Nový Jičín reveals its history in its preserved town centre, distinctive buildings and street grid dating back to the town’s founding. The easy “Koleje” cycling route adds a different dimension. When choosing a holiday rental, you might first consider whether you want to devote your stay mainly to architecture and urban history, or include a bike ride as well.
Arcades and the historic town centre
The Městská památková rezervace Nový Jičín (Nový Jičín Urban Conservation Area) preserves historic plots, the character of the buildings, traditional floor plans and historic structures in the town centre. The arcades connect the buildings and are also part of this historic townscape. The focus is therefore not only on individual houses, but also on how they relate to their plots and the street space.
The ensemble includes a square with arcades. The adjoining streets form a right-angled grid that reflects the town’s founding period under Přemysl Otakar II. The historic town centre is considered one of the most original and authentic examples of a Renaissance-Baroque town with preserved medieval urban planning. This makes Nový Jičín particularly interesting if you are interested in the development of historic town plans and their architectural forms.
Towers, villas and town history
The Renaissance prismatic tower of the Kostelní věž farního chrámu Nanebevzetí Panny Marie (Church Tower of the Parish Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) was built in the late 16th century. It is 66 metres high, including the dome. Another architectural highlight is the Hückel villas, which include a pair of mirror-image villas built between 1880 and 1882 to designs by Viennese architect Otto Thienemann.
The public park around the Hückel villas has a path from Revoluční Street to Lesopark Skalky (Skalky Forest Park). This means you can appreciate the villas not only as individual buildings; the park and its through-path are also local visitor attractions. The path connects these two specific points.
Žerotínský zámek (Žerotín Castle) is also part of the town’s history: after 1945, the castle became the seat of Muzeum Novojičínska (the Nový Jičín Regional Museum). The museum has a collection of hats and headwear that is unique in Europe. Austrian Field Marshal Ernst Gideon von Laudon died in 1790 in the historic Laudonův dům (Laudon House). Since 2011, the building has housed the Návštěvnické centrum (Visitor Centre).
At Laudon House, children and adults can play Laudoncaching, a variation on geocaching. This adds a playful dimension to the visit, alongside the house’s historical significance. The Návštěvnické centrum Nový Jičín is fully accessible: there is a ramp at the main entrance, and a lift in the rear part of the building is available for visitors with reduced mobility and those with pushchairs.
Cultural interests or cycling
The “Koleje” cycling route is easy, with only gentle inclines, and is suitable for families with children. It offers a different focus from the town’s architecture and history. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Nový Jičín, you can plan your stay around your interests: would you like to focus mainly on the historic town centre, the villas and the town’s history, or include an easy bike ride as well? This lets you choose what to explore during your stay according to your own preferences, without having to follow a fixed itinerary of sights.
Discover more destinations: Jistebník, Tísek, Nový Svet, Hladké Životice, Sedlnice, Kunín, Trnávka, Mankovice.
For the broader travel overview: Nový Jičín District.
