Dolní Újezd lies in gently rolling terrain on both sides of the Desná valley. Church architecture, sculptures, rural architecture and a circular route take you through different chapters of the town’s history. When planning your visit, it is especially useful to distinguish between the inner circular route and the full route. There are also two recurring festivals held on different dates. You can plan your stay around historic buildings, the route or the events calendar.
The Desná Valley and the Circular Route
The Poznávací okruh po sochařských a stavebních památkách comprises 32 stops in Dolní Újezd and the surrounding area and is approximately 33 kilometres long. Of this, 8 kilometres make up an inner circular route through the town. The two figures therefore describe different sections: the inner circular route leads through Dolní Újezd, while the full route also takes in the surrounding area. Each stop has a numbered sign and a QR code. The code links to descriptions of the monuments and directions to the next stop. The route description was updated in June 2026.
St Martin’s Church: Several Building Phases
The parish church of St Martin has a building history spanning the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It was originally a single-nave Romanesque gallery church dating from the first half of the 13th century. The Gothic presbytery was added in the second half of the 14th century. During an expansion in the 16th century, a sacristy and a north porch were added; the Renaissance portal on the south side dates from the same period. The sequence of building phases gives the church a historical depth that cannot be reduced to a single style.
Sculptures, a Bridge and Folk Architecture
The Pomník selského povstání is a monumental sculpture made of Hořice sandstone. It commemorates the peasant uprising of 1680, was created to a design by Jan Štursa and executed by the sculptor Otakar Velínský. The monument was unveiled on 14 July 1914. According to a school chronicle, more than 15,000 people are said to have attended the ceremony. Another significant work is the Mariánské sousoší na Rovince, created in 1737 by the East Bohemian Baroque sculptor Jiří František Pacák. It is considered a High Baroque work with elements of lyrical Rococo sentimentality. The stone bridge known as Pražský most also forms part of the town’s architectural history; it dates from 1868. Several surviving farmsteads from the 19th century are examples of folk architecture.
Annual Festivals and a Cycling Route
Újezdské babí léto is an annual country-folk festival held on the second-to-last weekend in August. It takes place in the natural area of the Volunteer Fire Brigade in the Desná valley, next to the swimming pool; the grounds are used as a campsite during the festival. The exact date may vary from year to year. Another annual event is the traditional Benátská noc, celebrated in early July in the natural area in the Desná valley. Check its exact date before travelling. The two festivals therefore take place at different times in summer and may influence your choice of travel dates.
The KČT cycling route 4019, named Krajem Smetany a Martinů, also passes through Dolní Újezd. Check the route details before setting off. Together with the monuments circular route, it offers another way to explore the town’s themes: one route is designated as a cycling route, while the other connects stops featuring architectural and sculptural monuments.
Discover more destinations: Litomyšl, Svojanov, Březiny, Chmelík, Horní Újezd, Rychnov Na Moravě, Sklené, Benátky.
For the broader travel overview: Svitavy District.
