Nová Olešná: Alders, Chapel and Local History

Nová Olešná combines a landscape shaped by alders with a rich local history. These themes come to life through the origin of the village’s name, the Chapel of the Holy Trinity and the Jan Amos Komenský Memorial. The chapel stands in the centre; the memorial is on the southern edge of the village.

Landscape and Name

Nová Olešná lies in a beautiful valley along an alder-lined stream. The alders beside the stream gave the village its name. The natural surroundings and the place name are therefore directly connected: the name refers to the trees that define the valley’s character. If you like to understand places through the origins of their names, this connection offers a concrete starting point for exploring local history.

Local History

Nová Olešná was founded in the 12th century. Its first written mention dates to 1379; this is a later milestone than the village’s founding and should not be confused with it. Because of its remote location, Nová Olešná became one of the places of refuge for the Bohemian Brethren. Religious history is therefore one of the defining themes of the village’s past. Until 1947, the village was called Německá Olešná, or Deutsch Wolleschna in German. The former name applies to the period up to 1947; the current name is Nová Olešná.

Chapel of the Holy Trinity

The Chapel of the Holy Trinity stands in the centre of the village, at a sharp bend. The masonry building is plastered and has a three-sided chancel. Its stone portal is dated to 1722; the chapel is considered an example of small-scale Baroque religious architecture. The date refers to the portal, while the stylistic classification describes the chapel as a building. Notable bells are also among its recorded features. Visitors interested in architecture can distinguish here between the building’s form, the dating of the portal and its classification as small-scale Baroque religious architecture.

Jan Amos Komenský Memorial

The Jan Amos Komenský Memorial stands at the former cemetery of the Bohemian Brethren, on the southern edge of Nová Olešná. It is a granite stone erected on a plinth in 1929. A bronze relief medallion bears the inscription J. A. KOMENSKÉMU and depicts the teacher’s head. The memorial also bears the inscription PAMÁTCE / ČESKÝCH BRATŘÍ. Its surroundings include an unfenced, grassy area with mature trees. The memorial can thus be understood both through its design and its connection to the former cemetery.

Two Historical Points of Interest

The chapel represents architectural form and the dating of its portal; the memorial combines a dedication to Komenský with the former cemetery of the Bohemian Brethren. If you are mainly interested in architectural history, the chapel is the focus. For a reminder of the Bohemian Brethren, the inscription on the memorial is the more direct point of reference.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Horní Němčice, Studená U Telče, Rodvínov, Heřmaneč, Kačlehy, Hospříz, Záblatí U Ponědraže, Hříšice.

For the regional travel overview: Jindřichův Hradec District.