Driving through Bohemia heading to (or from) Poland means driving through some beautiful landscapes. If you’re looking for a pit stop but don’t want a faceless motorway cafe, I’d recommend a quick diversion to the quaint town of Jičin.
Out of all the towns and cities in this region (called Hradec Kralove), Jičin has a beautiful historical centre. There are remnants of fortifications, and Renaissance and Baroque houses along the old square.
Parking near the old town is not as difficult as you may think because the city is not too large. There are farmers’ markets on certain days but even then, you won’t need to walk more than 10 minutes to get to the centre.
The town was founded in the 12th century – the first mention of the town is in a document that King Wenceslas’ wife wrote on 1 August 1293. They built everything out of wood in those days except for the Church of St James the Great, which they built out of stone1. All buildings became stone ones by the 15th century so the ones you see as you roam the square are not older than that.
Some of the building facades need a bit of work but this does not detract from the beauty of the central square, surrounded as it is, by them.
There used to be three gates into town but only the Valdice Gate remains2. The tower is open for visitors. If you feel like braving the large, narrow spiral staircase, the view from above is worth the exertion to get you there.
The town expanded during the Thirty Years War when it was a centre of a Duchy of Friedland3.
For more about the Thirty Years’ war, read my article about it.
This was a short-lived Duchy which only lasted 7 years. It was run by Albrecht von Wallenstein who even minted his own coins in the town3. They buried him at the nearby château in Mnichovo Hradiště. (See my article about this château that thinks it’s a castle)
The place is small and easy to walk around. Together with the tower and a quick bite to eat, you’ll be done in an hour or so.
Do you know of any quaint market towns worth a quick visit
- Jičínska Farnost; St James Church; (Retrieved 2018-07-12) [↩]
- Town fortification; Jicin.org; (Retrieved 2018-07-12) [↩]
- Town history; Jičin Council Site; Retrieved 2017-12-11; (Article in Czech) [↩][↩]