The history of Všestary stretches from prehistoric settlement to the Battle of 1866. The Archeopark pravěku, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the museum on the Chlum battlefield offer different ways to explore the history of the town and its surroundings. Cycling routes, a swimming pool and a theatre are also among the local attractions.
Prehistory at the Archaeopark
The Archeopark pravěku Všestary comprises a main exhibition on prehistory, an outdoor exhibition and examples of prehistoric buildings. These include a Neolithic house and a Chalcolithic house; there is also an exhibition on domestic animals. The main exhibition spans three floors and features a large model of prehistoric landscapes and human settlements. This offers a view not only of individual building types, but also of landscapes and settlements.
The history of the town goes back even further: there is evidence of prehistoric settlement in Všestary. The town was founded by the Melounka stream and on an old trade route linking Hradec Králové with Hořice and Jičín. Today, Všestary lies about 7 km west of Hradec Králové on the I/35 road. The Archeopark is about a 15-minute walk from Všestary railway station.
The 1866 battlefield and its memorial sites
Within the municipality of Všestary, the Muzeum války 1866 is part of the Chlum battlefield complex. The museum explores the conflict through personal stories of soldiers and civilians. A mobile augmented reality experience brings artillery positions, trenches and troop movements to life in the battlefield landscape. Guided tours of the exhibition and battlefield are available to book; check the booking arrangements in advance, as they may change.
The memorial landscape also includes the monuments on the battlefield: there are almost 500, together forming the largest collection of funerary architecture in Czechia. Viewing this memorial landscape offers a different perspective from the museum, which explores the conflict through the stories of the soldiers and civilians involved.
Church of the Holy Trinity
The Church of the Holy Trinity is a protected cultural monument and a landmark of Všestary and its surroundings. The present-day Neoclassical church was built in 1842–1843 after the earlier church was demolished, with the exception of its tower. The tower dates from the Gothic and Renaissance periods. The building thus shows both the history of the present-day church and an older architectural feature.
Cycling routes with different profiles
Length and route help when choosing between two circular routes: the 20 km “Chlum přes Hoříněves” cycling route starts at Všestary railway station and passes through Rozběřice on its way back to Všestary. The 26 km “Dlouhý okruh bitvou r. 1866” also starts in Všestary, heads to Chlum and returns via Rozběřice. It is therefore six kilometres longer and specifically includes the section to Chlum. Check route conditions before setting off.
Another option is the educational cycling route from Hradec Králové to the Archeopark pravěku Všestary, which stops at archaeological sites. It complements the two circular routes, described by length and return point, with a focus on archaeological sites. You can choose based on whether you want to focus on the route itself, Chlum or archaeological stops; you should also check conditions before setting off on this route.
More cultural and leisure activities
The swimming pool in Všestary offers swimming lessons for everyone from children aged six months to competitive swimmers. As course offerings may change, it is advisable to check what is available in advance. The municipality is also home to the Lesní divadlo Chlum, which hosts theatre and music programmes; individual programmes vary. According to local tradition, the open-air theatre was founded in the early 1920s as a venue for amateur plays.
When looking for a holiday rental in Všestary, you can make the focus of your trip your starting point: prehistory at the Archeopark, the 1866 memorial sites or one of the cycling routes described above. These different themes offer different ways to shape your stay, without requiring you to combine them into a single itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Habřina, Nepolisy, Radíkovice, Prasek, Jílovice, Radostov, Třesovice, Starý Bydžov.
See the overview of the wider area: Hradec Králové District.
