Vitice reveals traces of history in very different forms: at the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude, along the course of the prehistoric Čertova brázda, and at the Lipany Mound above Lipany. The span of time ranges from the church’s late Romanesque origins in the early 13th century to the unveiling of the monument on September 4, 1881. This allows you to consider architectural history, landscape, and the memory of the Battle of Lipany as distinct themes when planning your trip.
Church and sacred architecture
The Church of St. Simon and St. Jude has late Romanesque origins dating to the early 13th century and was remodeled in the Gothic style around 1380. It is one of the most valuable examples of Gothic architecture in Central Bohemia. In addition to the church, the protected site includes the bell tower, the perimeter wall, and the gate. The tower was built shortly before 1560 and preserves an original bell from that year. The gap of almost two centuries between the Gothic remodeling and the Renaissance tower makes the different building phases tangible.
A niche chapel in Vitice was built in 1920 to house a Baroque sandstone statue of St. John of Nepomuk dating to around 1780. The sculpture is therefore about 140 years older than the building constructed to house it. This chronological contrast creates a different emphasis from the successive building phases of the church: here, an older statue and a later-built chapel are connected.
Old routes and landscape features
The Čertova brázda, which runs through Vitice, is the remnant of a prehistoric route made up of sunken lanes and ditches. This makes a traditional route form a subject of interest alongside the history of individual buildings. The triangular promontory known as “Kozí hrádek” lies 300 meters northwest of the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude, above the Bylanka stream. The name “Kozí hrádek” is considered incorrect.
Lipany, the monument, and route plans
The manor house with farmyard No. 1 in Lipany (Vitice, Kolín District) was probably built on the site of a medieval fortress. The manor house was originally one story high and mostly vaulted. It was probably raised by one story in 1789, at which time it received a new roof structure and a small tower. Its building history reveals both the site’s probable origins and a later alteration to the building.
The Lipany Mound is a monument to Prokop Holý. It was unveiled above Lipany on September 4, 1881, and has been listed in the state register of cultural monuments since 1965. Historical reenactments of the Battle of Lipany are still held there in May. Check the specific event dates before traveling if you would like to plan your stay around this event.
The Lipany Mound educational trail begins with an introductory information board in the municipality of Vitice. Further stops present the history of the surrounding municipalities and the local natural environment. In addition, the Vitické pěšiny concept envisages a network of walking paths intended to connect Vitice with Dobré Pole, Lipany, Hřiby, Chotýš, and Močedník. This allows the named educational trail and its themes to be understood as a different form of regional orientation from the broader network plan.
Discover more travel destinations: Kšely, Nebovidy, Klučov, Pašinka, Konárovice, Libodřice, Přehvozdí, Drahobudice.
For the broader travel overview: Kolín District.
