For a stay in Skřivany, architectural history, landscape and the memory of Václav Vojtěch offer distinct points of focus. The castle, St. Anne’s Church and the bell tower tell of several historical periods; the Cidlina, Vrší and Vojtěch’s Oak offer different perspectives. Which of these you choose to highlight depends on whether you mainly want to explore architecture, local history or the landscape.

Castle, Church and Bell Tower

The castle in Skřivany is protected as an immovable cultural monument under registration number ÚSKP 46918/6-694. The old Renaissance fortress was probably extensively converted into a Baroque castle around 1720. In 1867–1868, Gustav Ledvinka had the castle completely remodelled in the Windsor Gothic style, based on a design by Josef Niklas. The sequence of dates thus leads from the earlier fortress, through the Baroque castle, to its later Neo-Gothic character.

St. Anne’s Church was founded in 1720 as the castle chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and dedicated to Saint Anne in 1842. It has been a protected monument since 22 January 1964. The church’s history thus connects its original dedication with its later patron saint.

The wooden, hexagonal bell tower is thought to date from after 1720. Following the sugar factory fire in 1905, it was built behind the road at its present location. In 2004, the bell tower was completely restored and received a newly cast bell the following year.

Landscape and the Memory of Václav Vojtěch

The Cidlina flows along the eastern edge of Skřivany; its riverbed has been partially regulated. From Vrší, you can look out over Skřivany and the surrounding area. In fine weather, the view also reaches the Chlumecké vrchy and the Jičín volcanic peaks, set against the mountain backdrop of the Krkonoše. The river and the viewpoint offer different landscape perspectives: here, the partially regulated riverbed; there, a view over the village and, in clearer weather, as far as the ridges.

Vojtěch’s Oak is a pedunculate oak more than 400 years old. Its trunk circumference is 690 centimetres, and it is 27 metres tall. The tree stands near the forester’s lodge where Dr. Václav Vojtěch was born; the lodge is on the road from Skřivany to Myštěves. There are benches and information boards by the oak. These amenities may change, so it is worth checking their current condition on site. The Dr. Václav Vojtěch nature trail runs around the tree; you should also check local trail conditions.

A monument to Václav Vojtěch stands in the park in front of the Skřivany municipal office. It commemorates the traveller who became the first Czech to set foot in Antarctica as part of Admiral Byrd’s expedition. Together with the forester’s lodge and the nature trail named after him, the monument provides several points of reference to his story in Skřivany.

Cycling Route and Rail Connection

The 36.5-kilometre cycling tour “Town of Czech Queens and Student Revels” runs through Skřivany to Sloupno. Check the route details again before setting out. Another transport connection from Skřivany is railway line No. 040 between Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Stará Paka and Trutnov. If you are planning your journey around this connection, check the timetables and stopping patterns in advance.

Discover more destinations: Králíky near Nový Bydžov, Máslojedy, Praskačka, Lovčice, Zachrašťany, Sadová, Hradec Králové, Zábědov

For the broader travel overview: Hradec Králové District.