Dřevčice – History Between Church and Fortress

Dřevčice brings together buildings from different centuries and archaeological traces of settlement and burial. For your stay, these themes can be divided into three areas: church and fortress architecture, finds from the Bronze Age, and the landscape between the Prague Plateau and the Elbe Lowland. Together, they offer different ways to explore the history of the place.

Church and Bell Tower: A Look at the Building Phases

The originally Romanesque Church of St. Bartholomew in Dřevčice dates from the 11th to 12th century. An Early Gothic annex was added on its south side; a new chancel was built in the 18th century. Its architectural history therefore spans several distinct periods. The bell tower has its own history: it was built in 1695 on the site of an earlier chapel dedicated to St. Florian and houses three bells. While the church changed over several centuries, the tower, with its date of 1695, provides a distinct chronological reference point.

Fortress and Portals: Defensive Architecture and the Later Farmyard Layout

The originally episcopal Dřevčice fortress was built on a promontory in the 14th century and was protected by water defenses. The surviving parts of the fortress are open to the public; various events and celebrations are held there. If you are traveling for a particular event, check its date in advance.

The Baroque portals dating from 1776 are a different kind of trace of the complex. They form the entrances to farmsteads that were created when the manor farm at the original fortress was divided. Two aspects thus stand side by side: the medieval fortress with its water defenses, and the later use of the farmyard area for farmsteads.

Archaeological Traces from Several Periods

The Na Výsluní archaeological site lies on the southeastern edge of Dřevčice, beside the road to Svémyslice. Archaeological investigations uncovered and examined 95 features associated with settlement and burial there. Significant finds include a cremation cemetery from the Late Bronze Age, attributed to the Knovíz culture of the Urnfield period (1350–1050 BC). The site thus includes both settlement and burial contexts; the cemetery provides a specific chronological and cultural context for the burial evidence.

Another find is the so-called “Dřevčický příbor”: a ceramic assemblage discovered on December 24, 1932, while a ditch was being dug on the road from Dřevčice to Popovice. It is now in the National Museum and is considered, among other things, evidence of a ritual associated with drinking beverages. The findspot and its present location are therefore different: the assemblage was discovered near Dřevčice and is now housed in the National Museum.

Landscape and Getting Around

About 250 meters north of the main road running through Dřevčice, the land descends into the large valley “v Chobotech.” The Vinořský potok, which comes from Vinoř and is also called Valcha or Chobot, flows through the valley. On a broader scale, Dřevčice lies on a terrace at the transition from the Prague Plateau to the Elbe Lowland. The valley describes the terrain around the main road in more detail; the plateau and the Elbe Lowland place the village within the wider landscape.

Road II/610 runs through the center of Dřevčice and connects Prague-Vinoř with Brandýs nad Labem. Road conditions and traffic regulations can change, so check for current information before setting out. Another way to find your bearings is the “Pražská pěší pouť do Staré Boleslavi” pilgrimage route, which branches off toward Dřevčice at Jenštejn. If you plan to include this route in your trip, check the details for the relevant edition.

Discover more destinations: Vodochody, Křenice, Doubek, Oleška, Svémyslice, Klecany, Podolanka, Zlonín

For the broader travel overview: Okres Praha-Východ.