Sights

Šindelářská (Shingle-Maker’s) Tower (300 m)

Pisa is not the only European town with a leaning tower. Our tower is the only survivor of the original four fortification towers. It’s 20 metres high with a respectable diameter of seven metres. Looking at it from Věžní (Tower) Street, you can see it’s slightly tilted and rests on the neighbouring building. You can admire its charm only from the outside; the interior is open only on special occasions.

Church of St. John the Baptist (300 m)

Originally a Gothic church from the end of the 14th century, it´s  the place where on 16 September 1817 the writer Václav Hanka and the chaplain Borč discovered the most famous literary hoax in Czech history. Yes, we’re talking about the Manuscript of Dvůr Králové, which played a key role during the national revival and became the subject of countless polemics. To this day, obstinate advocates still exist who’ll tell you that this collection of poems originated in the Middle Ages and proved the astonishing early maturity of Czech culture.

Municipal Museum (500 m)

The permanent exhibition on the making of Christmas decorations in Dvůr Králové is one of the best curated and most entertaining exhibitions in Eastern Bohemia. Come and inspect all the drawers and cabinets, with hundreds of decorations from the 1930s and the present. We guarantee that discovering Christmas is great fun – and not only for your children. The second permanent exhibition is also worth seeing. Take a look into the engraver’s workshop and learn the most important things about the famous era of the region’s textile industry. Not for nothing was Dvůr Králové nicknamed the Czech Manchester.

More information at www.muzeumdk.cz

Bicycle Museum in Žireč (5 km)

Don’t miss the impressive exhibition of bicycles – from the oldest models to modern machines – in the Bicycle Museum in the Žireč quarter of Dvůr Králové. In the Baroque granary (part of the Home of St. Joseph) was established in 2017 the largest exhibition of its kind in Central Europe. Arranged over three floors, you’ll find a replica of the draisine, built by the German inventor Karel Drais from 1817, old bicycles from the 19th century, the bike of Ema Destinová, the cycling gear of Zdeněk Svěrák from the film Vratné lahve (Returnable Bottles) and, of course, models of the world-famous Czech brand Favorit. All exhibits come from the unique collection of Jiří Uhlíř from Hostovlice in the Čáslav district.

Braun’s Nativity Scene (6 km)

A unique gallery of sandstone sculptures stands under the open sky, carved by Matyáš Bernard Braun and his workshop into the New Forest rocks near Kuks between 1718 and 1732. It’s no exaggeration to suggest that the monumentality of these reliefs – depicting the Arrival of the Three Kings, the Nativity, and the Vision of St Hubert – will take your breath away. In 2000, the Nativity Scene was ranked among the 100 most endangered monuments in the world. It´s easily accessible from Dvůr Králové, whether on foot, by bike or by car. There is a large car park near the Nativity Scene.

More information at www.braunuvbetlem.cz

21st Century Way of the Cross (6 km)

The works of several contemporary Czech sculptors have been scattered in a Stanovice meadow near Kuks since 2008. Fifteen statues made of Hořice sandstone tell the story of humankind’s hopes and suffering. Among them are also the works of two titans of Czech sculpture, Vladimír Preclík and Mario Kotrba. Don’t forget to take a photo in front of the statues; indeed, the ‘Landscape of the Cross’ by Čestmír Mudruňka directly encourages you to do so.

Kuks Hospital (8 km)

The Baroque pearl of Eastern Bohemia, built in the first half of the 18th century by the visionary František Antonín Špork. There is a lot to see here, and just one day to visit Kuks will not be enough. Let yourself be enchanted by a tour of the former infirmary for military veterans, take an excursion into the history of the pharmacy, descend into the Count’s tomb, or relax in the restored herb garden with 144 flower beds. One of the finest examples of Baroque sculpture are the statues from the cycle Virtues and Vices by Matyáš Bernard Braun. The flat Elbe Trail will take you to Kuks. As your reward you can order lunch at one of many restaurants in the area. The hospital is lively all year round, whether you enjoy listening to classical music concerts or fancy attending the Baroko Naoko Festival, Festival of Horses, or taking in history and crafts, the Theatrum Kuks festival, or participating in the autumn grape harvest.

More information at www.hospital-kuks.cz

Josefov Fortress (16 km)

Divided We Fall, Hitler: The Rise of Evil, the Danish TV epic 1864 and several other Czech and foreign films were shot in the fortress town of Josefov in Jaroměř. In its streets you’ll feel as if you’ve returned to the 18th century, when the fortress was built. Not much has changed here since then. If a tour of the old buildings, rectangular streets and ramparts is not enough, you can set off through the labyrinth of candlelit underground tunnels. Also, there are several museums and exhibitions with military themes in Josefov.

More information at www.pevnostjosefov.cz

Stachelberg (29 km)

The Stachelberg artillery fortress from 1938 rises like a giant on Babí Hill between Trutnov and Žacléř. Although construction of the large complex of military structures was interrupted by the Munich Agreement, the builders succeeded in doing admirable work. In just eleven months they built 3.5 kilometres of underground tunnels at a depth of up to 60 metres. The T-37 infantry cabin is one of the largest accessible structures of this type in our country. Inside there is an information-packed exhibition on the construction of Czechoslovak fortifications between 1935 and 1937. The sightseeing route is 800 metres long.

More information at www.stachelberg.cz