Chleny: Baroque Local History and Cycling Routes

Chleny lies in the Hradec Králové Region, at the foot of the Orlické Mountains (Orlické hory), in the southern part of the Rychnov nad Kněžnou District and close to Kostelec nad Orlicí. For a trip focused on culture, the Baroque church complex of St. Apollinar is the town’s most distinctive landmark; Cycling Route 4320 starts at the church square. Chleny can therefore be discovered through both its local history and a specific cycling route.

St. Apollinar: Local History Across Several Periods

The present-day Baroque Church of St. Apollinar was built in 1755 on the site of an older stone church. It is considered a landmark of Chleny and the surrounding countryside. As a protected cultural monument complex, the site includes not only the church but also a mortuary, a stone perimeter wall, and the cemetery grounds. Together, the church, cemetery, and enclosing structures form a historic ensemble.

Several periods of construction and decoration can be distinguished at the church. The side altars date from 1894. The Stations of the Cross were painted as early as 1845 by Josef Honěk from Nové Město; the church’s pseudo-Romanesque furnishings were created by Petr Musil from Žamberk in 1905. The different dates show that the furnishings developed over several decades and do not all date from the construction period of the Baroque church.

In the cemetery south of the church stands a cross with a cast-iron top that has a Rococo-like appearance. It was originally a tombstone dating from 1841. This detail adds a specific cemetery object and its own earlier function to the building’s history.

The lime trees planted beside the church are also part of local history: they were planted in 1879 and continue to shape Chleny today. Together with the church and cemetery, they form a historic landmark where the town’s architecture and landscape come together.

Cycling Around Chleny

Cycling Route 4320 runs from the church square via Brodec to Krchleby and continues to Číčová. The route then crosses a river and passes the Velký Karlov pond. Cycling Route 4319 runs via Brodec to Chleny. The two route numbers offer different reference points for planning a cycling trip: Route 4320 is described as starting at the church square, while Route 4319’s course includes Brodec and Chleny. Check current route conditions and signage before setting out.

Events With Different Time References

The Memoriál Bohumila Bečičky was held for the twenty-seventh time on August 9, 2025, at the local tennis court in Chleny. The Chlenfest is announced for 2026 at the TJ Sokol Chleny sports ground, Chleny 71. These details refer to different years; if a festival is important to your trip, check the dates for the relevant year.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Trip’s Focus

When choosing a hotel in Chleny, you can start by asking what you want your days to focus on: the history of the St. Apollinar complex or cycling along one of the routes mentioned. For a cultural stay, the church, its furnishings, and the cemetery are the main attractions; for a cycling trip, the start at the church square on Cycling Route 4320 or the course via Brodec to Chleny on Cycling Route 4319 provides more specific reference points. When choosing accommodation, compare its location with your own travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Mokré, Lípa Nad Orlicí, Tutleky, Skuhrov Nad Bělou, Osečnice, Slatina Nad Zdobnicí, Kounov, Uhřínovice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Rychnov nad Kněžnou District.