Discover Kopidlno: Castle Park, Horticulture and Local History

Castle, Park and Castle Pond

If you would like to discover Kopidlno as a travel destination, the first place to visit is an ensemble that particularly defines the town: Kopidlno Castle stands on the southeast side of Kopidlno’s market square, at the entrance to the castle park and on the shore of the castle pond. The castle park is directly accessible from the market square. This places the main landmarks for an initial tour of the town close together, without automatically implying that the castle’s interior rooms are accessible.

Since 1948, the castle has been used as the home of the local higher horticultural and vocational schools. The interior rooms have accordingly been adapted to school operations. This present-day use distinguishes Kopidlno from a castle perceived exclusively as a historic attraction: here, the historic building is connected with a horticultural training tradition that continues to the present day.

Horticulture as a Public Experience

This subject becomes particularly vivid at events held by the horticultural school. The palm house is open to visitors during the annual “Kopidlenský kvítek” event and at other activities organised by the horticultural school. Those interested in plants, design and regional educational traditions will therefore find a specific reason to visit Kopidlno during an event.

“Kopidlenský kvítek” is an international competition for students from secondary horticultural schools. The event culminates in a large horticultural sales exhibition with an accompanying programme. For travel planning, this creates a different focus than a purely castle-oriented visit: the emphasis is not only on architectural history and the park, but also on the practical and creative approach to horticulture.

The public seminar programme also included the Advent floristry seminar “Adventní čas”, which took place at the school on 29 November 2025. Another documented offering is the spring floristry seminar “Vítání jara”, where decorations related to spring bulbs are created. These examples demonstrate the range of events without anticipating a current schedule.

Local History and Baroque Art

In addition to the castle and horticulture, Kopidlno also offers access to local history. In the vicinity of the Church of St James the Greater, there is a unique gallery of Baroque sculptures. It adds an art-historical dimension to a visit and makes clear that the town’s cultural impressions are not limited to a single building.

The public event “Čtení z kronik” also takes place regularly in Kopidlno. It gives the public insight into the history of the town and the local communities through authentic entries in the local chronicles. For families and other travellers who want to get to know a place not only through its buildings but also through its preserved stories, this format provides a particularly tangible point of connection.

Find Accommodation Suited to Your Travel Interests

When looking for a hotel or other accommodation in Kopidlno, it is worth deciding on the desired focus of your trip in advance. If the stay is primarily intended to cover the castle park and local history, the castle, castle pond, church and sculpture gallery are the main attractions. If you are more interested in horticulture, the dates of the public events are crucial.

Discover More Places

For further travel planning, in addition to Kopidlno you can explore Bukvice, Nemyčeves, Ohaveč, Češov, Mlynec, Stara Paka, Tuř and Dobrá Voda U Hořic.

For the higher-level travel overview: Jičín District.