Letohrad offers two different perspectives on the city’s history: the Muzeum řemesel (Craft Museum) focuses on crafts and trades of the 19th and early 20th centuries, while the urban heritage zone puts squares, arcades and baroque religious architecture centre stage. The Bažantnice–Obora nature trail adds another dimension, with stops linking forestry, nature, wildlife and plants, and local traditions. This makes it easy to decide early in your trip planning whether to focus on cultural history, architecture or nature.
Craft history and historic architecture
The Muzeum řemesel is located in the listed Nový dvůr complex, dating from 1750. It comprises 89 connected exhibitions devoted to crafts and trades from 1840 to 1930. The museum thus focuses on a range of occupations within a clearly defined historical period. Those interested in the history of crafts and trades will find a specific focus for their stay here.
The urban heritage zone dates back to the early 16th century. It includes a long rectangular square with preserved arcades. The baroque Church of St. Wenceslas is also part of the zone, and its interior features unique stucco decoration. The square, arcades and church’s ornamentation offer distinct, clearly identifiable themes in Letohrad’s architectural history.
Another baroque landmark is the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk on Kopeček. The five-sided pilgrimage chapel was built in 1734. Its architecture recalls the Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora in Žďár nad Sázavou. A diocesan report dated 8 August 2020 described the chapel as a pilgrimage site that was still active; check current access arrangements before visiting.
Nature along the trail and in the castle garden
The Bažantnice–Obora nature trail begins at the northern edge of Letohrad, at the entrance to the Letohradská bažantnice nature monument. It is marked, rated as moderately difficult and has eight stops. Topics include the history and present-day practice of forest management, historical context and the area’s natural features. Local wildlife and plants, hunting, local legends and water management are also covered. The route combines walking with a wide-ranging educational programme rather than focusing on a single aspect of nature.
The trail’s starting point in Letohrad can be reached by bus and train. As timetables and trail conditions may change, it is worth checking the timetable and the latest trail information before travelling.
Letohrad is one of only two natural sites in the Czech Republic where the strictly protected KandĂk psĂ zub (dog’s-tooth violet) is found, and it is also the species’ northernmost site in the country. It blooms at a specific time of year. If this rare occurrence is a reason for your trip, plan the timing of your nature observation accordingly.
A description dated 5 April 2026 mentions a permanent exhibition of Australian parrots in the restored orangery in the castle garden, as well as a saltwater aquarium with colourful corals and fish. It describes interactive features in the educational garden in the castle grounds, including a dendrophone, where visitors can try out the different sounds made by various types of wood. Check the exhibition details and visitor access before travelling; the outdoor features may also change.
Choose the focus of your stay
The heritage zone and museum offer specific ways to explore cultural history, while the nature trail has a different focus, with natural history, forestry and regional topics. This lets you choose what to discover in Letohrad based on your own travel interests, without combining the different experiences into a fixed itinerary. Check current access arrangements before visiting the museum, chapel and castle garden.
Discover more destinations: Libchavy, Leština, Vysoké Mýto, Studené, Pastviny, Jamne Nad Orlici, Hejnice U Žamberka, Lisnice.
Back to the main travel overview: Okres ĂšstĂ Nad OrlicĂ.
