Smiřice: Castle History on the Elbe

Smiřice combines historic architecture with a landscape along the Elbe. The castle grounds contain a chapel that is a work of the European High Baroque. By a government decree of the Czech Republic dated 16 August 1995, it was declared a national cultural monument. For your travel planning, this creates a clear cultural focus: Smiřice is a destination with documented castle and fortress history.

From Fortress to Castle

The fortress of Smiřice is first mentioned in 1392. In the 16th century, the original fortress was rebuilt in the Renaissance style and incorporated into the east wing of today’s castle. After 1661, Antonín Pankrác Galas had the fortress rebuilt as an early Baroque castle; the outbuildings were completed in 1687.

The Elbe Landscape and Obora Biocentre

Smiřice lies in the plain along the upper reaches of the Elbe. Near Smiřice, the Elbe once divided into at least three branches; frequent floods brought sand, gravel and fertile reddish soil to the surrounding area. The landscape was formerly characterised by marshes and included floodplain forests that were still present in the second half of the 19th century. This history adds a distinctly fluvial landscape to the castle-related attractions.

East of Smiřice lies the Obora Biocentre on the reclaimed site of a former gravel and sand pit. It is divided into an ecological zone and a recreational zone; at the main body of water, a footbridge forms the boundary between the two areas. The biocentre includes wetland biotopes as well as habitats for heat-loving insect communities. Alongside its architectural history, the area therefore offers a clearly defined natural setting.

Educational Trail on Plivátky and Cycling Route

The educational trail on Plivátky is a footpath between the Obora Biocentre and the Elbe and symbolically imitates a meandering river course. Along the path are an insect hotel, beetle castles (loggers), the “Ježek” feature as winter shelter for vertebrates, part of the “Willow Gallery”, two benches and a flower meadow. The stations connect water, wildlife and landscape in an engaging trail layout.

The castle park of Smiřice is considered a collection of dendrological exotics; such exotic species are not common in local parks. For cyclists, the 26-kilometre, easy cycling route from Hradec Králové to Kuks offers another specific connection to Smiřice. It leads into the castle park, is suitable for ordinary bicycles and can easily be ridden with a child trailer. The 26 kilometres and the easy profile make day planning easier; ordinary bicycles and a child trailer are suitable for this route. In this way, the route connects the castle park of Smiřice with the cycling link between Hradec Králové and Kuks.

The choice of location therefore suits a trip that brings together culture and landscape as two sides of the same destination.

More Destinations in the Travel Area

Other destinations in this travel area include Neděliště, Skalice, Lejšovka, Hlušice, Zdechovice, Radíkovice, Chlumec Nad Cidlinou and Radostov.

For the broader travel overview: Hradec Králové District.