Polní Voděrady offers two different starting points for an exploration: architectural history in the village and a proposed regional cycling tour that includes the village on its itinerary. Polní Voděrady lies 8.5 kilometres southwest of Kolín at an elevation of 322 metres. The village is first mentioned in 1088 as the property of the Vyšehrad Chapter. These details about its location and history provide geographical and historical context for your planning; the buildings and the route each offer their own thematic focus.
Château and church: different architectural histories
The present-day Polní Voděrady château is a Neoclassical new building dating from 1810–1811 and contains no older structural elements. It stands at the eastern edge of the village, on the road to Kolín, and is surrounded by a park. Its architectural context therefore depends on both the château’s style and date, and its location within the village. The description as a new building refers to the present-day château, not to older structural elements.
The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary features Baroque design elements. In front of its western façade is a Baroque porch; the façade is crowned by a Baroque gable with a stone group depicting the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. This group dates from 1770. The protected site also includes the cemetery wall, cemetery gates, steps and valuable tombstones: together with the church grounds, they are listed in the Ústřední seznam nemovitých kulturních památek České republiky, the Central List of Immovable Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic.
When comparing the architectural histories, it is important to associate the dates with the right features: 1770 is the date of the stone group at the church, while 1810–1811 refers to the Neoclassical new building of the château. The dates therefore apply to different structures and do not describe the architectural history of a single ensemble. If you are interested in architecture, you can consider the church’s Baroque façade decoration and the château’s Neoclassical architectural history as separate aspects of the village.
Polní Voděrady on the proposed route
Polní Voděrady can also be considered as a stop on a regional cycling tour. The December 2022 tourism strategy document lists the proposed cycling trip “Cyklovýlet za Labskými vyhlídkami a údolím Polepky” (“Cycling trip for views of the Elbe and the Polepka Valley”). The route runs from Kolín via Nová Ves I, Křečhoř, Libodřice, Polní Voděrady, Lošany, Kbel, Ratboř, Pašinka and Polepy, and back to Kolín. In this order, Polní Voděrady comes after Libodřice and before Lošany. The village is therefore listed as one of several stops on the tour, not as its sole destination. As the route is a proposal dating from 2022, and road conditions and practical feasibility may change, check it again before setting out.
This gives you two clearly distinct perspectives for your planning: the buildings offer a cultural and historical focus, while the route places the village among several stops on a circuit from Kolín. The elevation of 322 metres and its location 8.5 kilometres southwest of Kolín help with geographical orientation. If you are mainly interested in architectural history, the château and church offer specific architectural themes. If you are planning a cycling trip, you can check whether the proposed route suits your plans and take current road and route conditions into account.
Discover more destinations: Jestřabí Lhota, Pňov-Předhradí, Velký Osek, Krychnov, Křečhoř, Třebovle, Skvrňov, Dobřichov.
For the overview of the wider region: Kolín District.
