Zájezdec: Cemetery, Chapel and Local History

Zájezdec is the smallest municipality in the Chrudimsko microregion in terms of both population and area. Its defining cultural and historical landmarks include the Jewish cemetery in the north, the chapel in the village centre and the archaeological classification of the medieval and modern-era village centre. These distinct traces bring together religious history, architectural history and an archaeological perspective on the centre. The locations of the two prominent cultural sites are distinct: the cemetery is in the north, while the chapel is in the village centre.

The Jewish Cemetery: Location and Traces of Time

The Jewish cemetery lies in the northern part of Zájezdec, between a pond and the road to Přestavlky. It is on the west-facing slope above the floodplain of the Ležák stream and above a large, elongated pond. The combination of the hillside location, stream floodplain and body of water describes the cemetery’s landscape setting; the road to Přestavlky is an additional point of reference.

The cemetery is said to have been established in the second half of the 18th century. The grounds contain about 115 gravestones dating from 1789 to 1919. This gives us two distinct historical time frames: the presumed establishment of the site and the dated period of the gravestones, which spans from the late 18th to the early 20th century. The presumed founding date and the years on the gravestones therefore answer different questions about the cemetery’s history.

Chapel, Statue and Archaeological Village Centre

The chapel in the centre of Zájezdec dates from 1892. The statue of Saint John of Nepomuk was restored in 2009 and subsequently placed in the centre near the chapel. An inventory of monuments also mentions that it was moved to storage. If you are specifically looking for the statue, check in advance whether it is currently on display at the site.

The medieval and modern-era village centre has also been classified archaeologically: it is an area where finds have been discovered or are reasonably suspected to exist. This classification applies to the village centre as an area, while the chapel and statue are specific individual objects. The historical perspective thus encompasses both individual traces of buildings and monuments and the centre as an archaeological space.

A Playground in the South

A fenced playground for children was established in the southern part of Zájezdec between 2003 and spring 2005. Its facilities at the time included a seesaw, a slide, swings, a rope climbing ladder, three benches and a sandpit. The facilities may change; if you plan to visit, check in advance whether the playground is accessible and what equipment is available.

Pond Landscape and Accommodation Search

The larger Malá voda pond lies nearby, north of Zájezdec. It adds a concrete point of reference in the surrounding landscape to the area’s cultural and historical landmarks. Listings may change, so check the current offers when choosing accommodation.

Discover more destinations: Lipovec, Lany, Svídnice, Krásné, Liboměřice, Vortová, Hroubovice, Hlinsko V Cechách.

For the broader travel overview: Chrudim District.