Orel: Cultural History and Disc Golf

When choosing Orel, you can weigh two different focuses: Tři Bubny and the Church of St. George offer a look at local and architectural history, while disc golf and a cycling route add a sporting perspective. The historic landmarks range from a mention of the church in 1349 to the return of a statue replica to the town centre in 2025. You can therefore plan your stay around the themes you would like to focus on.

Tři Bubny and the Church of St. George

The hill of Tři Bubny rises in the north of Orel. The church and the houses of Tři Bubny are located at the intersection of the Chrudim–Řestoky–Chrast and Kunčí–Orel–Kočí roads. On the hill stands the Gothic cemetery church of St. George, at an elevation of 302 m. It was first mentioned in 1349 in a document issued by Arnošt of Pardubice, the first Archbishop of Prague. The church contains 15 stone epitaphs commemorating deceased members of the families who owned the Orel estate. As a cemetery church, and with its stone epitaphs, St. George also stands out as a place of remembrance.

Fortifications and places of remembrance

The defensive ramparts of Tři Bubny add another layer of history. In 1923, their eastern section was declared a natural and historical monument. These are distinct from the remains of the former Orel fortress: only slight rises in the terrain remain on a circular mound more than 30 m across. The fortress was surrounded by a moat, except on the north side.

The statue of Our Lady of Victory in Orel is a Baroque sculpture from the 18th century; a replica returned to the centre of Orel in 2025. A granite monument bears the names of 16 residents who did not return from the First World War.

The dates mark different events in the town’s history: 1349, the first mention of St. George; 1923, the designation of the eastern section of the ramparts; and 2025, the return of a statue replica. They refer to different objects and events.

Disc golf and cycling route

For a different kind of stay, consider the Orel Disc Golf Course. The facility opened in 2022 and comprises 9 holes with a total playing length of 477 m. You can borrow the necessary equipment, among other places, from the municipal office, or you can play with your own equipment. When planning, you can take into account both the course dimensions and whether you need to bring or borrow equipment.

Cycling Route 4177 also passes through Tři Bubny and Orel; it is 37.5 km long in total. Check the signage on site if you include the route in your plans. The two sporting options thus offer different scales: a total playing length of 477 m on the disc golf course and a total distance of 37.5 km on the cycling route.

Discover more destinations: Zderaz, Bítovany, Dřenice, Rostejn, Tisovec, Libkov, Třibřichy, Sec

For the broader travel overview: Okres Chrudim.