Velká Jesenice combines a cycling route of about 19 kilometres with cultural and historical sights and water sports at the Rozkoš Reservoir. The Rozkoš Cycle Route includes the village as part of its route around the reservoir; wakesurfing is also available on the water. In the village and above it, a former parish church, monuments and a chapel take centre stage. This lets you decide how to balance cycling, water sports and local history during your stay, rather than turning these different interests into a fixed itinerary.

Cycling and water sports at Rozkoš

Opened in June 2026, the Rozkoš Cycle Route is about 19 kilometres long. It connects communities around the reservoir, including Velká Jesenice. Its length gives you a concrete measure of the cycling loop if you want to make cycling a focus of your stay. The route has rest areas, shelters, bicycle service stations, bicycle stands and charging stations for electric bicycles. As the infrastructure may change, check current route information before setting out.

Wakesurf Rozkoš is located at Velká Jesenice 233 and offers wakesurfing on the Rozkoš Reservoir behind a specially equipped boat. This gives you a choice of two different activities connected with the reservoir: a cycling route linking communities around it, and wakesurfing on the water. The municipality of Velká Jesenice lies within the reservoir’s special flood zone. The reservoir serves to protect against flooding, regulate flows into the Elbe, provide recreation and support fish farming.

Church and services

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Velká Jesenice is now a filial church; it was formerly a parish church. It was mentioned as a parish church as early as 1384. These two facts offer different perspectives on the same place of worship: its early recorded history and its current ecclesiastical status. For travellers interested in local history, it provides a specific point of reference.

A service is held at the church on Sundays at 10:00, except on the last Sunday of the month. If you would like to attend a service during your visit, check the date with the parish in advance. This will help you account for the exception at the end of the month when planning.

Monuments in the village

The Pomník Jendy Hofmana monument stands right next to the church. Brothers Josef and Antonín Wagner created it in 1926–1927; it has been protected as a cultural monument since 1995. Its immediate proximity to the church makes it a distinct, clearly located point of local history. The date of its creation and the sculptors’ names give the monument a different historical dimension from the church’s much earlier recorded history.

The statue Socha sv. Václava is another protected cultural monument; it too has been protected since 1995. It was created by local merchant and self-taught sculptor Jan Haž, also known as Háž. It stands at the upper edge of Velká Jesenice, at the junction of road II/304 and a local road. Its position at the edge of the village and the specific road junction are both useful for finding it.

The chapel on Varta

Above Velká Jesenice, on Varta, stands the Chapel of St Francis of Assisi. Built in 1868 in the Neo-Romanesque style, it has been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1995. The style identifies its architectural character; the year it was built and its protected status add two specific historical dates. Along with the church and the two monuments, it offers another way to explore the area’s architectural and local history, without requiring the individual sights to be combined into a single route.

When choosing what to do during your stay, you can first decide what interests you most: the cycle route provides a stated distance, Wakesurf Rozkoš offers an activity on the reservoir, and the church, monument and chapel represent different historical and artistic aspects. Information about the sights can help you sort out your interests for your stay; how you combine them is up to you.

Discover more destinations: Žďár Nad Metují, Jaroměř, Žďárky, Černčice, Stolin, Vršovka, Hronov, Běluň

See the wider travel overview: Náchod District.