Reichenau: Cultural History and Landscape

Reichenau (Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou) brings together several distinct themes: Baroque church art, an early monument, a local painting tradition, and a significant tree-lined avenue. An outdoor exhibition and the railway station’s historical role add further points of interest. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Reichenau, these themes can help you assess the destination according to your own cultural and landscape interests.

Church and plague column: two historical points of interest

The Baroque Church of St. Wenceslas was built between 1704 and 1712. Its furnishings include an altarpiece of St. Wenceslas by J. Hellich and a wooden baptismal font from the mid-18th century. The construction period, subject of the painting, and date of the baptismal font represent different aspects of the church. The building’s history is thus connected with specific details about its art and furnishings. For travelers interested in architectural and art history, these features form a distinct cultural focus.

An earlier date is associated with the plague column of St. Procopius. It was erected in 1702 at the place where the last three victims of the plague died, and is Rychnov’s oldest monument. Its construction predates the church, whose construction began in 1704. The column and the church therefore represent different historical points of interest: the history of the column is linked to the specific place where the last three victims died, while the church’s construction period and furnishings provide its historical context. This chronology distinguishes the two monuments rather than grouping them into a single era.

From lacquered boxes to the Rychnov School of Painting

Another development traces a path from lacquered hard-paper boxes to the Rychnov School of Painting. The boxes were decorated with romantic miniatures, and this decoration led to the school’s establishment. After box-making declined, the school turned to the industrial production of copies of famous paintings. The copies were intended for ecclesiastical and secular purposes. Thus, both the product and its purpose changed in the local art history: the decoration of boxes was followed by the production of copies of paintings. The school connects these periods, while the activities themselves remained distinct. For travelers interested in culture, this development offers a particular way to explore the local painting tradition.

Outdoor exhibition and landscape

The outdoor exhibition “AL Reichenau Concentration Camp & Getewent Arms Factory,” which is open to visitors, is located in Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou. Visiting arrangements may change, so check them before your visit. The title identifies a historical focus distinct from church art, the monument, and the painting tradition. If you would like to include the exhibition in your plans, it is a good idea to check the current visiting arrangements.

The Košovská Linden Avenue adds a landscape perspective to the cultural history. Along the route from Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou, it is a significant landscape feature. Unlike the church and the plague column, the focus here is not on a specific construction or erection date, but on the avenue’s importance to the landscape along the route. Your view of the destination can therefore bring together cultural history and landscape as distinct interests.

The railway station’s former regional role

Transport history is also part of the historical perspective on Reichenau. Historically, Rychnov railway station on the Pardubice–Liberec line connected the entire Jablonec area with the outside world. This former regional role adds another perspective to the local themes: alongside individual buildings, art, and landscape, the history of a connection serving an entire area also plays a part.

Discover more destinations: Puletschnei, Wiesenthal An Der Neiße, Lischnei, Pintschei, Koberwald, Morchenstern, Radschitz, Großhammer.

View the regional travel overview: Okres Jablonec Nad Nisou.