Čimelice: Baroque, Park and Protected Landscape

Čimelice combines significant church architecture in its town centre with Baroque château history and protected landscapes in the municipality and surrounding area. For travellers who want to discover culture, parks and natural monuments in a Czech town, Čimelice offers several clearly distinguishable themes. Historical buildings and designated landscape areas are not separate impressions here, but together shape the character of the town.

Church and Baroque architectural history

The Church of the Most Holy Trinity is an important urban and architectural feature and a highly visible landmark in the centre of Čimelice. Its oldest part is the sacristy, which probably dates from the first third of the 14th century. The single-nave church, oriented towards the east, received the Baroque Chapel of St Barbara on its north side in the first half of the 18th century. The chapel is vaulted with a dome and a lantern. This building therefore allows several historical layers to be viewed in direct connection: its medieval origins, the Baroque extension and the clear orientation of the church building.

Château, avenue and landscape park

The Čimelický château was built in the Baroque style in 1728–1730 and remodelled in 1817. An English landscape park extends around the Čimelický château. A Baroque avenue connects the Čimelický château with the Rakovický state farm. The château, park and avenue make the Baroque character visible not only in a single building, but also in the surrounding landscape. Those interested in architecture and designed outdoor spaces will therefore find different forms of historic design here, which can meaningfully be understood as a shared theme of the town.

Protected nature in the municipality

The Čimelicko–Rakovicko landscape monument zone, designated in 2002, lies within the municipality of Čimelice. The Skalice stream flows through both parts of the Čimelice settlement. The Kopáčovská natural monument is also located nearby, in a woodland complex by the Krsice–Rakovický mlýn road. It protects a 1.03-hectare wet meadow with protected plant species; the protected area was designated in 1985. The natural side of Čimelice thus includes both the watercourse in the settlement area and the wet meadow and larger designated landscape areas. These differences help visitors explore the town not only through its buildings, but also through its surroundings.

Visits and practical activities

Visits to the J. K. Hammer Lapidarium in Čimelice are organised by Hana Chvalová at the telephone number +420 605 883 607. The lapidarium thus adds another cultural stop to the architectural and landscape themes. Sports facilities in Čimelice can also be rented. A booking can be made at least 24 hours before the start, and cancellation is possible at least four hours in advance. The telephone number for bookings is +420 602 618 005. Anyone planning a sporting activity should take these deadlines into account when planning the day, while the lapidarium can be noted as a separate cultural programme item.

Geographical orientation and other places

For geographical orientation, the D4 Čimelice–Mirotice motorway section is also relevant; it bypasses the municipalities of Čimelice and Rakovice. For further travel planning, the linked places in the surrounding area can also be used:

Ražice, Albrechtice Nad Vltavou, Orlik Nad Vltavou, Vojníkov, Vráž, Vlastec, Lety, Štědronín-Plazy

For the wider travel overview: Písek District.