Sloupno has two distinct sides: the castle’s architectural history and the Cidlina’s river landscape. Today’s castle represents a development from a Renaissance fortress to a Baroque Benedictine residence; at the eastern edge of the village, the Cidlina flows through the channel known as the “Mlýnská Cidlina.” In Sloupno, you can therefore encounter both a local history shaped by several building phases and a river landscape with diverse flora and fauna. If you are considering the village as a destination, you can treat cultural history and nature as two separate interests.

Sloupno Castle: From Fortress to Residence

Around the middle of the 16th century, a new Renaissance fortress was built in Sloupno. It was later expanded in the Baroque style and converted into a Benedictine residence. The present-day castle was built after the middle of the 18th century under Abbot Benno I Löbl as a Benedictine residence serving the Břevnov-Broumov Monastery. Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer drew up the design for the present-day castle in 1748. The date of the design and the later construction refer to distinct stages in the building’s history. The transformation from fortress to residence is its central theme.

Historical Accounts and Local Traces

Jan Amos Komenský is also part of the local historical narrative. He is said to have hidden for a time at the Sloupno estate in a Renaissance fortress before going into exile in Poland. This episode adds a biographical perspective to the building’s history: the focus is on a possible stay before his exile in Poland.

A monument to Josef Eduard Proche, erected in 1958, stands in front of the Sloupno cemetery. A wooden cross commissioned by estate manager Jiří Hovad still stands beside a field path to Starý Bydžov; check its condition on site. The monument bears a year, while the cross is associated with its commissioner and its location by the field path. Agriculture also features in the village’s history: an apple grown in 1894 was named “Libernáč sloupenský.” This apple variety broadens the picture beyond buildings and memorials, adding a specific connection to cultivation.

The Cidlina and Its Banks

At the eastern edge of Sloupno, the Cidlina flows through the channel known as the “Mlýnská Cidlina.” In the Sloupno area, both banks of the Cidlina have natural stretches along their entire length, with diverse and rare flora and fauna. The river channel and its banks thus give the village a distinctive connection to nature alongside its castle and local history. The Cidlina is a destination for adventurous visitors and nature lovers. Check locally before entering the river.

A Specific Advent Event

On November 23, 2025, “Vítání adventu” at Sloupno Castle featured a Christmas-themed sales exhibition and an Advent concert. If an event is important to your stay, check the dates for your desired year.

Discover more destinations: Vysoká Nad Labem, Kosice, Divec, Lodín, Syrovátka, Hlušice, Běleč Nad Orlicí, Blešno.

View the broader travel overview: Okres Hradec Králové.