Chmelík

Chmelík combines a clearly recognizable village structure with ecclesiastical historical features and several protected natural monuments. This creates a destination whose character is composed of various elements: the late Baroque Church of St. John of Nepomuk, historic wooden houses, the settlement form of a linear village, and the landscapes around Vysoký les.

Church, Pilgrim Mass and a Rare Statue

The late Baroque Church of St. John of Nepomuk in Chmelík was built between 1780 and 1782 and consecrated in 1790. The two dates describe different stages of its creation: construction was followed by consecration eight years later. Once a year, a pilgrim mass is held in the church at 9:30 a.m., subject to prior announcement.

A copy of the statue of the Man of Sorrows is also associated with the village, known in Czech as “Bolestný Kristus” or “Socha Bolestného Krista.” This copy was made in 1973 by the academic sculptor František Janda. There are only three examples of the statue of the Man of Sorrows in the Czech Republic. In addition to its church-building history, Chmelík therefore also offers a concrete connection to religious sculpture.

A Village with Its Own Settlement Form

Chmelík is a village of the linear-village type with irregular development. The fields originally extended on both sides of the valley and usually ended at a stream, a path or a terrain depression. This description makes the historic structure of the village easier to understand without reducing Chmelík to individual buildings.

Several wooden log houses still standing in Chmelík today originated from so-called Franconian farmsteads. These reached the Bohemian lands through colonization in the 13th and 14th centuries. Those interested in rural architecture and the development of villages will therefore find here not only a general historical classification, but also a connection to preserved building forms.

Natural Monuments around Vysoký les

The Sněženky ve Vysokém lese Natural Monument was first designated on June 15, 1994. It protects waterlogged ecosystems with an abundant occurrence of snowdrops. The name thus refers to a protected natural area and to the plant life described there.

Another natural area is the V bukách Natural Monument. It protects a near-natural beech forest with lush undergrowth. V bukách is one of two natural monuments in the cadastral area of Chmelík. The Sněženkové údolí Natural Monument is also relevant for orientation: it lies in the Vysoký les forest complex, approximately 2.5 km southwest of Chmelík and 1.2 km southeast of the settlement of Vysoký Les. These details refer to different starting points and should therefore not be confused with one another.

Historical Route Connection

The Trstenická Trail ran through Chmelík. This historical route connection adds a link extending beyond the individual village center to the history of the village. Together with the church, the log houses and the natural monuments, it creates a varied picture for further travel planning in the Czech Republic.

More Places to Read About

For further reading, you can also explore Chornice, Koruna, Březiny, Strakov, Nová Sídla, Želivsko, Hartinkov and Desná.

For the broader travel overview: Svitavy District.