent small boats so you can spend your entire holiday on the river. For shorter journeys we recommend either the cruise boat called Král Jiří z Poděbrad, which you can board in the town of Poděbrady, or the boat called Blanice, which sets out from Nymburk.

Nearby you can visit: Poděbrady – at the confl uence of the Elbe and Cidlina riv- ers lies the largest fl ood-plain forest in the Czech Republic, Contact: Libický luh • Stará Boleslav – the area around the confl u- Loď Král Jiří, tel.: +420 603 886 582 ence of the Elbe and Jizera rivers is covered by vast forests. [email protected], www.kraljiri.cz Here, the Káraný reservoir complex supplies drinking wa- Loď Blanice, tel.: + 420 604 364 ter for Prague • Mělník – in addition to the confl uence of [email protected] the Elbe and Vltava, at Mělník the Pšovka and Liběchovka www.polabinalodi.cz rivers also fl ow into the Elbe. Both rivers lie in deep valleys www.vltavaslodi.cz

with extensive water-meadows www.polabi.com Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo:

44 from 60 Český Brod Prague minut

n a gentle knoll above a ford over the Šembera stream, Bishop of Prague Jan I founded a market settlement that was elevated to town status by his successor, Jan III, and took on the name Biskupský Brod (“Bishop’s Ford”). The current name has been used since O th the early 14 century, primarily to distinguish it from the town formerly known as Německý Brod (“German Ford”), now Havlíčkův Brod, which stands on the same trade route. In 1437 Český Brod was awarded the status of a royal town by Emperor Zikmund of Luxembourg. The heyday of the city came during the Gothic period, whose architecture is still ubiquitous in the town today. When you come here, head for the urban heritage zone in the historic cen- tre. You should certainly not miss the city walls, with the surviving Kouřim Gate, the Church of St Gothard with Romanesque foundations and Gothic, Renaissance and baroque elements, and the mysterious areas below ground. The system of underground passages was prob- ably meant to allow people to fl ee to the Church of St Gothard to gain asylum in the event of a threat. Today, only part of the labyrinthine network is uncovered, because there are no maps or plans and the local soil is not very stable. More modern sights worth seeing include a historic residential district dominated by an Art Nouveau villa designed by architect An- tonín Balšánek. The villa is today home to the Podlipanské Museum, which both covers the memorable battle at nearby Lipany in 1434 that marked the beginning of the end of the Hussite movement in Bohemia, and documents the existence of Slavic settlements in the Contact: region, as well as featuring Oriental and numismatic collections of Josef Zounek, a traveller IC Město Český Brod and patron who helped fi nance the establishment of the Podlipanské Museum in 1925. Arnošta z Pardubic 56, 282 01 Český Brod tel.: +420 321 612 218, [email protected] Nearby you can visit: www.cesbrod.cz/infocentrum Kouřim – open-air museum of folk architecture and historic square with houses and Church Podlipanské muzeum v Českém Brodě of St Stephen in the Burgundian style • Kostelec nad Černými Lesy – Černokostelecký brew- – pobočka Regionálního muzea v Kolíně ery museum and brewery, where beer has been brewed since the 15th century • Museum Žitomířská 761, 282 01 Český Brod of Pottery – housed in a Renaissance manor house • Tismice – rare, preserved three-nave tel.: +420 321 622 330, [email protected] Romanesque Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary • Hradenín – ruins of a Gothic

Photo: Zlatý pruh Polabí, o.p.s. Photo: www.muzeumkolin.cz, www.polabi.com fortress, site of signifi cant archaeological fi nds

45 Central Bohemia – south

River Sázava 47 Sázava Monastery 54 Jílové u Prahy 48 František glassworks – glassmaking centre 55 Military Technical Museum Lešany 49 Holy Mountain 56 Konopiště Chateau 50 Příbram Mining Museum 57 Jemniště Chateau 51 Vysoký Chlumec Outdoor Museum 58 Chateau and Park in Vlašim 52 St Francis of Assisi Monastery in Votice 59 Český Šternberk Castle 53 Brdy Protected Landscape Area 60

