Ceramics, brewing history and the development of the castle offer different cultural perspectives in Kostelec nad Černými lesy. There are also two educational trails with clearly distinct themes. When planning your stay, you can choose to focus on crafts and collections, industrial architecture, castle history or learning about nature.
Ceramics: Collection and Hands-On Creation
The Muzeum keramiky displays a collection by Michaela Třeštík and Jana Novák featuring more than 1,300 ceramic pieces. Ceramics in Kostelec are therefore not just a subject for practical courses: the museum places an extensive collection centre stage.
The newly built public ceramics workshop at Vondráčkova továrna offers a hands-on way to explore the craft. It runs courses for the general public, covering how to work with ceramic clay, throw pots on a pottery wheel and glaze them. Course offerings may change; check in advance which courses are currently available. This makes it easy to decide whether you are more interested in viewing the collection or working with ceramics yourself.
Brewing History and Beer Selection
The Černokostelecký pivovar brewery complex is an exceptionally well-preserved example of industrial architecture, with unique technology dating from the First Republic period. The National Museum of Brewing is housed in the unique, authentic spaces of Kostelec nad Černými lesy’s historic brewery, malt house and malt mill. The architecture and the use of these historic spaces offer several tangible aspects of the brewing theme.
The Černokostelecký pivovar offers beers from various Czech microbreweries. The selection may change, so check the current offering if you are interested. This is a practical complement to the historical and architectural aspects of the brewery complex, but does not imply that any particular tasting is available.
Castle History and a May Event
Kostelec nad Černými lesy Castle was built on the site of a 13th-century royal castle as a Renaissance château and was later remodelled in the Baroque style. The transition from the medieval predecessor to the Renaissance château and its later Baroque transformation offer a clear historical perspective on the building.
The Keramický den may also be useful when planning your dates: it is held regularly on the last Saturday in May. If the date matters for your trip, check the exact date for the year in question.
Two Educational Trails with Different Focuses
Lesárium is 300 metres long and features 15 interactive elements. It opened in 2024; details may change if the exhibition is updated. The educational trail about wetland habitats at the FLD Arboretum near Kostelec nad Černými lesy presents information at ten stops about various models of protected wetland habitats. Woody plants are the main focus.
The two offerings differ mainly in their subject matter and how they present it: Lesárium focuses on interactive elements, while the FLD Arboretum trail focuses on models of protected wetland habitats and woody plants. You can choose based on the topics that interest you most.
Discover more destinations: Měšice, Zdiby, Petříkov, Radějovice, Hlavenec, Křenice, Sluhy, Kuří
For the overview of the wider area: Okres Praha-Východ.
