Nová Cerekev: Synagogue, History and Nature

Nová Cerekev offers several distinct themes for your stay: the synagogue and old Jewish cemetery in the town, traces of railway history, and natural landmarks in the municipality. If you are looking for hotels in Nová Cerekev, you can plan your stay around the subject that interests you most.

Cultural History Across Different Eras

The Nová Cerekev Synagogue was built in 1855 in the Neo-Romanesque style with Oriental elements. It is considered the only surviving synagogue of its kind in Central Europe. The permanent exhibition “Architektura synagog v českých zemích” can be visited in the synagogue. Its architecture and exhibition give the place a distinctive cultural focus.

The old Jewish cemetery in Nová Cerekev also tells a long story: it was established before 1690. The oldest gravestone dates from 1692.

Another historic building is the Church of St Thomas Becket of Canterbury. It was built between 1750 and 1760 in the Baroque style on the site of an earlier Gothic church. Only the tower of this older church has survived. This means that two building phases can be distinguished at the church site without confusing the surviving older structure with the Baroque building erected later.

The railway and pumping-station complex of Nová Cerekev is part of the history of technology. It was built in the 1880s to a design by architect Friedrich Setz. The complex comprises a water tower and a separate pumping station; both supplied water to steam locomotives. The range of architectural history therefore extends from sacred buildings to facilities once used for railway operations.

Natural Landmarks and Rural Townscape

The Rašelinná louka u Proseče-Obořiště Natural Monument is located in the Vysočina Region, in the Pelhřimov District, within the municipality of Nová Cerekev and the cadastral areas of Částkovice and Myslov. Protected features include spring fens, spring areas, wet and waterlogged meadows, as well as specially protected and characteristic species. The protection therefore covers both specific habitats and the species associated with them.

The Havlíčkův oak grows in the listed château park of Proseč-Obořiště, a part of the municipality of Nová Cerekev. The oak is at least 300 years old and has a trunk circumference of 650 centimetres.

In the village of Stanovice, original farmsteads have been preserved around a circular village square. The Pachtův špejchar currently houses an agricultural museum. If you are planning to visit the museum, check its opening hours in advance.

Planning Your Route and Journey

The “Okolo mlýna k synagoze” route passes through nature and small villages on its way to the synagogue in Nová Cerekev. The terrain is suitable for mountain bikes; conditions may vary depending on the season. For planning purposes, it is therefore helpful to consider the nature of the route and seasonal conditions together. Its connection to the synagogue also makes it a way to combine a bike ride with a cultural destination.

Nová Cerekev railway station is on line 224 between Tábor and Horní Cerekev, which continues to Jihlava. If you are planning to travel by train, check the current timetable in advance, as timetables and service details can change.

When looking for a hotel in Nová Cerekev, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on: architectural and Jewish history in Nová Cerekev, the rural townscape of Stanovice, or nature in the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Stojčín, Mysletín, Martinice U Onšova, Kojcice, Vyskytná, Rynárec, Pelhrimov, Hořice U Humpolce

For the regional travel overview: Pelhřimov District.