48 54 47 55 49 53 50

51

57 52 56 60 58 59

46 from 60 River Sázava Prague minut

oating enthusiasts call the river Sázava the “golden river”. Nearby you can visit: Maybe because real gold was once mined near Jílové, Zbořený Kostelec – ru- maybe because its colour is affected by yellowish clay ined castle built in the B th particles, so that when viewed from above it meanders like 14 century to guard the a golden ribbon through forests and meadows, towns and vil- trade route over the river lages. Along with many other rivers, it rises in the Žďár hills, Sázava. In 1467 it was de- in the peatbogs above the village of Nová Huť in the saddle stroyed by the royal army between two peaks, Kamenný vrch and Šindelný peak. It fl ows of Jiří of Poděbrady and into a fi shpond called Velké Dářko as Stružný potok stream and was never restored • Zlen- out as the river Sázava. On its journey from Vysočina through ice-Hláska – ruins – the Central Bohemia to Prague, where it empties into the river castle was founded in the Vltava near Davle and adds its golden colour to the dark wa- early 14th century and its ters of the Vltava, it covers over two hundred kilometres split fate was sealed during the evenly between two regions. In places it fl ows sluggishly, while Poděbrady War • Stará elsewhere it forms wild rapids loved by profi cient boaters. In Duba – this abandoned favourable conditions the river Sázava is navigable for ninety settlement consisting of per cent of its length. If you sit in your boat and let it drift down- a castle, bailey, the little stream, you will pass castles and palaces, churches and mon- town of Odranec, a siege asteries, stone bridges and outdoorsmen’s colonies. Part of the camp and fi ring position is route is shared with the legendary Posázavský Pacifi k railway one of the best-preserved line, and with luck you might see a nostalgic steam train. and most important com- Every boating enthusiast has his or her favourite stretch of the plexes of its kind in Europe river Sázava, depending on the diffi culty and the amount of time you plan to spend. Experienced boaters consider the last stretch, leading through Týnec nad Sázavou, Pikovice and a picturesque Contact: canyon with rapids and a series of weirs, as the most beautiful Posázaví o.p.s. part of the river. If you’re a beginner or a family with children, [email protected] choose an easier stretch, like the one from Čerčany to Týnec. www.posazavi.com

47 from 35 Jílové u Prahy Prague minut

ílové u Prahy was founded on the site of old mining settlements that sprang up after the discovery of local gold deposits. Because the city suffered several fi res that destroyed lives, buildings and documents over the centuries, there is only indirect evidence that the town ex- J th isted in the 13 century. Jílové gold was the reason that, in around 1350, Emperor Charles IV made Jílové a royal town with many rights and privileges. And it was because of gold that Edward Kelley, alchemist to Emperor Rudolf II, bought several houses here. Kelley, who was reputed to be able to transform any metal into gold, also tried to manufacture an elixir of youth in Jílové. Kelley owned Coin House on the main square, formerly the seat of the royal mining offi ce, now a regional mu- seum with exhibitions dealing mainly with gold mining. Gold mining declined during the Hussite Wars but recovered during the reign of Ladislav Jagiello. According to conservative estimates, the local mines produced a total of eleven tonnes of the precious metal. There is no more mining in Jílové today, but the three shafts – the St Josef, St Anthony of Padua and Halíř shafts – are far from deserted, except that the miners have been replaced by visitors to the Regional Museum, which is the custodian of the historical mines. The tour through the fi rst two shafts often leads along passages lit only by miners’ lamps and up a ladder through a narrow chimney, but you may enter the Halíř shaft without fear, even if you suffer from claustrophobia. After visiting the shafts, take a look at the urban heritage zone with the oldest building in town, the Church of St Adalbert from the fi rst half of the 13th century, and the town hall, built on the site of a former fortress.

Nearby you can visit: Contact: Žampach – one of the highest and most beautiful stone viaducts IC Regionální muzeum spanning the gorge called Kocour. It is on the route of the Posáza- v Jílovém u Prahy vský Pacifi k railway line, the Prague – Skochovice section • River Masarykovo náměstí 16 Sázava – the river is ideal for swimming, fi shing, boating and walk- 254 01 Jílové u Prahy ing along its banks • Horní Požáry – the largest forest area in Jílové tel.: +420 241 950 791 district contains a little chateau that was used by Archduke Ferdi- [email protected] nand d’Este www.muzeumjilove.cz

48 from 50 Military Technical Museum Lešany Prague minut

he Military Technical Museum is housed in a former artillery barracks between the municipalities of Krhanice and Lešany. The place itself is a history textbook: the Lešany area was part of an SS Tmilitary training ground in World War II; the local residents were displaced in 1942 and part of the Flossenburg concentration camp was established here. After World War II it served as a prison camp, in the 1950s as a forced labour camp for opponents of the communist regime, and fi nally it was handed back to the army... until the Military History Institute opened a new chapter in its history in 1995. In indoor halls and in the open, the Lešany museum has on display 700 tanks, armoured vehicles, can- nons, trucks and military passenger cars and motorcycles, missile systems, engineering equipment and logistical material from about 1890 to the present day. As you explore military history will fi nd yourself in a barracks of the Austro-Hungarian period and from the time of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, on a battleground in North Africa, on the Eastern Front of World War II, or in the “normalisation” years of Czechoslovakia. The exhibits include many unique items and an exclusive collection of Czechoslovak tanks from the years 1918–1939 that cannot be seen anywhere else. There is also the funeral howitzer that car- ried the coffi ns of presidents Masaryk and Havel to their fi nal resting places. What’s more, you can inspect the famous Soviet tank whose status and paint colour changed during various historical twists and turns. The museum regularly puts on new exhibitions and displays the exhibits in their most compelling form – in motion.

