Discover Skuteč: Music, Churches and Granite Quarries

Skuteč brings together musical memorial sites, church art and the history of granite quarrying. If you are looking for a destination that combines culture and activity, you will find a variety of themes here: memorial sites dedicated to composers, historic church furnishings and an educational trail in the area around the town. This makes it easy to decide whether you would rather spend your time exploring music and architectural history or outdoors on a trail linked to the quarries.

Music and memorial sites

At the V. Novák Memorial, three areas offer a glimpse into the composer’s life: his preserved study, a music room with a piano and a museum room about his life and work, with a particular connection to Skuteč. Each room has a different focus—from his personal workspace to music and biographical context. For travelers interested in culture, the memorial offers a tangible way to explore V. Novák’s connection to the town.

Another musical memorial site is the V. J. Tomášek Birth House. Since 2000, the house has served as a permanent memorial to V. J. Tomášek. Together with the V. Novák Memorial, it makes music the focus of two different memorial sites within Skuteč’s cultural profile: one is devoted to Novák’s life and work, the other to Tomášek.

Church art and historic buildings

In the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, furnishings from different centuries stand side by side. The tin baptismal font dates from 1318. Fragments of early 16th-century wall paintings can be found in the presbytery; the Renaissance sandstone pulpit was made between 1560 and 1570. This range of dates and variety of objects—the font, paintings and pulpit—offer several concrete points of interest for art history.

The Church of Corpus Christi offers a different architectural focus: the single-nave Gothic church was built in 1391. The Marian Column can also be explored through its imagery. Statues of Saint Wenceslas, Saint Joseph, Saint Florian and Saint Ludmila stand around the central Immaculata on a globe. The column thus offers a different way to explore art history than the churches’ architectural forms or historic furnishings.

Among the secular buildings is Zvěřinův dům, a late Gothic burgher house with a stone portal dating from the first half of the 16th century. It is believed to be the oldest house in Skuteč, although this remains a supposition. Another historic depiction in the town is the sandstone Statue of St. John of Nepomuk, dating from 1747. It is located in a niche of house No. 43 on V. Novák Street.

Educational trail in the area around Skuteč

The Horkami Granite Trail is a 4.5-kilometer educational trail with 17 stops in the area around Skuteč. The route passes abandoned or flooded granite quarries, connecting the history of quarrying with information and activities along the way. Features include historic elements from quarry operations, educational and play features, and rest areas. Videos and augmented reality applications add digital ways to explore the route.

A guide with a map of the Horkami Granite Trail is available to help you find your way. It can be obtained from the Skuteč Town Museum or downloaded; check availability before your trip. This lets you take the route’s length, its 17 stops and the different features along the way into account when planning.

The Regional Museum of Skuteč is partially accessible. As construction work may affect accessibility, check the current situation before your trip. This information is particularly useful if the museum’s accessibility is a factor in your choice of accommodation.

Discover more destinations: Pokřikov, Parizov, Vortová, Vejvanovice, Skalice, Studnice, Mladoňovice, Vysočina

For the overview of the wider region: Chrudim District.