In Velká Dobrá, different historical periods come together with practical ideas for a stay: a chapel with a varied building history, an archaeologically significant burial mound site, and a cycle path through the village. The landscape is gently hilly; the built-up area ranges from 395 metres above sea level at the western edge to 430 metres at the eastern edge. A significant historical turning point came in 1935, when Velká Dobrá and Malá Dobrá were merged.
Chapel and village history
The Chapel of the Finding of the Holy Cross (Kaple Nalezení svatého Kříže) was built in 1765. It was demolished and rebuilt in its present form in 1816, then consecrated in 1817. The modest, carefully proportioned chapel has the floor plan of a single-nave church and a chancel with a straight end.
A mass is celebrated there at 11:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month. As service schedules may change, check the date before travelling. The statue of St John of Nepomuk (Socha sv. Jana Nepomuckého) was restored in 1969–1970 and placed beside the chapel above the pond.
Another trace of the past is the Velká Dobrá fortress. It was built towards the end of the 15th century and later converted into a granary. The surviving remains have been incorporated into later buildings. The two building histories are separated by a considerable span of time: the fortress was built towards the end of the 15th century and later converted into a granary, while the chapel was built in 1765, rebuilt in its present form in 1816, and consecrated in 1817.
Burial mounds and navigation
The Velká Dobrá burial mound site (Mohylové pohřebiště Velká Dobrá) is one of the few sites in Central Bohemia where burial mounds have been preserved on a significant scale. There were once about 60 mounds on an unassuming eastern slope; most were destroyed in the fields, while some remain in the forest.
The southeastern entrance to the Velká Dobrá burial mound site (Mohylník Velká Dobrá) is at N 50°06′58.30″, E 14°04′17.10″. Another navigation point is at mound no. 23, by the monument, N 50°07′04.29″, E 14°04′06.90″. As local paths may change, check the route before your visit.
Cycle path and sports
The “Kožová hora – Malé Kyšice” cycle path runs through Velká Dobrá and connects the village with Pletený Újezd, Braškov, Kyšice, Horní Bezděkov, Unhošť and Malé Kyšice. Information boards, as well as tables and benches for resting, are placed along the route. The cycle path therefore offers both navigation information and places to take a break.
The Velká Dobrá sports complex (Sportovní areál Velká Dobrá) offers a sand-surfaced tennis court and a multi-purpose court for hire. As availability may change, check in advance.
Discover more destinations: Pletený Újezd, Podlešín, Přelíc, Ledce, Jemníky, Otvovice, Královice, Studeněves
For the wider travel overview: Kladno District.