Nearby you can visit: Lešany – baroque-classicist chateau built on the site of a former fort. The chateau is open to the public, including rooms with frescoes dating from 1758 and a chapel • Netvořice – the family-run museum of enamel de- Contact: tails the historical production of almost all the Austro-Hungarian and Vojenský historický Czechoslovak enamel plants • Týnec nad Sázavou – castle with museum ústav Praha and gallery where you can see an exposition of local stoneware. There 257 42 Krhanice is a viewing platform in the Gothic tower that is home to the protected tel.: +420 973 296 161 greater mouse-eared bat in summer. The city was made famous by the [email protected] manufacture of JAWA motorcycles and MINOR cars www.vhu.cz

49 from 35 Konopiště Chateau Prague minut

he red roof of one of the cylindrical towers of Konopiště Nearby you can visit: Chateau rises up out of the surrounding green forests and Benešov – town dominated by Tis visible from afar. Although the chateau ceased to resem- a ruined Franciscan monastery ble a French fort long ago, it was founded in this style in around founded in 1247. You can also visit 1294, probably by the Prague bishop Tobiáš of Benešov, but it the Museum of Arts and Design, has certainly not lost any of its dignity. The Museum of Podblanicko Dis- The seat, which is one of the most visited Czech monuments, trict and the Ferdinand brewery changed hands between a series of powerful noble families, in- • Konopiště – the Jawa motorcycle cluding the Šternberks, Albrecht von Wallenstein and the Lob- museum is devoted to motorbikes kowicz family. But the chateau is mainly associated with its last and trophies documenting the owner, heir to the imperial throne Franz Ferdinand d’Este. Al- racing successes of Czech motor- though he and his wife Sophia died at the hands of an assassin cycle brands • Benešov Airport – 100 years ago, at Konopiště it as if his family never left. The arch- near Nesvačily, offers sightseeing duke’s presence can be felt in the authentic offi ce, bedroom, fl ights and tours of the hangars clothes closet, bathroom and children’s rooms. Evidence of his and control tower great passion for hunting, which took him on a journey around the world at the turn of 1892 and 1893, can be found in the tro- phies salon and in the turrets and hallways decorated with deer and chamois trophies. You can admire the beauty of weapons of all kinds in Este Armoury, which is one of the most valuable and most important collections in Central Europe. Franz Ferdinand d’Este had Konopiště Chateau rebuilt in the “historicising” style and its surroundings transformed into a land- Contact: scaped park. Stroll through the Rose Garden with its green- Zámek Konopiště houses or beside the chateau moat with a bear enclosure. In the Konopiště 1, 256 01 Benešov former baroque orangery see the St George Collection, the only tel.: +420 317 721 366 one the archduke developed himself; his other collections were [email protected] supplemented with articles inherited from his Italian ancestors. www.zamek-konopiste.cz

50 from 45 Jemniště Chateau Prague minut

he village of Jemniště in Benešov district boasts two cha- Nearby you can visit: teaux: one old and one new. The old chateau stands on Benešov – the Ferdinand brew- Tthe site of a former fortress from the 14th century or may- ery was moved away from be earlier. After many renovations and changes of owner the Konopiště in 1897 by Archduke estate was bought by Count František Adam Trauttmansdorff, Franz Ferdinand d’Este. Brewing who had a new chateau built in around 1717 but also rede- is based on the original recipe. signed the old fortress as a four-winged Renaissance chateau. Ruins of a Minorite monastery The new chateau was designed by the renowned Czech archi- founded in the years 1243–1247 tect František Maximilián Kaňka, who created an elegant two- and burned down by the Hus- storey building, but it burned down in 1754. Only the Chapel sites in 1420. Church of St Nich- of St Joseph, whose decoration was partly the work of painter olas – an early Gothic church Václav Vavřinec Reiner and Bernard Braun, was spared. After from the 13th century with valu- the devastating fi re Trauttmansdorff had the entire chateau able baroque interior decoration rebuilt and refurbished. Since then, the exterior of the building • Špulka viewing tower – stands has remained unchanged and it represents a typical residence atop Březák hill not far from Lbo- of the nobility of the high baroque period. After 1868 the es- sín, open all year round, admis- tate belonged to the counts of Šternberk, who lived in the new sion fee voluntary chateau and quartered estate offi cials in the old manor house. After the overthrow of the communist regime in 1989 the cha- teau was restored to its owner and is currently the property of Jiří Šternberk, who occupies the left wing of the chateau with his family and rents out the other premises out for so- cial events, weddings and romantic accommodation in luxury Contact: apartments. The English park features an Alpine fl ora area and Zámek Jemniště s.r.o. a rose garden, and you can study hundreds of trees and other Jemniště 1, 257 01 Postupice plants. In the French garden in the courtyard you can admire tel.: +420 731 903 995 its symmetry and freshen up with water from the Venetian [email protected] fountain, or walk through the newly planted linden alley. www.jemniste.cz

51 from 50 Chateau and Park in Vlašim Prague minut

he town of Vlašim was formed by the merging of two settlements separated by the river Blanice at a crossroads of trading routes. The town and the chateau of the same name were Tfi rst mentioned in the year 1318, but their real heyday came when Jan Očko of Vlašim, the second Prague archbishop and the fi rst Czech cardinal, resided here. In around 1600 the castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau, and further renovations in the 19th century gave it its present Classicist style. Remnants of the original Gothic castle only survive in the north wing with a tower, but all the noble families that successively owned the chateau left their mark on it. Signifi cant traces were left by the last aristocratic owners, the von Auersperg princes, who were inspired by antiquity, Gothic style, the Orient and nature, and had walls knocked down, ditches around the chateau fi lled in and the original hunting fi eld converted into a romantic landscaped park, with a number of romantic features and follies added: a Chinese Pavilion, Old Castle, Bird Bath, Venice Spring, Cupid’s Temple, Samson’s Column and three faux-Gothic gates. Some of them have survived to this day. Today, the chateau houses the Museum of Podblanicko District, which has several expositions presenting the history of the chateau and park, the tradition of marksmanship and weapon- making, and the daily life of our ancestors. The Vlašim Gate is home to an art gallery, and the 70-hectare park, one of the best-preserved in Central Europe, is used by the town for cultural events.

