Velvary – Discover the Historic Center and Themed Trails

Velvary combines a historically shaped townscape with themed trails, museum collections, and remarkable evidence of Bohemian history. If you would like to combine culture and landscape in a single stay, you will find a variety of themes here to choose from.

Historic Center with Gates and Churches

Velvary features an original urban structure as well as valuable public buildings, burgher houses, remnants of the fortifications, and a Renaissance gate. The Velvarské památky themed trail leads through the historic center with 15 stops and presents the stories of important buildings and their residents.

A distinctive part of this townscape is the Pražská brána. It was built in 1580 as part of Velvary’s fortifications on the foundations of an older, presumably Gothic gate. It can be visited year-round by prior arrangement with the Velvary Municipal Museum. The cemetery Church of St. George was built between 1613 and 1616 and is a unique example of Renaissance art in the region.

The Church of St. Catherine also reaches far back into history. It was originally a Gothic parish church and was first mentioned in 1337. A late Gothic sacristy with fragments of wall paintings and Renaissance elements in the interior have been preserved.

Museum History from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages

The Velvary Municipal Museum has a permanent exhibition spread across six rooms, focusing on the history of Velvary and its surroundings. The archaeological exhibition covers the settlement of the region from the Stone Age to the early Middle Ages and displays part of the Malovary tin hoard. The museum thus offers its own perspective on the periods that continue to shape the townscape and its religious buildings.

Themed Trails Between the Cemetery and the Cultural Landscape

The Velvarský hřbitov themed trail has 21 stops and presents stories about important people buried in the Velvary cemetery. The Velvarské mokřady themed trail focuses on something different: it consists of a 1,100-meter circular route followed by a 2,100-meter route with six stops. The stops explain the changes in the cultural landscape and current efforts to retain water.

The different lengths and themes make it easier to plan your day: you can choose between the historic center, the cemetery, and the cultural landscape according to your preferred focus, without reducing the town’s history to a single museum or building.

Traditional Vajíčkobraní

A special tradition is Vajíčkobraní, a pre-Easter event in Velvary that recalls an egg legend associated with the construction of Charles Bridge. On Velvary’s main square, it includes traditional pre-Easter egg and Easter markets featuring eggs and other goods, refreshments, and an accompanying program.

More Destinations for Your Research

If you would like to explore destinations besides Velvary, you can also find Vraný, Tuchlovice, Stochov, Hřebeč, Doksy, Kmetiněves, Zlonice, and Malé Přítočno here as well.

To the broader travel overview: Kladno District.