Horní Újezd – Nature, Beer Tradition and Local History

Horní Újezd between Protected Nature and Local History

Horní Újezd is a destination for you if you would like to combine nature observation, unusual local traditions and tangible history. Its special features range from an important bat hibernation site and the distinctive beer tradition at Pivní studánka to chapels, mills and memorials. As a result, the character of the village is shaped not by a single attraction, but by several different discoveries.

Jeskyně u Horního Újezda: Nature under Special Protection

Jeskyně u Horního Újezda is a European Site of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 network and bears the code CZ0533688. The cave is one of the largest hibernation sites for lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros) in East Bohemia in terms of the number of individuals. In recent years, 350–400 animals have been counted there. This specific importance as a winter habitat is what makes the cave particularly noteworthy from a nature conservation perspective.

Entering Jeskyně u Horního Újezda can disturb hibernating bats. If you include this part of Horní Újezd in your travel plans, consideration for the protected habitat should therefore come first. Information about the cave offers a different form of nature experience from an ordinary outing to a freely accessible attraction.

A Beer Tradition with Its Own Character

At Pivní studánka, a beer barrel is immersed in spring water to cool the drink. The beer is paid for with a voluntary contribution into a cash box. In Podlubníček, this unique tradition has existed for more than four decades; at the same time, Pivní studánka is a popular meeting place for locals and visitors from elsewhere. For your stay, this provides a cultural insight conveyed not through a museum or historic building, but through a local custom that remains recognizable to this day.

Traces of Faith, Craftsmanship and Remembrance

In the Cikov district, the “Fialový pramen” spring has a restored pond and a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes dating from 1893. The Ležákův mlýn mill is also located in the Cikov district. It is associated with the miller Lukáš Pakosta, and there is a memorial plaque at the mill. The current owner is preserving the mill in its original form. This means that the focus here is not only on a historic name, but also on the continuing preservation of a specific building.

At the sandstone cross “U Černého mlýna” there is a Calvary group dating from 1830. The Nalezení sv. Kříže Chapel dates from 1894. A stone monolith with a memorial plaque also commemorates the local legionnaire Jan Švec. This picture of remembrance is complemented by the history of the village: in 1680, Horní Újezd was a focal point of the peasant uprising in the Litomyšl region.

Which Kind of Stay Suits You

When searching for a hotel in Horní Újezd, you can first consider which focus should define your stay: the protected nature of Jeskyně u Horního Újezda, the distinctive beer tradition or the many smaller traces of faith, craftsmanship and local history. For families with different interests, this makes it possible to develop a travel plan that places nature-related themes and cultural discoveries side by side without reducing the village to a single attraction.

For further orientation, you can also explore Stašov, Sloupnice, Banín, Policka, Trpín, Bystré U Poličky, Dolní Újezd and Cerekvice Nad Loučnou.

For the higher-level travel overview: Svitavy District.