Chlumec nad Cidlinou and its remarkable Santini designed Baroque chateau: 3 km

• The important aristocratic Kinský family acquired the estate at Chlumec nad Cidlinou in the early 17th century. At that time there was a Renaissance fortress on the site of today’s chateau. Just over a hundred years later, Count Franz Ferdinand Kinský invited the legendary Czech/Italian architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel to design a new representative mansion. The result is one of Santini’s most innovative and striking Baroque creations in Bohemia.
• Chlumec nad Cidlinou is easily reached, located just off the D11 highway 25 km west of Hradec Králové. The town also has direct train and bus connections with Prague.
• The Kinský chateau (named Karlova Koruna in honor of Emperor Charles VI) and its surrounding English-style park are slowly undergoing renovation. However, tours are available to view the majestic interior and the short walk around the park area is pleasant. In the grounds a café has been opened in the newly refurbished orangerie.
• A trip around the chateau can be complimented with a short stroll into the main town, which has a number of fine neo-Renaissance buildings and a chapel (Holy Trinity Church) believed to date back nearly one thousand years, to 1134. There are some remarkable 16th century Renaissance tombstones embedded in the outside wall of the chapel.
• The suggested circuit is no longer than 3 km and is nearly flat. It can be managed with a stroller. For refreshments, in addition to the Orangerie café, try the popular local restaurant La Putika, with its extensive outside garden (see map marker below).

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Directions

• If traveling by bus to Chlumec, walk 500m up the main high street past the Renaissance period St Ursula’s church to reach the Holy Trinity church
• An entrance to the chateau park is 150m along Pražská street
• Walk around the park area, visit the chateau and orangerie and then return back the same way
• Note: if driving, the car park for the chateau is at the opposite end of the chateau park area (and is signposted from the town center). Reverse the suggested walking route if parking here.