Discover Plchovice: Orlice, History and a Nature Trail

If you are looking for a place in the Czech Republic where landscape, local history and peaceful exploration come together, Plchovice offers several specific points of interest. The municipality combines Orlice Nature Park and the Orlice a Labe Natura 2000 site with a historic irrigation canal, small historic structures and the “NS Choceňska – Mezi Orlicemi” nature trail. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore decide whether to focus primarily on connections with nature, cultural history or a route featuring numerous information points.

Water Management and Local History

One particularly characteristic reminder of the past is the irrigation canal that runs through the western part of the village of Plchovice. Prince Ferdinand Kinský had it built in 1853 to irrigate the meadows of a manor farm located near Plchovice. This farm was called Růženin Dvůr or Růžovec. The canal continued to be used for meadow irrigation as late as the first half of the 20th century, thus pointing to a specific historical form of land use.

The “Vodní kanál zavodňovací” irrigation canal is located in the administrative area of Plchovice. It is listed as a cultural monument under registration number ÚSKP 101535. The first written mention of Plchovice, dating from 1342, is also important to the local history. Together with the surviving typical agricultural buildings, it offers an insight into the older rural character of the village, without reducing Plchovice to a single historic monument.

Orlice Landscape and Protected Nature

Orlice Nature Park lies within the administrative area of Plchovice. The Orlice a Labe Site of Community Importance, part of the Natura 2000 network, is also located there. This designation refers to a defined European protection status. The landscape is further complemented by the meandering bed of the Tichá Orlice River, which is designated as an important landscape feature within the administrative area.

Plchovice is therefore particularly suitable for travellers who, when choosing a destination, take into account not only individual sights but also the character of a river and cultural landscape. Depending on your priorities, you can choose accommodation based on a stronger interest in nature topics or in the cultural and historical traces of the village; this does not imply any specific promises regarding facilities or distances.

Small Historic Structures

The designated structures in the administrative area include a brick chapel from 1890 and a stone cross from 1840. Both are considered architecturally valuable structures. The different years make it clear that local history is shaped not only by the first written mention or the irrigation canal, but also by smaller religious and architectural reminders.

Nature Trail with History and Local Knowledge

The “NS Choceňska – Mezi Orlicemi” nature trail passes through Plchovice. The Mezi Orlicemi nature trail covers history and local knowledge and has 32 stops with information boards. This means that the focus is not only on a single viewpoint or building, but on a series of stops offering different information. As a long-distance nature trail, Mezi Orlicemi is aimed primarily at cyclists. For your travel planning, this clearly distinguishes a cultural-history tour in the broader sense from a longer nature trail intended especially for cyclists.

Other Destinations in the Same Area

For further orientation, you can also view Krasíkov, Pustina, Mistrovice, Lukavice, Podlesí, Přívrat, Jablonne Nad Orlici and Dlouhoňovice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí.