Kamenicky: Discover Art History and Landscape

Kameničky offers a range of reasons to visit, from ecclesiastical architectural history and art to landscape and nature conservation. Particularly defining are its connections to the painter Antonín Slavíček, a Baroque church with a nearby Stations of the Cross, and the high point Volákův kopec. If you are looking for a destination where cultural history and nature can be explored side by side, this variety can help you find your bearings.

Art and Architectural History in Kameničky

The Baroque Church of the Holy Trinity was built between 1764 and 1766 on the site of an older wooden church. A Stations of the Cross beside the church forms its own, more recent chapter in the history of the village: it was created in 2017 from an architectural design by Tereza Šmídová, with artistic work by the blacksmith artist Pavel Tasovský. The church and Stations of the Cross thus represent different periods and forms of design, without requiring a shared walking route.

Two statues are also among the village’s cultural attractions. A statue of Saint John dates from 1723, and a statue of Saint Florian from 1779. These dates provide a timeframe for the works and add further historical points of reference to the architectural history of the Church of the Holy Trinity.

An important connection to painting leads to Slavíčkův domek. Antonín Slavíček stayed in Kameničky there and created the famous painting “U nás v Kameničkách.” A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the house on 18 June 1961. The site can therefore be associated both with the painter’s stay and with a specific work.

The Antonín Slavíček Gallery focuses on a different aspect of art: it displays stage sets painted by Antonín Slavíček and Bohuslav Dvořák in 1904 for the local theatre association. Unlike Slavíčkův domek, the gallery focuses on a joint project by two artists for a local association. Visitors interested in art can thus discover two distinct connections: Slavíček’s stay and painting, and the stage sets created for the theatre.

The historical milestones range from the statue of Saint John, dating from 1723, to the church’s construction between 1764 and 1766 and the statue of Saint Florian from 1779, followed by the stage sets of 1904 and the Stations of the Cross of 2017. This is not a continuous narrative, but a way to find your bearings among the different buildings, works of art and memorial sites that shape Kameničky.

Landscape, Protected Areas and Trails

Kameničky lies in the headwaters of the Chrudimka River and within the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area. A prominent high point in the surrounding area is Vojtěchův Kopec, at 673 metres. In the painters’ tradition, it is also called Volákův kopec; it is one of the highest places in the Chrudimsko region. The alternative name and the regional classification provide two different points of reference: cultural usage and geographical setting.

The stated conservation aims of the Volákův kopec Nature Reserve include protecting a botanical locality and the occurrence of the black grouse. These conservation priorities complement Kameničky’s location in the protected landscape area, but refer to a different scale: one concerns a specific nature conservation site, the other the area’s inclusion in a larger protected landscape.

The routes can also be clearly distinguished. The Vlastivědná stezka Krajem Chrudimky nature trail runs between Filipov and Lány via Kameničky. Another branch leads from Kameničky to Volákův Kopec, also known as Vojtěchův Kopec. This describes both a route connecting the named places and a branch leading to a named landscape feature. When choosing your destination, you can consider these points of reference alongside the church, art and nature conservation themes.

Kameničky cannot be reduced to a single theme: the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stations of the Cross and statues reflect different historical periods; Slavíčkův domek and the gallery offer different perspectives on painting and local theatre; and the river’s headwaters, protected areas and trails turn attention to the landscape. Which of these aspects matters most for your stay depends on whether you give greater weight to architectural history, art, or geographical and nature conservation features.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Všeradov, Čankovice, Mladoňovice, Hluboká, Smrček, Skuteč-Borek, Horní Bradlo, Parizov.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Chrudim.