Nearby you can visit: Velký Blaník – according to legend, the slumbering army of St Wenceslas will ride forth from the mountain in the Czech nation’s hour of need. A wooden tower stands on the top (638 m) Contact: • Kondrac – a small village boasting an originally Romanesque Church of St Bartholomew from Muzeum Podblanicka, p.o. the 12th century. The nave and two circular towers have survived from that time; the Gothic nave Zámek 1, 258 01 Vlašim was built in 1360. Parish Museum – the only museum of its kind in the Czech Republic presents tel.: +420 317 842 927 a parish household of the late 19th and early 20th centuries • Romanesque Trail – takes in fi ve [email protected] Romanesque churches in the surrounding villages: Neustupov, Libouň, Kondrac, Pravonín and [email protected] Načeradec www.muzeumpodblanicka.cz

52 from 35 Český Šternberk Castle Prague minut

he majestic Český Šternberk Castle, originally a fortifi ed medieval seat with a surviving cylindrical tower and remnants of the main palace, commands respect even from afar. TPerched on a rocky promontory above the river Sázava, it successfully resisted many as- saults since its founding in 1241. Even so, it was taken twice: fi rst in the 1467, when the royal army of Jiří of Poděbrady attacked it in response to the fact that the then owner of the castle Zdeněk of Šternberk was the leader of the Catholic noblemen; and 160 years later when it was ransacked during a popular uprising. The castle was founded by Zdeslav of Divišov, who named it after his ancestral coat of arms – an eight-pointed golden star – and took on the new name “Zdeslav of Šternberk”. Generations of descendants of the founder have held the castle until today, almost 800 years – with the excep- tion a thirty-year period after the communist take-over when the castle was confi scated, before being returned to the family in 1992. The castle is now inhabited all year round by the owner and his family, with some spaces open to the public. The tour leads through fi fteen rooms. It takes in the Knights’ Hall, the Yellow Salon furnished in the style of Louis XVI, a library of several thousand volumes, a breakfast room and a collection of silver fi gurines, the study of Jiří Šternberk with paintings of sixty-three ancestors, and various chambers furnished in different styles, from the baroque to Biedermeier. There is also a remark- able collection of period copperplate engravings detailing the history of the Thirty Years’ War.

Nearby you can visit: Divišov – former fi efdom seat founded before 1130 by Diviš, a member of the retinue of Břetislav I. Divišov was elevated to town status in 1545, with the right to operate a market and the right to carry out capital punishment and with its own a seal and emblem. It be- came famous mainly for the manufacture of racing motorbikes begun here by Jaroslav Simadl in 1948. The ESO brand, later called JAWA, became the most successful brand in the Contact: 75-year history of speedway racing. In the town you can visit the Church of St Bartholomew, [email protected] the Museum of Jewish Life and Jewish cemetery or set out on the Knight Jan Kryštof Šic www.hradceskysternberk.cz educational trail

53 from 30 Sázava Monastery Prague minut

he history of this place is linked to the name of St Proco- Nearby you can visit: pius, a hermit whose solitary life inspired others to follow Sázava, Church of St Martin – the Thim, until the hermit colony of St Procopius was turned parish church from the 14th century into a monastery around the year 1032. The fi rst stone build- serves as an exhibition space and ing here was a church consecrated in 1070, the foundations of concert hall – an early baroque al- which can be seen in the gardens. After the expulsion of the tar from the Church of St George Slavic monks, Latin monks from Břevnov moved here. A new in Prague Castle was moved here three-nave basilica, stone cloister, prelature, hospital, and eco- • Na Šancích – fort from the 9th cen- nomic and production buildings were erected. The monastery’s tury built by the road crossing the Gothic development peaked in the 14th century during the reign river Sázava • Vosovka Spring – ac- of Emperor Charles IV, when the building was taken over by the cording to legend, it was here that St Vitus smelting works of Matyáš of Arras. In around 1340 the the hermit Procopius met Prince eastern wing of the monastery was built, containing a capitu- Ulrich, an event that resulted in lary hall with frescoes by artists from the emperor’s court. The the founding of the Sázava mon- red sandstone Gothic church remained unfi nished. The mon- astery • Stříbrná Skalice-Rovná astery was not destroyed in the Hussite Wars, even though the – Church of St James – one of the monks were expelled in 1421 and the monastery looted. A new most beautiful Romanesque boom occurred after the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century. churches in Bohemia with unique Benedictine monks bought their property back from its secu- artistic decoration from the 12th lar masters and started the restoration of the monastery with and 13th centuries a baroque renovation of the church and monastery buildings according to a design by Kilián Ignác Dietzenhofer. In 1785 the Sázava monastery, like most others, was abolished by order of Contact: Emperor Josef II. Secular owners made the last alterations in Správa kláštera v Sázavě the neo-Renaissance Classicist style and had the monastery Zámecká 72, 258 06 Sázava frescoes whitewashed; they are now being gradually uncov- tel.: +420 327 321 177 ered. Today’s appearance of the Sázava monastery is like a text- [email protected] book of artistic styles from the 11th century to modern times. www.klaster-sazava.cz

