Senice

Senice’s history dates back to the 13th century; at the same time, historic ponds, the Polská cesta, and commemorative events offer different ways to explore the town. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Senice, these topics can help you plan your stay around your interests. They range from the early settlement at Vyhlíd Pond to events commemorating the parachute drops of 1941.

Early history at Vyhlíd Pond

The first mentions, dating from the 13th century, refer to a fortified manor and settlement founded on the shore of Vyhlíd Pond. The fortified site, settlement, and pond shore are thus all part of the town’s early history. For travelers interested in the historical development of local settlements, Vyhlíd Pond is a specific point of reference: it is where Senice’s earliest recorded fortified manor and settlement were located. The historical focus is on their connection to the shore, not on a single event.

The historic pond system

Senice’s historic landscape included a pond system. Blato was its largest pond and was one third larger than Rožmberk Pond. This comparison illustrates the relative sizes within the former system and makes Blato a specific point of reference if you are exploring Senice through its waterscape. While the history of Vyhlíd focuses on the early settlement, this section is about the scale of the historic pond area.

The Polská cesta and its historic landscape

Another historical point of reference is the Polská cesta, a later northern variant of the long-distance route to Kladsko and onward to Poland. It ran between Senice, Úmyslovice, and Velenice, between ponds that have since disappeared; fragments of the route remain. This turns attention to routes through the region and to a landscape whose ponds no longer exist. The Polská cesta complements the history of the settlement site at Vyhlíd with a historic route and its direction toward Kladsko and Poland.

Commemorations and events

Commemorative events about the activities of the SILVER A parachute group are organized in Senice. The Municipality of Senice and Československá obec legionářská are involved in organizing them. The parachute group and the organizations involved are therefore also part of the town’s history and commemorative events.

The annual event “In the Footsteps of the Paratroopers” commemorates the drops of three parachute groups into their occupied homeland in 1941. In 2025, it took place on Sunday, December 28, at 12:30 p.m. If you are planning a trip around the event, check the date for the relevant year; the 2025 date and time refer to that year’s event.

The raising of the Maypole and the burning of the witches were also announced in Senice as a joint event. Fishing competitions were also the subject of municipal announcements. If any of these events are important to your trip, check the specific announcement for your travel dates.

A cultural connection: Jaroslav Koloděj

Jaroslav Koloděj, a theater performer and especially a puppeteer, lived and worked in Senice for many years. His biography adds a personal cultural connection to the picture of the landscape and events. Unlike the history of the ponds and routes, the focus here is on theater and puppetry. Senice also offers a way to explore the town through a person whose life and work were connected with it for many years.

Discover more destinations: Seletice, Vlkov Pod Oškobrhem, Milovice, Zvěřínek, Milčice, Chleby, Kolaje, Kostelní Lhota.

For the wider travel overview: Nymburk District.