Zvěřínek Between Village History and Nature Park

When looking for a hotel in Zvěřínek, it helps to first consider the area's main points of interest. The chapel, bell tower and monuments tell the story of the village; its location by the Kersko-Bory Nature Park draws attention to the landscape. This will help you decide in advance which aspect of the village matters more for your stay.

Chapel, Village Square and Memorials

In the southern part of the municipality, the chapel stands at the heart of the historic village square and is also part of a public park. The municipal bell tower on the road to Hořátev was built in 1865. A metal cross on a stone plinth was erected at the road junction at the village entrance in 1887. The war memorial in Zvěřínek was unveiled on 20 September 1936. Of these three dated landmarks, the bell tower is the oldest and the war memorial the newest.

Historically, the municipal bell tower was rung in the morning, at midday and in the evening, as well as for funeral bells. This bell-ringing practice adds an account of the tower's former use to its building history.

Historical Milestones of the Village

The first written mention of Zvěřínek dates from 1345. In 1525, Nymburk bought the village from Bedřich, Burgrave of Donín. These dates take us well back before the buildings and memorials of the 19th and 20th centuries: the written mention dates to the 14th century, the purchase to the 16th century, the bell tower and cross to the 19th century, and the war memorial to the 20th century. This makes it possible to distinguish the early written and political milestones chronologically from the later landmarks in the village.

Zvěřínek was originally called Zvěřinec; the name is said to derive from the large number of game animals in the surrounding forests. This traditional explanation complements the dates with a story about the name that connects the village with its woodland surroundings.

Nature Park and Waterways

Zvěřínek lies on the eastern edge of the Kersko-Bory Nature Park. The park protects pine and birch forests growing on the gravel-and-sand subsoil of the Elbe floodplains, as well as open areas of the agricultural Polabí landscape. The larger protected area therefore includes both wooded and open, agriculturally shaped areas; Zvěřínek is located on the eastern edge of the park.

The Černavka runs along the eastern side of Zvěřínek; near the hamlet of Kopaník, it flows into the Výrovka. Both watercourses near Zvěřínek have been regulated since 1896. Another landscape feature is a sand lake in Sadská, near Zvěřínek. These waterways differ in type and location: the Černavka and Výrovka are flowing waters near Zvěřínek, while the sand lake is in Sadská.

Choosing Zvěřínek for Your Hotel Search

The local features help you think of Zvěřínek in terms of two interests: the village's history and its location on the edge of a protected landscape area. If you are planning a hotel stay, consider before you search which aspect you would like to focus on most. You can then check the specific features of an accommodation directly in its listing.

Discover more destinations: Jiřice, Městec Králové, Stará Lysá, Semice, Bobnice, Úmyslovice, Dymokury, Vrbice

See the broader travel overview: Okres Nymburk.