A castle park with rare trees over 150 years old, a Gothic church, and archaeological traces from Roman times give Červené Pečky several distinct areas to explore. There are also sacred buildings dating from various centuries and recurring cultural events. When planning your trip, the key question is whether you want to focus on the history of the park and buildings, local events, or individual places to visit.
Castle Park and Garden Culture
The Hrubých z Jelení family’s castle was built in the 17th century on the site of an earlier fortress. The castle park is laid out in the English style and contains rare trees that are over 150 years old. Its history also includes a remarkable horticultural use: ornamental plants, especially orchids, were cultivated and grown in dozens of greenhouses, and the collection was among the most famous in Europe. Those interested in garden design can consider the park’s layout and its former orchid culture as two facets of the same place.
Church and Sacred Architecture
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is a Gothic church dating from the first quarter of the 14th century. It was first mentioned as a parish church in 1352. The complex also includes a disused cemetery with a historic enclosure and a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. This ensemble offers a chance to explore both the church’s early history and other elements of the sacred landscape.
Smaller sacred buildings also display a range of forms and dates. The Boží muka is a column-shaped wayside shrine dating from 1757. The three-sided niche chapel is a small Baroque sacred building from the 18th century. The Baroque statue of Saint Margaret also dates from the first half of the 18th century. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary was originally a Baroque niche chapel from the 18th century and was remodelled in 1842.
Two other chapels date from the mid-19th century. In 1846, the Hrubý family built the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Empire style on the edge of Červené Pečky; it has a crypt. The burial chapel of Baron Josef Hrubý’s family is a late Empire-style building dating from 1845–1846. The two buildings can be compared by date, but they have different names and functions: the Chapel of the Holy Cross is noted as having a crypt, while the other is a burial chapel.
Locations and Bridges
Some precise location details help distinguish the individual buildings. The Chapel of the Virgin Mary stands on the southern edge of Červené Pečky, on the road to Bojiště. In the northern part of the village, the stone bridge at Na Pazderně crosses the Nebovidský potok; it is near the Pazderna pond. Another stone bridge is a railway bridge: it spans the valley of the Chotouchovský potok between Červené Pečky and Ratboř stations and dates from 1899–1900.
Archaeological traces are also part of the local landscape. The Ohrada area contains a settlement site from Roman times. Finds there include clay vessels, animal bones, and traces of a dwelling. This means that the history of Červené Pečky reaches far beyond the story of its castle and churches.
Events and Practical Information
Church Night traditionally takes place at the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Červenopečecká Pecka is a recurring open-air festival featuring folk, tramp, and country music in the castle park. If you want to plan your trip around an event, check the announced dates in advance.
There is no marked trail to Lom u Červených Peček. Access is from a bridge via a faint path on the left bank of the Nebovidský potok. Local trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out. This lets you plan a visit to this point with a clear idea of how to get there.
Discover more destinations: Dolní Chvatliny, Ratbor, Kbel, Hradešín, Tuchoraz, Polní Voděrady, Ratenice, Tři Dvory.
For the broader travel overview: Kolín District.
