Žireč: Discover the Church, Nature and Cycling Route

Žireč combines an important church instrument with botanical grounds, a cycling museum and a cycling route from the direction of Kuks. As a result, culture, nature and cycling history emerge as clearly distinct themes of the town.

Church and Museum

The Church of St. Anne houses an organ made in 1829 by Johann Antonín Barth from Dolní Olešnice. It is the last surviving organ by this maker that is suitable for concert performance. The church can be visited with an audio guide or as part of a guided tour. These two forms of visiting complement the historic site with different forms of interpretation, without reducing the organ’s history to a single perspective.

Another cultural attraction is the Cyklomuzeum in Žireč. It is the largest cycling museum in the Czech Republic and documents the development of cycling from its beginnings to the present day. Thus, alongside the individual historic instrument, the town also offers a comprehensive presentation of cycling history.

Botanical Grounds

Via botanica begins at the Bylinkárium in Areál sv. Josefa and connects eleven botanically exceptional sites. The starting point is therefore a Bylinkárium, while Via botanica connects several sites with one another. The park in Areál sv. Josefa is open to everyone year-round.

The park in Areál sv. Josefa features coniferous and deciduous trees from Asia as well as North and South America. The tree collection expands the botanical theme with plants from different parts of the world. The herb garden in Areál Žireč offers a different experience: medicinal plants, perennials, as well as ornamental and fruit plants are available for sale there. The park, botanical connection and herb garden are therefore independent components of the nature offering.

Cycling Route and Surrounding Area

A functional cycling route leads from Kuks to Žireč. The cycling route represents a distinct connection to the town, while the Cyklomuzeum documents the history of cycling. Together, the two details show different aspects of the cycling theme: a connection between places and a museum presentation of its development.

The immediate surroundings of Městys Žireč include the hills “(Betlém [Hřibojedy])”, “Hřibojedský vrch [Hřibojedy]” and “(Končiny) [Dubenec]”. These three references belong to the immediate surroundings, but each is assigned to a different place. The hill “Morava [Lanžov]” lies in the vicinity of Městys Žireč. The church “Lázně”, on the other hand, lies in the wider regional surroundings of Městys Žireč. The geographical classification thus includes the immediate surroundings, the vicinity and the wider regional surroundings.

For a visit, the themes can be considered separately according to their nature: the church offers the organ and two ways of visiting, the museum documents the history of cycling, the botanical sites present the park, tree collection and range of plants, and the cycling route connects Kuks with Žireč. The geographical references also remain recognizable as separate levels of orientation.

Other linked places are: Zábřezí-Řečice, Velky Vrestov, Lanzov, Chotevice, Dolni Dvur, Cermná U Vrchlabí, Dvůr Králové Nad Labem and Vlcice.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Trutnov.