Discover Poniklá

Poniklá brings together sacred architectural history, traditional crafts and trails through the countryside. As a traveler, this gives you several ways to focus your choice of destination: you can take an interest in local history and regional craft culture, or focus on the cave landscape and outdoor activities. If you are looking for a hotel in Poniklá, these themes can help you assess the town in light of your own travel interests.

Architectural history and traditional crafts

The parish church Farní kostel sv. Jakuba Staršího, apoštola is a Baroque landmark in Poniklá and was consecrated in 1682. A painting by the artist Nejedlý in the church was restored in 1996 by restorers from Litomyšl. The two dates mark different milestones: the church’s consecration in 1682 and the later restoration of the painting in 1996. This offers a way to explore local history through both the building and a work from its interior.

Rautis preserves and develops the traditional bead-making craft in Poniklá. This includes blowing glass beads and making beaded Christmas decorations. In 2020, the technique was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This listing recognizes a specific craft skill and its tradition, offering a distinct cultural focus alongside the town’s sacred architectural history.

The Muzeum krkonošských řemesel displays around 700 exhibits, most of which come from Poniklá and the surrounding area. The exhibition includes an agricultural section; it also presents traditional methods of processing flax, washing and ironing, butter-making, shoemaking and furniture-making. The subjects cover everyday tasks as well as craft activities and the making of objects. For exploring local crafts, the museum offers a different perspective from the bead-making tradition: here, the focus is on a collection and a range of working methods.

At the museum, courses offered by the Vzdělávací spolek uměleckých řemesel teach traditional skills such as basket weaving, stonemasonry and blacksmithing. You should check the specific dates before your trip.

Poniklá has dozens of preserved buildings in the rural log-house style, with richly carved gables. Krejčův statek is considered the largest farmstead in the town. These two details describe different scales of the built heritage: many preserved buildings and a farmstead considered the largest in Poniklá.

Cave and trails through the countryside

Ponikelská jeskyně contains chambers decorated with stalactites and underground lakes; its passages are about 240 metres long. The cave thus offers an underground natural environment alongside the trails on the surface.

Numerous footpaths, trails and routes to natural and cultural monuments, viewpoints and picturesque places run through Poniklá and its surroundings. You can explore them on foot, by bicycle and, in winter, on skis. Hiking and cycling highlight the mode of travel, while skiing is specifically mentioned as a winter option. The routes thus connect different ways of exploring the landscape with destinations of natural and cultural interest.

When planning your trip, you can weigh up different interests: the buildings, collections and craft traditions offer a cultural focus, while the cave and trails turn your attention to nature and outdoor activities. This makes it possible to choose Poniklá as a destination based on the themes that matter most for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Prívlaka, Levínská Olešnice, Peřimov, Studenec, Stepanovice, Štěpanická Lhota, Čistá U Horek, Jilemnice

See the overview of destinations in the wider area: Okres Semily.