Žitovlice: Village History and Pond Landscape

Žitovlice and Pojedy lie in a gently rolling landscape between Rožďalovice and Křinec. For travellers interested in rural architecture and bodies of water, both places offer different points of interest: the Church of St. Wenceslas stands in Žitovlice, while several historic building styles and the smithy are in Pojedy. The two village landscapes can be considered separately while also being viewed in the context of the wider landscape.

Church and History of Žitovlice

Žitovlice is first documented in historical records in 1352. The Church of St. Wenceslas was built much later: the Late Baroque building was constructed between 1769 and 1772 and restored in 1863. The first historical record of the village and the church’s construction history thus mark two different periods.

The church stands within an enclosed area that includes a former cemetery and damaged gravestones. The historic church grounds therefore comprise not only the Late Baroque building but also a former burial ground. This offers a different perspective on the history of the village from the date when the church itself was built.

Historic Building Styles in Pojedy

Pojedy preserves single-storey log buildings from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as well as brick houses dating from around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Comparing these groups connects their construction methods with their respective periods of origin: the houses differ both in material and in their historical context. A smithy from the late 18th century stands in the centre of the village green. It complements the houses with another building from this period and serves as a distinct landmark on the green.

The history of individual buildings can also be seen in the listed rural homestead at No. 36 in Pojedy. It probably dates from the first half of the 19th century, is considered an almost intact example of rural log construction, and is an important part of the historic village landscape. Its probable date falls within a period also associated with the single-storey log buildings. The homestead can therefore be viewed both as an individual building and as part of Pojedy’s rural architectural history.

Ponds and Landscape

The Doubravanský potok flows through Žitovlice and Pojedy from north to south. Its waters feed the Žitovlický rybník and the Pojedský rybník. The spatial relationship is particularly clear at the Žitovlický rybník: it lies north of the rise on which the church stands, forming a unique landscape composition with it. The stream runs through both settlements; the pond and the rise with the church form a distinctive landscape setting.

Žitovlice on a Cycling Tour

A regional cycling tour also passes through Žitovlice: the “Rožďalovickým okolím” route runs from Doubravany through Žitovlice to Křinec. This sequence places the village on a longer route that includes two other named places. The cycling tour thus adds another perspective for planning a trip, complementing the look at the building styles in Žitovlice and Pojedy and the surrounding ponds.

Discover more destinations: Stará Lysá, Straky, Čilec, Běrunice, Krchleby, Vykáň, Poušť, Poděbrady

For the overview of the wider region: Nymburk District.