Discover Horní Cerekev

Horní Cerekev is a destination for travelers who do not want to view culture and landscape separately. The town’s history dates back to 1361; at the same time, the castle, pond, a Baroque church and distinctive tree-lined avenues shape its character. This gives you various ways to plan your trip: you can follow historical traces, mark a dragon boat race as a regular September event, or discover the landscape and its quiet details.

Culture in the town: castle, church and cemetery

The first surviving written record of Horní Cerekev dates from 1361. Horní Cerekev Castle is a surviving two-storey building with three wings and an arcaded courtyard; the Zámecký rybník pond borders it to the south. Important for you: the castle is not open to visitors. Its architectural form and location by the pond nevertheless make it one of the town’s prominent landmarks, although you cannot plan an interior visit.

The Baroque Church of the Annunciation stands in the square in Horní Cerekev. The Jewish cemetery provides another historical point of interest: it contains around 180 gravestones dating from the 18th century to the 1930s. There is also a small mortuary chapel with a steep pyramidal roof in the cemetery. If, when traveling, you are looking not only for large buildings but also for smaller reminders of local history, Horní Cerekev offers several clearly distinct themes.

Water experiences and a regular September event

The Zámecký rybník pond is also the venue for the Půlnoční drak dragon boat race. It has been held every September at the Zámecký rybník pond in Horní Cerekev since 2016. Visitors can try dragon boat paddling during a training session at the Zámecký rybník pond in Horní Cerekev. Alongside the town’s history, this puts a recurring sporting experience at the center of attention. For your planning, the September event is the specific point in time to note; the training offers an opportunity to experience this activity in practice.

Landscape among avenues, old trees and a quarry

There is also a connection to water beyond the event itself. Swarms of perch, carp and bleak can be seen in the Horní Cerekev quarry; with a little luck, you may also spot eels and catfish there. On the road out toward Pelhřimov, there is a one-kilometer-long chestnut avenue planted at the end of the 19th century. On the road out toward Kamenice nad Lipou stands a protected ash tree estimated to be 200 years old. This gives you very different nature themes to explore: observing wildlife in the quarry and seeing notable trees on two roads out of town.

Destinations around Horní Cerekev

The ruins of Janštejn are located near Horní Cerekev. The surrounding area also includes Bražský kopec, Strahovice, Lisek and Havlův kopec. The “Roštejn [Doupě] castle outlook t.” castle is also located near Horní Cerekev. In the wider region, you will find the ruins of Orlík and the Church of Svatá Anna. If you would like to explore a broader travel area, these destinations complement the town’s history with castles, ruins, churches and hills.

For further local research, you can also visit Lhota-Vlasenice, Samšín, Nova Cerekev, Dubovice, Zachotín, Svépravice, Bořetice and Lidmaň.

For the higher-level travel overview: Pelhřimov District.