ATTRACTIONS

The synagogue in Hradec Králové is a former Hradec Králové Jewish house of prayer, built between 1904 and 1905 at the corner of today’s Pospíšilova Avenue and Čs. armády Avenue. It is one of the largest and most interesting architecturally designed buildings of its kind in Central Europe.

The Stříbrný rybník (Silver Pond) recreational site is located at the largest of the ponds spread around the city of Hradec Králové. Thanks to its location in the middle of the beautiful nature on the border of the Orlice River Nature Park and the Novohradecký forest, it is ideal for family holidays.

Gočár’s staircase leads from Komenského Street to Na Kropáčce Street and then around the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary to the Great Square. The staircase, which bears the name of its architect Josef Gočár, was created at the place where an old water tower used to stand.

Bono Publico is considered one of the most beautiful Empire style monuments in Hradec Králové. The historic staircase dating back to 1810 and connecting Komenského Street with the Great Square was created at the site of a former fishing gate or the so-called fishing trail. It led between the house U Špuláků and the Palace of Bishops.

The Palace of Bishops was built on the site of three burgher houses between 1709 and 1716. According to Giovanni Santini’s plans, it was funded by Tobiáš J. Becker and Johann Adam Wratislaw von Mitrowitz, the bishops of the Hradec Králové diocese. The facade of the building was raised by a second floor in 1777.

Biřička is a pond of 7.9 ha situated on the southern edge of Hradec Králové. It is the first of the cascade of ponds called Biřička – Cikán – Datlík – Roudnička. It is situated on a brook of the same name, which was previously called Černý potok (Black Brook). The pond is suitable for swimming and, especially in summer, it is a popular recreational site.

The historical building was built between 1909 and 1912 according to the plans of the prominent Czech architect Jan Kotěra (1871–1923) and declared a national cultural monument in 1995.

Renovated historic terraces are a pleasant relaxation area with gazebos, benches, fountains and other garden features. Remains of the original city walls can be seen in several places.

Bronze sculptures by Ladislav Šaloun, allegories of Trade and Harvest, are located on the entrance facade. In the building’s interiors, the entrance hall on the ground floor and the interiors on the first floor (stucco decorations, stained glass windows) are preserved in their original form, with only minor modifications.

The Hradec Králové Observatory and Planetarium is located on the southern edge of the capital of Eastern Bohemia – Hradec Králové. One of the most beautiful places was chosen for the construction of the observatory – on the ridge between Zámeček and Nový Hradec Králové, from where there is a view of the Elbe lowland in the west and of an elongated valley with mirrors of Datlík and Roudnička ponds in the south.

Great place to walk in the centre of Hradec Králové. The former officers’ park is located a short walk from the old town square, at the confluence of the Elbe and Orlice Rivers. The park is a wonderful place to walk in every season.

Smaller park with seating under the walls of the old town of Hradec Králové. You can go down the stairs to the historical part of Hradec Králové. A pleasant rest while wandering through the city.

You can find the Botanical Garden at the site of the Faculty of Pharmacy near the centre of Hradec Králové. The Botanical Garden was founded in 1969 as a teaching pavilion for the Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University. There are over 500 species of mostly medicinal plants in the garden.

The two-storey building of the former town hall can be found in the Great Square in the centre of Hradec Králové. The first mention of the town hall is from 1418. The building went through reconstructions and renovations over the centuries. Its two turrets are typical for the building of the former town hall.

The Marian Column can be found in the middle of the Great Square. The column height is 19 metres and was built in 1716. A plague epidemic that the city avoided was the motive for building the column. As a result, the column was built to remember this happy event.

A dominant feature of the city noticed by everyone who comes to Hradec. It stands out in the middle of the city, shines in the night, it is the White Tower. A few hundred years ago, it was called the ‘New Tower’, but over time it became known as the ‘White Tower’ for its white stone used for construction. A bell, the third largest in the Czech Republic and the second largest in Bohemia, is an integral part of the tower.

The Holy Spirit Cathedral can be found in the northern part of the Great Square, in the centre of Hradec Králové, right next to the White Tower. The cathedral is one of the most important monuments of the city. The history of this building dates back to the 14th century, and the first proven mentions date back to 1313.

The Art Nouveau building of a steam water power plant on the Elbe from 1909 with a turbine station for a hydroelectric power station, a new bridge and a weir called ‘Hučák’, is interesting not only technically, but also in terms of art. Tours of the still functional complex are possible. There is the Renewable Source Information Centre with an interactive exposition in the building.