Velká Chmelištná in Jesenicko Nature Park

Velká Chmelištná lies in Jesenicko Nature Park. The village combines a history of early settlement with a distinctive village square, historic farmsteads, and religious architecture. The settlement was founded around 1039 during the Czech internal colonization. This offers several starting points for choosing a destination focused on cultural history—from the architectural center to visible traces of earlier settlement.

Village Square and Traditional Farmsteads

The center of the village is a spacious square with three ponds. Traditional farmsteads with entrance gates and outbuildings have been preserved along the square. The Baroque half-timbered farmstead No. 7, built in 1680, adds a clearly dated example to this village scene. The square thus brings together the generous scale of the village center and individual farmsteads with their characteristic gates and outbuildings. The three ponds are as much a part of the description of the village center as its preserved buildings.

Church and Stone Monuments

The Church of Saint Bartholomew was rebuilt and furnished in 1774. The present building is Late Baroque and single-nave; its features include a rectangular presbytery and an onion dome. The Neo-Baroque tower dates from between 1905 and 1910 and is visible from almost every point in the municipality’s cadastral area. The church can therefore be understood both through its architectural form and through the later-dated design of its tower.

Another religious monument stands in the village center: the sandstone statue of Saint Procopius is located near the intersection of the Čistá–Velká Chmelištná and Nová Ves–Křekovice roads. At about four meters tall, it is a distinct and easily recognizable landmark alongside the church. Those interested in local history will therefore find examples on different scales: a church building with a prominent tower and a single statue at a precisely identified location.

Earlier Settlement and Other Historic Sites

On the eastern side of the village, near Čočkův Pond, the remains of a fortified settlement with a defensive ditch are visible. The pond provides a specific reference point for the location of these traces. Hůrky is also part of Velká Chmelištná’s history: it originated in the Middle Ages as a mining settlement. These sites complement the architectural history of the village square with archaeological and settlement-history aspects.

The forest settlement of Svatý Hubert lies on the road between Velká Chmelištná and Drahouš. Count Prokop Černín of Chudenice had the hunting lodge there built in the mid-18th century. About 300 meters from the hunting lodge, along the blue trail in a southeasterly direction toward the settlement of Smrk, stands the Stone of Saint Hubert. Its striking bowl-shaped depression is a defining feature. If you are planning a hike on the blue trail, check the current trail conditions in advance.

Annual Event and Recreational Fishing

The Jiří Uvíra Memorial takes place every year on the second Saturday in July. Volunteer fire brigades from the surrounding area compete, and the program also includes entertainment. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check that year’s program in advance.

Recreational fishing is permitted at the large village pond in accordance with the fishing regulations. The municipal fishing regulations are dated May 5, 2023. Before planning a fishing trip, check which conditions are currently in effect. The fishing spot, the annual competition, and the historic architectural and settlement traces thus offer different reasons to consider Velká Chmelištná as a travel destination.

Discover more destinations: Nové Strašecí, Hracholusky, Pochvalov, Hořovičky, Děkov, Pustověty, Mšecké Žehrovice, Rynholec

Back to the regional travel overview: Rakovník District.