Discover Kočí: Church, Firefighting Museum and Cycle Paths

Kočí combines remarkable religious history with unusual exhibits and several clearly described routes for cyclists. The Church of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, a historic covered wooden bridge and the Kočí Firefighting Museum are particularly distinctive. If you are looking for a destination with specific cultural and excursion ideas, you will find various reasons here to explore the village in greater detail.

Church, Murals and Bells

The Church of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle in Kočí was built in 1397 at the expense of Queen Sophia. Its significance is not only historical: in 2010, it was added to the list of national cultural monuments. Murals were also discovered in the nave in 1899, forming another distinct aspect of the interior.

The church has a wooden bell tower with two bells. The older one is dedicated to Saint Bartholomew, while the younger one is dedicated to Saint Lawrence. A special date in the annual calendar is the pilgrimage mass celebrated on the Sunday around 24 August.

Firefighting History in a Large Exhibition

The Kočí Firefighting Museum displays historical and contemporary firefighting artefacts. The exhibits include helmets, axes, hoses and uniforms. The collection occupies more than 524 m² of covered exhibition space, giving it a clear focus within a visit to the village.

The museum can be visited at any time by prior telephone arrangement. This rule is essential when planning a visit: the museum visit should be arranged by phone in advance, while the exhibition itself brings together historical and contemporary firefighting items.

A Distinctive Wooden Bridge

The covered bridge in Kočí is 18 metres long and spans the wetland between the church and the road. The wooden bridge, which connects the church with the village, is one of the oldest surviving covered wooden bridges in the Czech Republic. Its length, location and construction make it a clearly defined part of a visit to the village, without it having to be perceived merely as a connection between two points.

Cycle Paths with Different Route Lengths

Kočí lies along the 21-kilometre cycle route “Za loutkami do Chrudimi”. A longer alternative is the 51-kilometre cycle route “Na Chlumek a Košumberk”, which includes Kočí as one of its stops. The two figures provide a simple distinction between a shorter and a significantly more extensive cycling tour, without reducing the routes to the same course.

Another described connection is called “Cyklovýlet Kočí, Slatiňany, Chrudim”. It leads from Kočí via a minor road to Slatiňany. From Slatiňany, it then follows a blue-marked hiking trail along the Chrudimka River to Chrudim. For planning purposes, this means that the route description includes not only the destination but also the change from a minor road to a marked hiking trail.

Getting Your Bearings Locally

For travel by bus, the “Kočí,,kostel” stop is assigned to fare zone 702. Parking is available at the Church of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle or at the municipal office.

If you would like to research additional destinations, you can also find Vysočina, Kostelec U Heřmanova Městce, Liboměřice, Smrček, Vortová, Svídnice, Prosetín and Úherčice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Chrudim District.