Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí: Castles, Museums and Landscapes

Distinctive heights, rivers and cultural sites shape the landscape of Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí. In the eastern part of the district, the Orlické hory rise to Suchý vrch (995 m) and Buková hora (958 m); the northeast is dominated largely by the Králický Sněžník massif. As a result, different types of landscape lie side by side. The climate also varies considerably with altitude: Vysokomýtsko is the warmest and driest area, while Lanškrounsko is cooler and wetter. Králicko and the higher parts of Žambersko are among the coldest and wettest areas in Pardubický kraj. If you plan to visit different parts of the district, it is worth keeping these regional differences in mind.

Landscapes Between Heights and Water

The district lies on the European watershed. Its main rivers include the Tichá Orlice, Divoká Orlice, Třebovka and Moravská Sázava. At 110 hectares, the Pastvinská přehradní nádrž is the district’s largest body of water. Activities at the reservoir include pedal boating, boating, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing. Services and equipment availability can vary seasonally, so bear this in mind when making plans.

Forests also shape the region’s character: 31.9 percent of the district’s area is forested, the highest proportion among the districts in Pardubický kraj. Among the areas in the region least affected by human activity are the central and northern foothills and upland areas without major settlements. Together with the changes in elevation, this creates a varied landscape of rivers, wooded slopes and higher-altitude areas.

Castles, a Way of the Cross and Museums

Litice Castle stands on a hill in a bend of the Divoká Orlice, surrounded by extensive forests. It was extensively rebuilt under George of Poděbrady by 1468; in the 15th century, it was one of the most important fortresses in Bohemia. Lanšperk Castle tells a different story: it is a ruin on a wooded hill above the Tichá Orlice valley and was probably founded in the mid-13th century. Check access arrangements before setting out.

The Way of the Cross beyond the Tichá Orlice follows a forest path towards Andrlův chlum and has 14 stations. Stations I to XI are small chapels, while stations XII to XIV are larger. Station XIII is the Kalvárie Chapel, and Station XIV is the Božího hrobu Chapel. A hiking route of about seven kilometres leads from Ústí nad Orlicí along the Way of the Cross to the Andrlův chlum viewpoint. Trail conditions can change, so check them before your hike.

The Městské muzeum Králíky explores the history of Králicko. Its collections include nativity scenes, minerals, insects, and bird and mammal collections. The museum also serves as an information centre and hosts exhibitions, lectures and concerts; its programme may change. The Letohrad Museum of Crafts features, among other things, historic food-production trades: milling, baking, cheese and butter making, soda water production and beekeeping. A moving display features 25 carved craftspeople demonstrating 15 trades. The collection also includes more than 100 historic nativity scenes, nearly half of them made by carvers from Králicko.

Trails and Other Leisure Activities

The Military History Trail in Králíky connects the Hůrka artillery fortress, the Králíky Military Museum, a viewpoint and the K-S 14 infantry bunker. If you travel to the Military Museum by train, get off at Prostřední Lipka station; it is about a 300-metre walk from there. Train services and access arrangements may change, so check the current timetable and access conditions in advance.

The wider Orlicko-Třebovsko area offers leisure activities including cycling, inline skating, canoeing, and activities at a rope park and climbing wall. For cyclists, the Choceň–Ústí nad Orlicí–Letohrad cycle route is also a useful point of reference. These regional options complement the cultural and nature attractions of Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí with further ideas for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Chocen, Ceske Libchavy, Vlckovice, Valterice, Kraliky, Jamne Nad Orlici, Dolni Orlice, Nová Ves, Zamberk, Janovicky, Nekor, Mladkov, Lisnice, Lichkov, Letohrad, Horni Lipka, Dolní Morava, Vyprachtice, Sobkovice, Klásterec Nad Orlicí, Jablonne Nad Orlici, Cervená Voda, Cenkovice, Pustina, Sázava U Lanškrouna, Pastviny, Těchonín, Hejnice U Žamberka, České Petrovice, Záchlumí U Žamberka, Brandýs Nad Orlicí, Bučina, Bystřec, Vysoké Mýto, Cotkytle, Džbánov, Damníkov, Dlouhá Třebová, Dolní Dobrouč, Dolní Čermná, Wildenschwert, Ceská Rybná U Zamberka, Česká Třebová, České Heřmanice, Sruby, Hnátnice, Horní Čermná, Horní Hermanice V Cechách, Koldín, Hrušová, Kunvald V Cechách, Luková, Lanškroun, Libchavy, Svatý Jiří, Lukavice, Mostek, Orličky, Vračovice-Orlov, Ostrov, Písečná, Rudoltice, Rybník, Vraclav, Semanín, Sopotnice, Sudslava, Tatenice, Tisová, Třebovice, Újezd U Chocně, Verměřovice, Vinary, Voděrady, Zámrsk, Řepníky, Řetová, Řetůvka, Anenská Studánka, Běstovice, Studené, Bošín, Slatina, Dlouhoňovice, Dobříkov, Horní Heřmanice, Leština, Helvíkovice, Žampach, Horní Třešňovec, Hrádek, Libecina, Jehnědí, Kameničná, Kosořín, Krasíkov, Lubník, Velká Skrovnice, Mistrovice, Nové Hrady U Skutče, Nemcí, Zálší, Podlesí, Sudislav Nad Orlicí, Oucmanice, Petrovice, Plchovice, Přívrat, Radhošť, Skořenice, Stradouň, Strážná, Zádolí, Šedivec, Trpík, Týnišťko, Zářecká Lhota, Žichlínek, Zbudov, Rviště, Horní Morava.

For the wider travel overview: Pardubice.