Habřina: Churches, Castle Sites and Cycling Routes

Habřina is a destination for anyone interested in architectural history, archaeological sites, and routes in the region. When planning your stay, it is worth noting the different points of interest: the cemetery Church of St. Wenceslas on Chloumek tells the story of several building periods, while the castle sites are defined by their surviving features and their location in the landscape. Cycling and walking routes add practical connections between these places.

The architectural history of the Church of St. Wenceslas

The cemetery Church of St. Wenceslas on Chloumek was originally built in the 14th century in the Gothic style. It was rebuilt in the Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century, followed by exterior Baroque alterations in 1702. These three periods give the church a long architectural history, and its changes cannot be reduced to a single style. Inside is a marble figurative epitaph dating from 1594, commemorating J. Bedřich Rodovský, who came from Hustířany.

Since 1964, the church complex, together with the bell tower, gravedigger’s house, and surrounding wall, has been listed as an immovable cultural monument. Its register number is 30593/6-600. The complex is currently accessible via a network of paths that runs close to the site. Check local path conditions before your visit.

Castle sites and their landforms

The Vračba (Vražba) fortress, the remains of which are locally known as Na zámečku, stood on a wooded spur above the left bank of the Hustířanka, less than a kilometre from the centre of the present-day municipality of Habřina. Its site is oval in plan and surrounded by a rampart and a ditch. The location and shape describe two different aspects: the spur shows how the site is set in the landscape, while the rampart and ditch define its layout.

Another archaeological site is Hrad Neznášov/Rotemberk. It lies on a wooded spur on the left bank of the Hustířanský potok, about 1.4 kilometres north of Habřina’s built-up area. The spur is 280 to 300 metres long and 15 to 40 metres wide. The surviving features include a relief remnant of the perimeter fortification and the remains of a presumably round tower. The oval core of Rotemberk is surrounded by a ditch, with a well on its southeast side. A visit here therefore centres on the landform, the remains of the fortifications, and the location of the well.

Walking and cycling connections

A blue-marked walking route now connects the spa towns of Velichovky with notable and historic places in the surrounding area, including the Rotenberg hillfort. It passes north of Chloumek towards Černožice. Check the route markings and local conditions before setting out.

Cycling routes lead from Habřina to Holohlavy and onwards to the Hradec Králové–Kuks cycle route, which they join at the Elbe. For planning purposes, this is a different direction from the blue-marked walking route: the cycling connections describe a route via Holohlavy to the connection at the Elbe, while the walking route leads from Velichovky past historic places towards Černožice.

Other historical traces

A stone single-arch bridge over the Hustířanka dates from 1785 and has been protected as a monument since 11 September 1995. Another memorial is an iron cross at the former mill site in Kouty, above the grave of a Prussian lieutenant. The bridge and cross complement the church’s architectural history and the archaeological landforms with two other kinds of historical evidence: a protected structure and a memorial site.

Discover more destinations: Dolní Přím, Lubno, Kosice, Dobřenice, Stračov, Syrovátka, Kunčice, Osičky.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Hradec Králové.