Hořice V Podkrkonoší: Sandstone, Sculptures and Tradition

Hořice V Podkrkonoší brings together sandstone, sculpture, local history and a well-known sweet specialty. In the museum, a sculpture collection and historic buildings, you can encounter the material in a variety of contexts. Hořické trubičky are also closely associated with the town. These themes give your stay a clear focus—whether you are particularly interested in art and history or would like to discover local traditions.

Sandstone and Sculpture

The Městské muzeum has a permanent exhibition on the tradition of sandstone quarrying and the artistic working of stone in the Hořice region. The adjoining Štorchova síň hosts themed exhibitions; the programme may change. The Sochařský park U Sv. Gotharda I and II collection includes more than 100 sandstone sculptures by sculptors from Europe, Asia and America. The park is freely accessible year-round, although temporary maintenance work may affect access.

On Hořický chlum, the Masarykova věž samostatnosti serves as a war memorial and observation tower. In clear conditions, the view from the observation platform extends across the panorama of the Krkonoše Mountains to the fertile Elbe lowlands of Polabí. A red-marked hiking trail from the town square to the Galerie plastik is listed as taking about ten minutes on foot. Vrch Gothard can also be reached from the town square via a red-marked hiking trail in approximately ten minutes. Check the trail markings and walking time locally. Vrch Gothard is freely accessible year-round; you should also take local conditions into account before your visit.

The Galerie plastik was founded in 1908 as the artistic branch of the Podkrkonošské průmyslové museum. Alongside its permanent exhibition, it offers an extensive exhibition programme. Its collection includes plaster sculptures by artists as well as sculptures made from high-quality materials. Another landmark in the history of local sculpture is the Sochařsko-kamenická škola: founded in 1884, it was the first school of its kind in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Individual buildings and places of remembrance also offer insight into the area’s history. The Riegrův obelisk is a 12.4-metre-high sandstone monolith, unveiled in 1907 and considered a testament to the skill of local stonemasons. The Pivovar site was added to the list of cultural monuments in 2002. The Baroque Kostel Narození Panny Marie was built to designs by Kilián Ignác Dienzenhofer between 1741 and 1748. Hořice’s Jewish history includes a Baroque synagogue dating from the 1770s and the old Jewish cemetery with historic gravestones. The cemetery was probably established as early as the second half of the 17th century; both places recall the once sizeable Jewish community.

Hořické trubičky and Local Tradition

Hořické trubičky are a traditional sweet specialty of the town. Their traditional production requires the rolls to be made by hand; machine production is not permitted. Specific practices may vary by producer. Since 2007, Hořické trubičky have held the European Union’s Protected Geographical Indication and may only be produced in Hořice and the surrounding area. After 1990, traditional artisanal production resumed in Hořice; production by Pravé hořické trubičky, s.r.o. began in 1999.

In Smetanovy sady, the Trubičková stezka explores the history and production of the specialty and shares information about it, especially with children. The trail has seven stops and seven activities that lead to a secret answer word. This makes the local confectionery tradition not only a craft, but also the subject of a walking trail.

Trails, Nature and Events

For a walk with a specified distance, try the Chlumíčkova stezka: it is about 1.5 kilometres long and suitable for strollers and very young children. The Naučný okruh passes the town’s most significant sights and has 14 stops with information panels. The Traily Hořice offer another, differently described option: the three trails Grizzly, Dáška and Potoky are rated easy to moderate and have a combined length of 3.7 kilometres. They are close to town, in forests near Koupaliště Dachova. Their routes may change as further development phases are completed.

The nearby Koupaliště Dachova is a natural outdoor swimming pool with notable wooden architecture from the 1920s. If you are planning a visit to the outdoor pool, check its seasonal opening schedule. The Hořické sochařské sympozium offers another connection to sculpture: every two years in July, visitors can watch internationally renowned sculptors at work in Lom U Sv. Josefa. The first symposium took place in 1966. Check the dates of the next event before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Běchary, Kopidlno, Rytírova Lhota, Doubrava, Holovousy, Slatiny, Samšina, Jinolice.

For the overview of the wider area: Okres Jičín.