Lošany: Fortress, Church and Local History

Lošany can be understood historically and in terms of its landscape from several perspectives: the Tvrz Lošany fortress and St. George’s Church represent different periods of construction, while Baroque wayside shrines, memorial sites and a cycling tour offer further perspectives. If you are looking for a hotel in Lošany, architectural history, remembrance or cycling may appeal to different interests as you plan your trip.

Fortress and Church: Architectural History from Different Periods

The Tvrz Lošany fortress is a square stone tower 16.5 metres high. Its construction is thought to date to the second half of the 14th century; it is currently privately owned. The dating remains a cautious historical estimate, while the height and shape are specific architectural features. This places the fortress in a different period from the church building of the late 19th century.

St. George’s Church in Lošany was built in the Neo-Gothic style in 1895–1896 by architect Ludvík Lábler and consecrated on 16 July 1896. The construction period and consecration date mark different milestones: construction spanned two years, and the church was consecrated on a specific day in July. Neo-Gothic refers to the revival of older Gothic forms; here, this style is associated with a building from the late 19th century. Compared with the fortress, whose date is thought to be in the 14th century, the church has precise construction and consecration dates.

Memorial Sites and Baroque Wayside Shrines

The Battle of Kolín took place near Lošany in 1757. A field hospital was set up in Lošany during the battle. The locations are described differently: the battlefield was near Lošany, while the field hospital was in the village. Two mass graves of fallen soldiers are located near the church in Lošany.

Outside Lošany, in the direction of Kolín, stands the Baroque wayside shrine Boží muka Kolovrat, which dates from the late 18th century. Boží muka P. Marie is also a Baroque wayside shrine; it dates from the 18th century and is located outside Lošany in the direction of Polní Voděrady. In comparison, Kolovrat is dated more specifically to the end of the century, while P. Marie is assigned to the 18th century in general. The directions help distinguish the two monuments without treating them as one location.

Another historical topic is presented in the exhibition at the Památník tří odbojů. It covers both the history of the Mašín family and the history of three Czechoslovak resistance movements. The subject thus ranges from the history of one family to several movements, offering a different approach to history than the buildings and historical sites.

Landscape and Cycling Tour

Lošany and Lošánky lie on opposite gentle slopes. A pond connects the slopes, and the Pekelský potok flows through the pond. The focus here is not on a single building, but on the interplay of the slopes, the body of water and the stream. These landscape features complement the historical themes involved in planning a visit to the area.

The 41-kilometre cycling trip “Cyklovýlet za Labskými vyhlídkami a údolím Polepky” follows a route through Lošany. The 41 kilometres refer to the length of the entire trip. A tourism description from 2022 gives the route; road conditions can change. Therefore, check current road conditions before planning a ride. The cycling tour offers a different scale for trip planning than the individual buildings and memorial sites: it is described as an excursion with a stated total distance.

Discover more destinations: Radovesnice Ii, Velký Osek, Tuchoraz, Křečhoř, Svojšice, Nova Ves I, Žabonosy, Veltruby.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Kolín.