Sloveč: Church, Monuments and Traditions

Sloveč brings together several cultural and historical points of interest: the Church of St. Martin in the centre of the historic village green, monuments in different locations and local religious traditions. Jiřinkové dny provide a specific event to plan around. The timing of your trip may therefore be important when choosing a hotel stay: would you like to focus on historical landmarks, or travel specifically for a pilgrimage or a special programme? For events scheduled on fixed dates, it is worth checking the date and current programme in advance.

Church and Historical Landmarks

The Church of St. Martin is Neo-Romanesque and dates from 1886. It stands in the centre of Sloveč’s historic village green. In front of the church is a statue of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus, a work by Kofránek of Vojice dating from 1875. The church and statue were therefore created eleven years apart—a concise chronological comparison within the village landscape.

Two further works bear the date 1857, but have different attributions. A stone cross is the work of stonemason Karel Kofránek. The statue of the Crucified Christ by the former school is a work by F. Stýbla from the same year. Their shared date makes a chronological comparison easy; the cross and statue remain distinct works with different artists named.

The monument to those who fell in the First World War stands next to the school and was unveiled in 1921. Its commemorative plaque remembers local legionaries. A monument to land reform from the First Republic period stands on the road to Městec Králové.

Pilgrimages and Event Dates

Sloveč’s religious traditions centre on three occasions: a pilgrimage on Corpus Christi, a Marian pilgrimage on 12 September and the St. Martin’s church festival on 11 November. For the Corpus Christi pilgrimage, check the specific date for your year of travel; for the Marian pilgrimage and the St. Martin’s church festival, you should also check the current programme. If you are travelling specifically for one of these events, plan your stay around the occasion.

The traditional Jiřinkové dny are another occasion for planning your stay around a specific programme. The 26th edition in 2026 includes a free visit to a planting of 1,500 plants in more than 300 varieties. The figures describe two aspects of the planting: its size and the variety of its cultivars. The programme may change from year to year; check the details for your chosen year before travelling.

Landscape and Getting There

A stream rising in the forest flows through Sloveč and feeds the local ponds. This connection between the forest, the stream and the ponds adds a tangible landscape perspective to the cultural and historical themes. Regular bus services run towards Městec Králové and Nový Bydžov. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Okřínek, Křinec, Opočnice, Třebestovice, Milovice, Chleby, Záhornice, Ostrá.

For the broader travel overview: Nymburk District.