Dlouhopolsko – Nature Reserve, Pond Landscape and Local History

Dlouhopolsko lies in a gentle valley basin that gradually rises into a low hill in the west. The pond landscape, meadows, forest, and a rich local history give the destination several clearly recognisable facets. If you would like to include nature observation and historical traces in your travel decision, Dlouhopolsko offers an interesting thematic connection for this.

Landscape between Pond and Forest

The Dlouhopolsko National Nature Monument covers 23.8 ha of meadows on the southern and south-eastern shores of Dlouhopolský rybník. The protected meadow landscape thus forms a clearly defined natural area around the body of water.

Dlouhopolský rybník lies between Báňský kopec and the southern side of Dlouhopolsko. At its narrowest point, a road divides the pond into the southern part, Velký rybník, and the northern part, Králík. If you compare local maps or descriptions, these names help distinguish the two sections.

A special natural-history feature is the local population of the marsh orchid (Orchis palustris) at Dlouhopolský rybník. It is one of the largest in the Czech Republic. The Obora forest area is also characterised by a clear figure for its size: it extends over an area of 800 ha.

Traces of Local History

The remains of Dlouhopolsko Fortress were discovered in the early 1930s on a small hill in the middle of Dlouhopolský rybník. This find gives the pond landscape a historical dimension that extends beyond its present-day geographical form.

In the village, a monument to those who fell in the First World War also commemorates the history of the 20th century. It is a work by the sculptor František Petera from Chlumec nad Cidlinou and was ceremonially unveiled on 28 October 1921.

A new monument to T. G. Masaryk, featuring a new white sandstone bust, was unveiled in Dlouhopolsko in 1991. In front of House No. 71, the bell tower preserves a bell that was moved there from Malá strana. Both places add different forms of remembrance to the local history.

Religious traditions are also part of the documented history of the village: processions and pilgrimages to the Boží muky began in Dlouhopolsko in 1902. Those who would like to explore cultural details not only through major buildings but also through local memorial sites will find several specific points of connection here.

Location for Choosing Where to Stay

Dlouhopolsko lies along the international road between Prague and Hradec Králové. This location is a practical reference point if you are considering the village as a place to stay between the two cities. For the content-based selection of your accommodation, you can then weigh up whether the pond landscape, the nature reserve, the connection with the forest, or the local history should be the focus of your trip.

Further Destinations for Orientation

Further destinations for orientation also include Kouty, Stará Lysá, Jiřice, Starý Vestec, Kostelní Lhota, Mcely, Záhornice and Křinec.

For the higher-level travel overview: Nymburk District.