Hořice V Podkrkonoší: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

In Hořice V Podkrkonoší, sandstone, sculpture and a distinctive local sweet speciality come together. Among exhibitions, outdoor sculptures, historic buildings and short routes to viewpoints, a multifaceted townscape emerges, combining cultural and natural features.

Culture and History

The Městské muzeum has a permanent exhibition on the tradition of sandstone quarrying and the artistic processing of sandstone in the Hořice region. The adjacent Štorchova síň of the Městské muzeum hosts themed exhibitions. Another link to the local history of stonemasonry and sculpture is the Sochařsko-kamenická škola, founded in 1884 as the first school of its kind in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The town's sacred architecture includes the Baroque Kostel Narození Panny Marie, built according to plans by Kilián Ignác Dienzenhofer between 1741 and 1748. The Baroque synagogue from the 1770s and the old Jewish cemetery with valuable historic gravestones are also among the town's historical traces. The cemetery was probably established as early as the second half of the 17th century; both sites bear witness to the once numerous Jewish community in Hořice.

Galerie plastik was founded in 1908 as an artistic branch of the Podkrkonošské průmyslové museum. In addition to its permanent exhibition, it offers an extensive exhibition programme. Its remarkable collection includes plaster sculptures by artists as well as sculptures made from high-quality materials. From the town square, Galerie plastik can be reached on foot in about ten minutes via a red-marked hiking trail.

Sochařský park U Sv. Gotharda I and II contains a collection of more than 100 sandstone sculptures by sculptors from Europe, Asia and America. Sochařský park U Sv. Gotharda is freely accessible year-round. Another distinctive stone monument is the Riegrův obelisk: the 12.4-metre-high sandstone monolith was unveiled in 1907 and is regarded as evidence of the mastery of local stonemasons.

Viewpoints, Trails and Activities

Masarykova věž samostatnosti on Hořický chlum serves as a war memorial and observation tower. Its viewing platform offers views of the Krkonoše Mountains panorama and the fertile Polabí Elbe lowlands. Vrch Gothard is also freely accessible year-round and can be reached from the town square on foot in about ten minutes via a red-marked hiking trail.

For shorter routes with children, Chlumíčkova stezka is a good option. It is approximately 1.5 km long and suitable for pushchairs and very young children. Naučný okruh comprises 14 stations with information panels at the city's most important sights.

On two wheels, Traily Hořice runs through three trails named Grizzly, Dáška and Potoky. They range from low to moderate difficulty and have a combined total length of 3.7 km. The routes are located close to the town in forests near Koupaliště Dachova. Koupaliště Dachova is also located nearby, a natural outdoor swimming pool with remarkable wooden architecture from the 1920s.

Sculpture as a Living Tradition

At the Hořické sochařské sympozium, held every two years in July at Lom U Sv. Josefa, visitors can watch internationally renowned sculptors at work. The first Hořické sochařské sympozium took place in 1966. Alongside the historic collections and buildings, this provides a regularly recurring event dedicated to sculpture.

Hořické trubičky

Hořické trubičky are a distinctive local speciality. They have to be rolled by hand because machine production is not permitted. Since 2007, Hořické trubičky have carried the European Union's protected geographical indication and may be produced only in Hořice and the surrounding area. Traditional artisanal production resumed in Hořice after 1990; in 1999, production was started by Pravé hořické trubičky, s.r.o.

The Trubičková stezka is located in Smetanovy sady in Hořice and teaches children in particular about the history and production of this traditional sweet speciality. It comprises seven stations and seven tasks and leads to a secret solution word. The Pivovar complex, which was added to the list of cultural monuments in 2002, is also part of the protected local character.

Other places in the same higher-level area: Chyjice, Libošovice, Ostroměř, Dobrá Voda U Hořic, Šárovcova Lhota, Sběř, Sukorady, Třebnouševes.

To the higher-level travel overview: Jičín District.