Svatojanský Újezd: Church, Freedom Linden and Village History

Svatojanský Újezd lies in the Bělohrad Basin, three kilometres west of Lázně Bělohrad. The village is defined by its historic layout, the Church of St John the Baptist and the Freedom Linden. Paths, a protected ash tree and Újezdský Hill reveal other aspects of the surrounding landscape. If you are choosing a destination with tangible traces of its buildings and local history, you will find several points of interest here.

Village Square, Freedom Linden and Building Styles

The village square is now laid out as a park. Around it, Svatojanský Újezd preserves the circular settlement pattern of the original agricultural homesteads. Their arrangement shows how the farmsteads surrounded the square as the centre of the village. Timber-framed houses have also been preserved as examples of folk architecture, adding another building style to the village’s appearance.

The Freedom Linden was planted in the village square on 14 May 1919, behind the statue of St John the Baptist. The statue dates from 1902. The linden has a trunk circumference of 419 centimetres and is about 23 metres tall. It is also associated with the residents’ traditional gathering, “Setkání pod lipou” (Meeting Beneath the Linden). If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the event date in advance.

Church and Historical Traces

The Church of St John the Baptist stands on the foundations of a wooden church dating from the second half of the 14th century. It is a protected immovable cultural monument, listed under catalogue number 1009153539; its protection has been in effect since 2 January 2006. The bell also bears its own date: it was cast in 1606 and is one of the oldest bells in the region. The church’s origins, heritage protection and bell thus point to different historical aspects of the building.

Landscape and Paths

A European ash is a protected tree in the northern part of the built-up area. The municipal administration of Lázně Bělohrad designated it as protected in 2004. Újezdský Hill, 314 metres high, shapes the landscape southwest of the built-up area. The highest parts of Svatojanský Újezd offer notable views of the village and the surrounding countryside. The ash is identified by its location in the northern part of the settlement, while the hill lies southwest, outside the built-up area.

The marked “Cesta Karla Jaromíra Erbena” (Karel Jaromír Erben Trail) passes through Svatojanský Újezd. Existing field and forest paths also connect the built-up area with the natural surroundings.

Getting Around and Former Settlements

The road layout can also be understood by looking at two different routes: a Class III road runs north–south through the village square, while a Class II road runs along the outside of the built-up area. For practical information while in the village, the Stanislav Rudolf Library offers free public internet access.

When considering historic place names, it is helpful to distinguish between Okrouhlice and Okrouhlík. The medieval village of “Okrouhlice,” also known as “Okrouhlé,” stood on the site of today’s “Okrouhlík” farmstead; it is mentioned in records from 1392 and 1603. By contrast, a medieval fortress named “Okrouhlík” stood at “Bačálky,” above the farmstead. It was built before 1592 and mentioned in 1606. The similar names therefore refer to different historic places, and the dates each serve a different purpose.

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Return to the main travel overview: Jičín District.