54 from 40 František glassworks – glassmaking centre Prague minut

he name Kavalír has been renowned among glassmak- Nearby you can visit: ers since at least 1798, when it was the name of eight Ondřejov – the village is known Tglassmaking families working at the Těchobuz works in mainly for its planetarium with the Vysočina region. It is known that they contributed to the a museum dedicated to as- manufacture of 17,000 glass products, mostly hollow glass tronomy. The historic centre has and mostly intended for export. At that time the glassworks been an urban heritage zone had to contend with both a lack of wood and the conditions since 2003 • Rataje nad Sáza- for obtaining a licence from the imperial authorities, which vou – the chateau on a rocky was also the reason that production was discontinued in promontory between the river Těchobuz. It is probably around that time that the Kavalír Sázava and a stream called Živý families moved to Ostředek. potok serves as a municipal mu- When a severe storm swept over the town of Sázava in 1833, no- seum. The lower part of the town body wanted the fallen trees it left behind. Someone thought to features Pirkštejn Castle, which is offer them the owner of the glassworks, František Kavalír. But in- not open to the public • Komorní stead of having to transport the wood ten kilometres to Ostředek, Hrádek – the predecessor of to- he decided to build a new glass factory near Sázava. In June 1837 day’s chateau was a Gothic cas- the Svatoprokopská glassworks began operation, but its capac- tle called Čejchanov; only a few ity gradually fell short of the thriving enterprise’s requirements. traces have survived to this day For that reason, Kavalír’s son Josef built a second glassworks in Sázava in 1882 and named it after his father František. About a hundred years later, the František glassworks’ fate was Contact: sealed when new glassworks were opened in Sázava. Its impor- Centrum sklářského tance declined and it slowly fell into disrepair. Better times ar- umění, huť František rived fi rst in 2010, when it was added to the UNESCO Cultural Na Kácku 218 Heritage list, and then when the Josef Viewegh Foundation de- 285 06 Sázava cided to save the glassworks. In the spring of 2014 the founda- tel.: +420 327 321 809 tion opened a centre of glass art here, giving visitors an insight [email protected] into the glassmaking craft in an authentic environment. www.cestyskla.cz

55 from 45 Holy Mountain Prague minut

ne of the oldest Marian shrines in the country, this early Baroque gem with an unmistakable silhouette has overlooked the town of Příbram for more than three centuries. The extensive Ocomplex is a treasure trove of art and boasts rare works by many painters, sculptors, stucco artists and craftsmen. Holy Mountain’s origins date back to 1260, but its current form was given to it by Jesuits in the 17th century. The fi rst medically documented miracle took place on Holy Mountain in 1632, and made it into a pilgrimage destination. You will fi nd the valuable statue of the Virgin Mary of Holy Mountain that the local miracles are associated with on the main silver altar in the basilica. Apparently, the statue was carved out of pear-tree wood by none other than Arnošt of Pardubice, the fi rst archbishop of Prague. As the liturgical year progresses, the half-metre statue is dressed in differ- ent clothes donated by pilgrims and devotees of the Holy Mountain Virgin. Some of the more than one hundred outfi ts were donated by Maria Theresa. In 1732 the statue was ceremonially crowned. In 1905 Holy Mountain was granted the title of “basilica minor” – the fi rst in the former Austro-Hungar- ian Empire. In 2005 there was a national pilgrimage here to mark the 100th anniversary of its elevation to basilica status and the basilica gained a new liturgical space by sculptor Otmar Oliva, who also worked for Pope John Paul II in the Vatican. In 2008 Holy Mountain became one of the main pilgrimage sites of the Prague archdiocese. In addi-

tion to the spiritual atmosphere, beautiful architecture, regular services of worship and pilgrimages, ARCHITEKTI) ř epel (FACIS the site offers guided tours, even of the complex’s enclosed spaces.

Nearby you can visit: Příbram – Ernestinum Chateau – this historically valuable building is home to the Museum of the Third Resistance and František Drtikol Gallery • Lešetice – Vojna Memorial – a former internment camp for Contact: German prisoners of war, a forced labour camp and fi nally a jail for Svatá Hora u Příbrami political prisoners • Dobříš – a Rococo palace that is home to the town tel.: +420 318 429 930 museum and the venue for various cultural events • Březnice – origi- tel.: +420 731 619 668 nally a Gothic castle from the 13th century, rebuilt as a Renaissance [email protected]

chateau. The town also has a synagogue in its original form from 1825 www.svata-hora.cz Ing. arch. Michal V. K Photo:

