Lovčice – Natural Area, Village Church and Historical Traces

Lovčice combines protected landscapes with tangible village history and special places for a varied tour of discovery. Between the Žehuňsko nature area, the geotourist locality of Kněžičky and the cultural monuments in the village, different focal points emerge for planning your trip. Those looking for accommodation in Lovčice can therefore include both nature observation and religious art, historical memorial sites and a specific railway connection when choosing where to stay.

Protected landscapes and rare habitats

A defining natural feature is the Žehuňsko Natura 2000 site. It covers 8.1196 hectares in the cadastral area of Lovčice u Nového Bydžova. It protects semi-natural dry grasslands and scrub formations on calcareous substrates, which are classified as habitat type Festuco-Brometalia, or 6210. The protected area also includes alkaline fens of habitat type 7230. This combination makes Žehuňsko an area where various documented habitats are closely connected with the landscape of Lovčice. The codes 6210 and 7230 classify the protected dry grasslands and alkaline fens as different habitat types.

The wildlife is also represented by specific conservation features. The Žehuňský rybník – Obora Kněžičky bird area protects populations of the little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) and the spotted crake (Porzana porzana) as well as their habitats. Between 1996 and 2002, the area was also significant as a breeding ground for 131 bird species. The Žehuňsko protected area also includes the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus).

Village centre, church and historical evidence

The cultural side of Lovčice includes the Church of Saint Bartholomew, located in Lovčice u Nového Bydžova. In the centre of Velká náves, there are two other distinctive sculptures: “Ježíš na kříži” with a statue of the Virgin Mary in its pedestal, and “Socha Panna Maria s jezulátkem”. Both works are located in the village centre and can therefore be experienced as separate stops during a tour of the village.

Further traces lead to the local cemetery. There you will find the grave of the Soviet Red Army soldier Akan Julimetou. He was born in 1910 and fell in battle on 22 May 1945. A fortress once stood on the hill “Na Pekelci”; the historical statement expressly refers to the former existence of the structure. Lovčice u Nového Bydžova also has a belfry or bell tower and an enclosing wall. For children and adults, the municipal library offers a selection of more than 1,600 volumes, complementing the visible cultural monuments with a local educational resource.

Kněžičky and the question of access

Kněžičky is described as a geotourist attraction with fossil-bearing Cretaceous rocks and so-called White Slopes. The locality can be reached by car without access restrictions; it is possible to drive to within 250 metres. This makes the site a place with a clearly documented geological feature and an equally specific indication of the final access point.

For travel by train, the Lovčice obec stop is located on the single-track Chlumec nad Cidlinou – Městec Králové – Křinec line. It is an intermediate stop on a straight section of the line and lies approximately 300 metres from the presumed centre of Lovčice.

Further destinations for planning your trip

For further orientation, you can also check Střezetice, Smiřice, Skalice, Mlékosrby, Lišice, Vysoký Újezd, Boharyně and Dolní Přím.

For the overarching travel overview: Hradec Králové District.