Velké Svatoňovice offers several distinct themes for exploring the town: historic firefighting equipment, a memorial to the victims of two world wars, religious heritage and the centrally located pond Rybník Aman. The Firefighting Museum focuses on technology, while the chapel and historic buildings offer further insights into the town’s history. The pond adds a waterside destination to the mix. When planning your visit, you can first decide whether cultural history or the pond will shape your stay.

Firefighting technology in the Bohemian lands

The Firefighting Museum in Velké Svatoňovice presents historic firefighting equipment. The exhibition covers its development in the Bohemian lands from around the mid-19th century to the second half of the 20th century. This span of more than a century puts the technological development itself at the centre. For those interested in the history of technology, the museum’s focus is clearly defined. Visits are possible by prior telephone appointment, so be sure to call before your visit.

Remembrance and religious heritage

The memorial to the victims of the First and Second World Wars stands in the centre of Velké Svatoňovice, opposite the pond. The Chapel of St. Wenceslas the Martyr is in the Velké Svatoňovice district. It was built in 1903 and last reconstructed in 2003. Exactly one century separates its construction from its most recent reconstruction. The memorial and the chapel represent different cultural perspectives: remembrance of war victims and religious heritage.

Historic buildings and their dates

The Schreiber homestead, No. 238, was built in 1634 and has been a protected monument since 22 April 1964. The barn beside house No. 239 dates from the 18th century, is partly built using log construction and has been protected since 30 September 1998. The two buildings differ both in their period of construction and in how precisely that date is known: a specific construction year is recorded for the homestead, while the barn is dated to a century. Only part of the barn is built using log construction; this method was not used for the entire building. The construction date and the date it became a protected monument refer to different points in time.

Rybník Aman: location and use

Rybník Aman is in the central part of Velké Svatoňovice, on the Markoušovický potok, also called the Zaječí potok. The pond is used for fishing; swimming is at your own risk. These are different considerations for planning your visit: fishing is one of the pond’s uses, while swimming comes with an explicit risk warning. Keep this distinction in mind if you are considering including the pond in your plans.

Different historical time spans

The dates refer to different scales: the homestead and barn are dated by a construction year or a century, while both the chapel’s construction and its later reconstruction are dated. The museum, in turn, covers the development of firefighting technology over more than a century. This allows you to distinguish individual building histories from the longer-term development of firefighting technology.

Discover more destinations: Malé Svatoňovice, Starobucke Debrne, Slemeno, Dolní Olešnice, Rtyne V Podkrkonosi, Staré Buky, Marsov U Upice, Chotevice.

Return to the regional travel overview: Okres Trutnov.