56 from 45 Příbram Mining Museum Prague minut

o you want to know what it was like for miners tens of metres below ground and how they and their families lived? Come to the Mining Museum in Příbram, one of the largest museums of its Dkind in Czech Republic and Europe. This national cultural monument is visited by more than 100,000 people every year. The expositions spread over three complexes and housed in the original mining buildings and admin- istrative buildings give visitors an insight into the rich history of silver mining, uranium mining and the Brdy iron-mining area. The open-air museum consists of the Ševčinský shaft that was excavated in 1813 on the site of an older mine from the 16th century, as well as original mining structures of the Vojtěch mine founded in 1779, the Anna mine from 1789 and the below-ground areas of Drkolnov mine from 1836. The Ševčinský mine gives you the chance to ride in a mine train on the surface. In the Anna mine you can go underground and ride a mine train through the Prokop shaft to the deepest pit in Březové Hory district. The Anna and Vojtěch mines are connected by a 330 metre water shaft from the late 18th century and a mine work called Wasserlauf, which you can reach by going down in a lift. In addition to sites in the Březový Hory district of Příbram, the museum has other branches in the area: the Vysoký Chlumec open-air museum (Museum of Rural Architecture of the Central Vltava Basin), the Vojna Memorial at Lešetice (memorial to victims of communism and museum of uranium mining), the Špýchar Prostřední Lhota Museum (museum of rural life in the Central Vltava Basin) and the Nový Knín Gold Muse- um (devoted to gold mining and processing in Nový Knín district and the history of the town of Nový Knín).

Nearby you can visit: Vysoká u Příbrami – Antonín Dvořák Memorial – neo-Renaissance mansion and the beautiful scenery that inspired the composer Contact: • Stará Huť u Dobříše –Karel Čapek Memorial – iron ore was processed Hornické muzeum Příbram in the historic works in the 19th century. In 1935 the writer Karel Čapek nám. Hynka Kličky 293 and his wife and Olga Scheinpfl ugová received an Empire house here 261 01 Příbram VI - Březové Hory as a wedding gift • Mníšek pod Brdy – Skalka – complex of buildings tel.: +420 318 633 138 comprising a church, monastery and hermitage. The Classicist palace [email protected] was the seat of lower nobility who lived here until the First Republic www.muzeum-pribram.cz

57 from 60 Vysoký Chlumec Outdoor Museum Prague minut

he market town of Vysoký Chlumec nestles among the Sedlčany hills in the Toulava tourism re- gion. It’s unmistakeable even from afar. It is dominated by a castle on the tall hill that gave the Ttown its name. The castle is in private hands and closed to visitors, but Vysoký Chlumec has other treasures to offer. Principal among them is the Central Vltava Basin Museum of Village Architecture, also known as the Vysoký Chlumec Outdoor Museum. The museum conserves valuable monuments of rural architecture that document the evolution of ordinary people’s homes in the territory of the Central Bohemian Hills and the Central Vltava Basin from the mid 18th century to the start of the 20th century. Residential, farming, technical and small religious buildings that were at risk of collapse in their original location are gradually being brought to the natural site in a stream valley. Changing rural lifestyles are causing these valuable structures to lose their purpose and fall into disrepair. The only way to save them is to move them to the museum. This idea was put into effect in 1998 by what was then known as the District Museum in Příbram and now as the Příbram Museum of Mining, which founded and invested in the regional open-air museum. The interior expositions show how rural folk lived and farmed. We can fi nd timbered granges and houses with “black kitchens”, beehives and water-powered sawmill apparatus. This is a unique piece of machinery from the second half of the 19th century with a horizontal blade that made it possible to saw large logs. There is even a watermill with a working mechanism in the museum. The replica of a smithy from the village of Počepice was completed in 2015 and opened to the public in 2017. You can head to the open-air museum for traditional events like Shrove Tuesday, Easter or Crafts Day. Contact: Nearby you can visit: Skanzen Vysoký Chlumec Sedlčany – the historic town of Sedlčany was made famous by fi shpond builder Jakub Krčín. He is Muzeum vesnických staveb středního Povltaví featured in an exposition in the Town Museum, where you can also learn about the nearby Celtic 262 52 Vysoký Chlumec oppidum at Hrazany, the history of Sedlčany district and composer Josef Suk. • Příčovy – romantic tel.: +420 733 371 546 (v sezoně do skanzenu) ruin of a windmill • Petrovice – Through the Land of Stones educational trail featuring the “Jan Hus tel.: +420 318 633 138 (mimo sezonu do muzea) Pulpit”, biggest rocking stone in the Czech Republic • Jesenice, Počepice, Petrovice – unique Sta- [email protected] tions of the Cross • Sedlec-Prčice – historic town with the Vítek z Prčice brewery • Monínec Resort www.muzeum-pribram.cz

– ski slope in winter, rope parks and mountain-biking in summer www.vysokychlumec.eu o.p.s. and Petr Mareš TOULAVA, Archive Jan Sochor, photo: Text:

