Vysoké Veselí: Nature Trail, Nature and History

Vysoké Veselí can be explored from several perspectives: a nature trail passes through named locations to Češov and back, while a nature monument, a church, sculptures and a Renaissance house offer different glimpses into the town’s history. There is also a traditional concert featuring brass music. These topics provide concrete points of reference when you are considering whether hiking, cycling, nature or architectural history suits your travel plans.

Nature Trail and Nature

The Vysoké Veselí nature trail passes through Kákovice, Veselský háj, Velešice, Sběř and Kozojedy to Češov, then returns via Volanice to its starting point in the town. Including its branch paths, it is 18.6 kilometres long. It is suitable for hiking and cycling with trekking, cross-country or mountain bikes. When planning, it is important to note that the stated length includes the branch paths. Route details may change due to local maintenance, so check the current route before setting out.

The trail passes through Veselský háj. As a nature monument, Veselský háj protects valuable oak-hornbeam forests and old, nutrient-poor oak forests with pedunculate oaks (Quercus robur). The Smrkovák pond is also located in the area and is an important ornithological site. Forest communities and ornithology are thus represented as distinct aspects of nature.

The nature monument provides suitable conditions for highly endangered plants such as the fringed pink and the Siberian iris, as well as other specially protected species such as the monkshood and the violet limodore. For those who factor nature conservation into their choice of destination, the area offers specific topics related to forests, plants and birds alongside the walking route.

Church, Château and Local History

The first written mention of the Church of St Nicholas of Tolentino in Vysoké Veselí dates from 1335. Its present appearance dates back to a Baroque church built in 1770, which was later remodelled in the Empire style after a fire. The year 1335 therefore marks the first written mention, while the history of the church’s present appearance is linked to the 1770 church and its subsequent remodelling.

The oldest house in Vysoké Veselí is a large, multi-storey Renaissance house with an arcaded gallery, built in 1586. It provides a separate point of reference in time from the church’s later architectural history. The château’s history also goes back further: after 1745, the original fortress was converted into a Baroque château, which has since been modernised. A garden was laid out on the site of the former fortifications.

Sculptures and Cultural Events

A sandstone pillar with a Pietà stands in the village square beside a through road. The unsigned sculpture dates from 1808. The Pietà pillar is one of the sculptures regarded as valuable evidence of Baroque forms continuing in rural settings into the early 19th century.

Another sandstone pillar, bearing a statue of St Wenceslas, stands on the road to the château. The statue is an unsigned sculpture from 1807. The dates of the two works are close together, while the saints depicted and the locations of the sculptures differ.

The Vackovo Vysoké Veselí concert, traditionally held at the end of June, features leading performers in brass music. If the concert is important to your travel plans, check the date of the relevant edition in advance. The local public library is Vysoké Veselí’s cultural information centre and provides another cultural point of reference in the town, alongside the musical event.

Discover more destinations: Sukorady, Lískovice, Úhlejov, Podkost, Běchary, Konecchlumí, Chomutice, Cholenice.

See the wider travel overview: Okres Jičín.