Osice – Musical Tradition and Historic Cultural Sites

Osice combines a strong culture of remembrance with musical traditions and distinctive historic buildings. The town is closely associated with František Škroup, whose name appears at several memorial and event venues. This makes it a destination that is best explored through specific cultural stops: from a concert date to a memorial site and listed historic buildings.

A Town on Elevated Ground

Osice lies on an elevated plateau that rises approximately 30 metres above the surrounding area. This location is part of the town’s distinctive geographical character, without requiring any particular excursion narrative. Visitors to Osice can therefore first experience the town as an independent landscape and settlement area, and then choose the historic sites according to their interests.

Škroup, Music, and Community Culture

The traditional Škroupovy Osice festival takes place every year on the first Saturday in June in honour of František Škroup. Another regular event is Škroupovo hudební odpoledne. Its highlight is a concert by the Smiling String Orchestra, conducted by Mikuláš Ježek, DiS., in the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

The Škroupův dům was built in 1928 in honour of the famous local figure, funded by a collection among the citizens, as a memorial site as well as a cultural and social venue. The building includes a theatre hall and a Sokol gymnasium. Celebrations under the name Škroupovy Osice were also regularly held at Škroupův dům. The monument to František Škroup was unveiled in 1964. It consists of a bronze bust of the composer on a round polished granite pedestal.

Church, Rectory, and Monuments

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Osice is first mentioned in 1352. It is also the venue for the concert, thereby linking historical presence with the town’s contemporary musical life. The listed historic buildings also include a Baroque rectory from the second half of the 18th century with a stone granary. It has been protected as a historic monument since 22 January 1964.

Another site is the sculpture group of Saint Joseph. It dates from 1735 and has been protected as a historic monument since 1 January 1990. Made of sandstone, the group depicts Saint Joseph with the infant Jesus and two angels. The war memorial in Osice commemorates 23 residents of the municipality who fell in the First World War; it was erected in 1932. Together, these sites tell different aspects of the town’s history, from religious art and architectural history to public remembrance.

Visits by Prior Arrangement

The Pamětní síň Františka Škroupa has no fixed opening hours. The memorial site is located at Osice 1, 503 26 Osice, and visits must be arranged in advance. This specific information is more important for your planning than a general expectation of opening hours: if you would like to include the memorial site in your stay, you should make the necessary arrangements before your visit.

Further Places to Research

If you would like to compare other destinations in the same search area in addition to Osice, you can also look at Blešno, Smržov U Smiřic, Libřice, Mlékosrby, Librantice, Smidary, Králíky U Nového Bydžova and Běleč Nad Orlicí. This keeps Osice as the starting point for a search focused on culture, musical events, and historic sites.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hradec Králové District.