Holenice lies in a picturesque valley along the Boučnice stream, between Lomnice nad Popelkou, Rovensko pod Troskami and Libuň. The municipality is part of Český ráj and the UNESCO Český ráj Geopark. Its landscape, geology and local history offer different perspectives on the area—from its location in the valley to a geological and palaeontological site of national significance.
A Valley in Český ráj
From the road from Veselá, there is a wide view of Holenice and the houses along the Boučnice stream. This view of the village complements the description of the valley with a closer look at the settlement itself. In the wider Český ráj area, numerous natural, cultural, historical and geological landmarks are concentrated within a small area. Holenice is therefore part of a diverse landscape and historical setting.
Holenický Quarry: Geology by the Stream
Holenický Quarry lies on the northern edge of the municipality, in the forest, at a sharp bend in the road from Veselá and on the right bank of the Boučnice stream. The quarry is a geological and palaeontological site of national significance. Geology focuses on the composition and development of the Earth; palaeontology studies past life forms and their traces. This dual designation makes Holenický Quarry a distinctive subject for travellers interested in nature and Earth’s history.
The road from Veselá offers a view of the houses along the stream, while Holenický Quarry represents the geological and palaeontological focus. These are two distinct aspects of Holenice: the village in the valley and the Earth’s history at the quarry.
The Hunting Lodge and Local History
A manor farm originally stood on the site of the hunting lodge; later, a wooden hunting lodge was built there. Count Aehrenthal had the present-day stone hunting lodge built in 1870 for 6,000 gulden. The former hunting lodge is considered Holenice’s oldest building and once belonged to the Hrubá Skála estate. This sequence—a farm, a wooden predecessor and a stone building—makes the development of the hunting lodge easy to trace.
Holenice’s history extends beyond the building. In 1628, the village passed to Albrecht von Wallenstein, who incorporated it into the Hruboskalsko estate. Grinding garnets at home was also once one of the residents’ main sources of income. The village’s history thus spans everything from earlier territorial arrangements to everyday livelihoods: the hunting lodge, political affiliation and craftsmanship offer different ways of exploring the past.
Getting to Holenice
In August 2026, IDOL bus route 553 connected Rovensko pod Troskami and Lomnice nad Popelkou via Holenice. It served the stops Holenice, Staré Holenice and Holenice lom. Holenice can be reached by rail via Jivany station. Check the current bus and train schedules before travelling, as timetables, operators and rail services may change.
Discover more destinations: Slana, Čistá U Horek, Horní Dusnice, Hochstadt An Der Iser, Peřimov, Bukovina U Turnova, Vítkovice V Krkonoších, Bozkov.
See the broader travel overview: Okres Semily.
