Dolní Újezd

Dolní Újezd between the Desná Valley and cultural monuments

Dolní Újezd lies in gently hilly terrain on both sides of the Desná Valley. The village combines this landscape with an unusually dense succession of cultural and historical landmarks. Here, you can discover a medieval church, a stone bridge, Baroque and folk monuments, as well as signposted stations along a circular trail. This makes Dolní Újezd particularly suitable for travellers who do not want to limit their stay to a single visit, but instead wish to combine the landscape with the history of the village.

St. Martin’s Church and the history of the village

The most important historical building is the single-nave parish church of St. Martin. It was originally a Romanesque gallery church from the first half of the 13th century. Its present appearance also preserves several later construction phases: the Gothic presbytery was added in the second half of the 14th century. A sacristy and a northern vestibule were added in the 16th century; the Renaissance portal on the southern side dates from the same period. Anyone interested in architectural history can trace the transition from the Romanesque period through the Gothic period to the Renaissance in a single building.

Other prominent landmarks include the stone so-called Pražský most, which dates from 1868. The Pomník selského povstání is a monumental sculpture made of Hořice sandstone commemorating the peasant uprising of 1680. The monument was created by the sculptor Otakar Velínský based on a design by Jan Štursa and unveiled on 14 July 1914. More than 15,000 people are said to have attended the ceremony. Another historical accent is provided by the Mariánské sousoší na Rovince: the work of the prominent East Bohemian Baroque sculptor Jiří František Pacák was created in 1737 and is considered an important High Baroque work with elements of lyrical Rococo sentimentality.

The surviving farmsteads from the 19th century are also noteworthy. They provide examples of folk architecture and complement the more representative ecclesiastical and commemorative monuments with an insight into rural architectural history. For a visit appealing to different interests, the history of the village can thus be viewed on several scales: from the church and its construction phases through individual sculptures to the preserved farmsteads.

Heritage Circuit and cycling route

The Poznávací okruh po sochařských a stavebních památkách leads through Dolní Újezd and the surrounding area. It comprises 32 stations and is approximately 33 km long; 8 km of this consists of an inner circular route through the village. This gives you two differently designed ways of exploring the area: you can concentrate on the inner circular route or take the longer route through the village and its surroundings. Each station of the Dolní Újezd Heritage Circuit has a numbered sign and a QR code. This provides descriptions of the monuments as well as directions to the next station. The route therefore combines clear orientation with background information at each station.

The KČT cycling route 4019, named Krajem Smetany a Martinů, also passes through Dolní Újezd. Which of these perspectives you give greater weight to depends on whether you are primarily looking for architectural history, a local discovery tour or a ride along a cycling route.

Traditions in the Desná Valley

The Desná Valley is also the setting for recurring events. Újezdské babí léto is a country-folk festival held annually in Dolní Újezd on the penultimate weekend of August. It takes place in the outdoor grounds of the volunteer fire brigade in the Desná Valley next to the swimming pool; the site is used as a campsite for the festival. The traditional Benátská noc is also held annually in the same outdoor grounds at the beginning of July. In addition to its permanent monuments, these dates give the village a seasonal focus of events.

If you would like to explore the surrounding area further, you can also find Bělá U Jevíčka, Chornice, Janov, Sebranice, Chrastavec, Nová Sídla, Mladějov Na Moravě and Benátky.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Svitavy.