58 from 50 St Francis of Assisi Monastery in Votice Prague minut

he town of Votice is situated in the Toulava tourism area on the southern edge of the Cen- tral Bohemian Region, which is characterised by a somewhat cooler climate, leading to Tits name Czech Siberia, but also beautiful countryside and a number of sights. One of the most important historic sites in Votice is the St Francis of Assisi Monastery. The monastery was founded in 1627 by Count Sezima of Vrtba, the then owner of the Votice estate. He made a promise to God that he would build a monastery for the Franciscan order in Votice if he had a son. The monastery’s original appearance has changed, though. Its current appearance dates from the second half of the 18th century, when the monastery had fallen into disrepair and was renovated. It has four single-storey wings, with a central quadrant boasting a magnifi cent sundial. A guided tour of the monastery will teach you about the monastery’s history and the life of Franciscan monks. You can see the monastery chapel adorned with frescoes of the Virgin Mary, the former library which used to house 4,500 books, and the refectory, the monastery’s biggest room, whose ceiling has unique stucco decoration. The interactive “Jankow 1645” exposition will take you back to 1645, when Swedish and imperial troops clashed at nearby Jankov. At that time the monastery served as a refuge for local people. You will learn why the locals have the sayings “To end up like Kec at Jankov” or “Deserted like at Jankov”. To round off the tour, you will learn about the history of Votice and its famous sons. The monastery church contains an altar consecrated to St Francis of Assisi, a Chapel of Our Lady and the St Francis Gallery of Contact: religious art. Klášter sv. Františka z Assisi Klášterní 1, 259 01Votice Nearby you can visit: Turistické informační centrum Votice Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre – in the former Franciscan cemetery you can visit a faithful Komenského nám. 177, 259 01 Votice copy of the Holy Sepulchre from 1688 • Butterfl y House – the unique butterfl y house created tel.: +420 775 683 394, 317 812 505 in former garden greenhouses specialises in Czech butterfl ies • Václavka Viewing Tower – [email protected] viewing tower in the Church of St Wenceslas, working clock mechanism, permanent expo- www.mesto-votice.cz sition of painter and draughtsman Vladislav Kaska • Discovering Votice educational trail

Text Petra Líznerová, photo: Miroslav Brdek photo: Petra Líznerová, Text www.klaster-votice.webnode.cz – 8 km long educational trail around the most interesting places near Votice

59 from 60 Brdy Protected Landscape Area Prague minut

rdy is an area of dense forest where there used to be large-scale iron smelting and mining industries. It became a magnet for hikers and day-trippers in the 20th cen- Btury. It took just an hour by train from Prague to reach the edge of the deep forests, boulder fi elds, moors, springs and streams. Then part of Brdy was converted into an artillery fi ring range with restricted access. After it was occupied by the Wehrmacht, it was closed off completely to outsiders, and that state of af- fairs lasted almost 80 years, despite all the social changes that occurred in that period. It was not until New Year 2016 that the fi rst visitors could enter the Brdy Protected Landscape Area founded after the military zone was discontinued. Today, the 345 km2 of protected landscape stretches beyond the western edge of the Central Bohe- mian Region. The local landscape has remained highly diverse. By forcing the locals out, the military, though it did nothing to care for the landscape, paradoxically caused numerous rare fauna and fl ora species to be conserved. In fact, the extensive artillery fi ring practice and the wheels of heavy machin- ery created various shallow lakes where rare animal species like the northern crested newt, yellow- bellied toad and the tadpole shrimp thrive today. You can also see white-tailed eagles, black storks and the Eurasian otter. The Brdy Protected Landscape Area, with all its natural beauty and numerous cultural heritage sites, has thus fi nally opened to visitors. It is accessible on foot and by bicycle. Visitors must abide by the standard rules for visiting protected landscape areas and also the restrictions on entry to places still used by the army. For visitors arriving by car, parking is available in the surrounding villages.

Nearby you can visit: Valdek Castle – ruin of a Gothic castle belonging to the Zajíc family, closed to the public • Three Trumpets Contact: hunting lodge belonging to the Colloredo-Mansfeld family (interior closed to the public) • Jindřich Rock Dům Natura with viewing tower – views of large swathes of the Brdy landscape • Houpák Hill and “Benešák” bunker – Plzeňská 134 the most beautiful panoramic viewing tower and a bunker that served as a model for the Czechoslovak 261 01 Příbram border fortifi cations • Atommuzeum Javor 51 Borovno – the only surviving nuclear arms warehouse in the tel: +420 725 443 243

country • Victory Memorial at Slivice – the site of the last battle of World War II in Europe on 11–12 May 1945 [email protected] ř ad P íbram ú M ě stský archive photo: Hana Langerová, Text:

60 Calendar of important events

March GrandPrix Beroun (Beroun) D+D Real Czech Masters (Vysoký Újezd) Junior Glass Ways (Sázava) Royal Procession (Karlštejn) Let it Roll (Milovice) Sedlec Fair (Kutná Hora) Royal Silver Festival (Kutná Hora) Noir Film Festival (Křivoklát) Kmoch´s Kolín International Brass Bands Festival (Kolín) Soundtrack Poděbrady April (Poděbrady) Metal Symposium Battle of Libušín (Kladno) (Mladá Boleslav)

Antonín Dvořák Music Festival Oldtimer Bohemia Rally September (Příbram) (Mladá Boleslav) National Saint Wenceslas Fair Easter in the Outdoor Museum Slánský Tuplák Beer Festival (Brandýs nad Labem) (Vysoký Chlumec) (Slaný) Mělník Grapes Harvest (Mělník) Central Bohemian Beer Festival (Velká Dobrá) Saint Ludmila Fair (Tetín) May Příbram Holy Mountain Shawm Museum Nights Festival (Příbram) (various locations) July Saint Wenceslas Festival Pottery Markets (Beroun) St Anne Pilgrimage (Kutná Hora) (Mnichovo Hradiště) Boats on the Elbe (Nymburk) Tank Day at the Military Colours of Summer (Poděbrady) Technical Museum in Lešany Churches Night (Lešany) (various locations) Benešov City Live (Benešov) Prague – Prčice Procession Czech Castles (Točník) Toulava Fest (Sedlčany) Konopiště Open (Konopiště) October Kutná Hora Summer (Kutná Hora) Gastrofestival (Lysá nad Labem)

June St Procopius Pilgrimage (Příbram) Talich’s Beroun International Music Festival (Beroun) Beroun Ramparts (Beroun) Period Aviation Day August (Mladá Boleslav) November Highjump (Hříměždice) PORTA Festival (Řevnice) Slaný Jazz Days (Slaný) Castles and Palaces Night Votvírák Festival (Milovice) (various locations) Popelka Rakovník (Rakovník)

61 List of information centres in Central Bohemia

Certifi ed tourist information centre town street post code e-mail telephone Zvířetice tourist information centre Bakov nad Jizerou Podhradí 14 294 01 [email protected] +420 326 210 230

Benešov tourist information centre Benešov Masarykovo nám. 230 256 01 [email protected] +420 317 726 004

Beroun information centre Beroun Husovo náměstí 69 266 01 [email protected] +420 311 654 321

Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav Brandýs nad Labem Masarykovo nám. 1,2 250 01 [email protected] +420 326 909 188 information centre – Stará Boleslav

Information centre of the Museum Čelákovice Čelákovice Na Hrádku 464 250 88 [email protected] +420 315 558 937

Český Brod information centre Český Brod Nám. Arnošta z Pardubic 56 282 01 [email protected] +420 321 612 219

Dobříš tourist information centre Dobříš Mírové náměstí 103 263 01 [email protected] +420 318 523 422

Hořovice information centre Hořovice Vrbnovská 30/1 268 01 [email protected] +420 732 512 821

Tourist information centre of the Regional Jílové u Prahy Masarykovo nám. 16 254 01 [email protected] +420 241 950 791 Museum in Jílové u Prahy

Karlštejn tourist information centre Karlštejn Karlštejn 334 267 18 [email protected] +420 311 681 370

City information centre Kladno Kladno T. G. Masaryka 499 272 01 [email protected] +420 312 604 540

Kolín tourist information centre Kolín Karlovo náměstí 8 280 02 [email protected] +420 311 510 866

Kralupy nad Vltavou information centre Kralupy nad Vltavou Paláckého nám. č.p. 1 278 01 [email protected] +420 315 739 811

Křivoklát information centre Křivoklát Nám. Svatopl. Čecha 82 270 23 [email protected] +420 313 558 123

Kutná Hora City information centre Kutná Hora Palackého nám. 377 284 01 [email protected] +420 327 512 378

Kutná Hora – Sedlec information centre Kutná Hora – Sedlec Zámecká 279 284 03 [email protected] +420 326 551 049

Mělník tourist information centre Mělník Legionářů 51 276 01 [email protected] +420 315 627 503

Milovice tourist information centre Milovice Nám. 30. června 508 289 23 [email protected] +420 325 517 110

Mladá Boleslav information centre Mladá Boleslav Železná 107 293 01 [email protected] +420 326 322 173

Nymburk tourist information centre Nymburk Nám. Přemyslovců 165 288 28 [email protected] +420 325 512 433

Poděbrady tourist information centre Poděbrady Jiřího nám. 19 290 01 [email protected] +420 325 511 946

Příbram municipal authority info centre Příbram Tyršova 106 261 01 [email protected] +420 318 402 381

Tourist information centre of the Central Roztoky u Prahy Zámek 1 252 63 [email protected] +420 233 029 055 Bohemian Museum in Roztoky u Prahy

Říčany information centre Říčany Masarykovo nám. 84 251 01 [email protected] +420 323 618 169

Sedlčany tourist information centre Sedlčany Nám. T. G. Masaryka 34 264 01 [email protected] +420 318 821 158

Velvarská brána tourist information centre Slaný Velvarská 136/1 274 01 [email protected] +420 312 523 448

Týnec nad Labem tourist information centre Týnec nad Labem Komenského nám 235 281 26 [email protected] +420 321 781 505

Týnec tourist information centre Týnec nad Sázavou Klusáčkova 2 257 41 [email protected] +420 317 729 050

Velké Popovice information centre Velké Popovice Masarykova 38 (kavárna) 251 69 [email protected] +420 734 446 450

Podblanicko information centre Vlašim Vlašim Zámek 4 258 01 [email protected] +420 317 847 207

Votice info centre Votice Komenského nám. 177 259 01 [email protected] +420 317 812 505

Zruč nad Sázavou information centre Zruč nad Sázavou Zámek 1 285 22 [email protected] +420 327 531 329

62 NEW APARTMENT 2019/2020 IDEAL LIVING IN THE CITY CENTRE WHILE SURROUNDED BY NATURE

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