The town hall
To a reeve Střihavka`s single-stored stone-house number 10, added its new owner, a factor David Vikolčil one more storey and had the house roofed with a mansard roof covered with a shingle, in 1819. In the upper floor, he built up a luxurious apartment, downstairs he established a rich drapery, inspired by canvas magnates, the Machs. However, the Vikolčils` family, living beyond its incomes, led the shop to bankruptcy and in 1835, the house became a property of his creditor František Bureš. In 1842, the biggest trader in Kostelec, František Kozel, bought it. After his bankruptcy, the townlet acquired the former reeve’s house in an auction in 1882. It was covered with a slate and the building served as the town hall during the World War two and shortly after. In 1989 the facade was reconstructed according to the conservator Robert Řemínek`s project. After the general reconstruction in an original neobaroque style, completed in 1994, the mayor’s, deputy mayor’s and secretary’s offices returned to the building. Downstairs, there are the building office and the boardroom.
St. Jacob’s church
The St. Jacob`s church, originally the14th century gothic building, is already mentioned as a parish church in 1362. In the 17th century, it belonged to Náchod temporarily, but after 1709, it was parish again. After its destruction in the fire of the townlet in 1591, it was only rebuilt in 1668. In the years 1744 – 54 it was probably rebuilt in a baroque style in close cooperation with K. I. Dietzenhofer and at the expense of Octavius Piccolomini by the constructor František Kermer (1710 – 86). Against the plan, the church was built with a shorter aisle. It is a single-aisle church with richly decorated frontage with a statue of St. James in a high gable above the frontispiece. To the main entrance in the frontage, there leads a stony staircase with two sandstone statues, St. Wenceslas (1929) and St. Ludmila (1933). Both plastics are works of the carver and sculptor Břetislav Kafka from Červený Kostelec. Dientzenhofer intended to emphasize the richly decorated frontage of the church by two high baroque steeples built aside the building. The foundations of the both steeples were laid, but only one was completed. Nowadays, the single steeple serves as a bell tower. In the fire of Kostelec in 1831, the steeple was damaged seriously, so it was lowered and provisionally roofed with a simple tent roof. Only in the years 1939 – 40 the tower was completed to its original height and the tent roof was replaced according to the constructor Josef Vejr`s and engineer architect Aleš Pitřinec`s project with a bulbous pseudobaroque cupola. The clock faces on all four sides of the steeple were renovated. The current electrical clock mechanism is already the sixth one in a row and to the steeple the District industrial company in Vyškov installed it. This steeple serves as a bell tower. Up to 1931 there were 5 bells hung in it. These were removed and confiscated for military purposes in the World War one. The new bells – Ivan, Jakub and Jan were also taken away and melted down at the beginning of the World War two. Current bells, casted according to the extant forms in Kovolis in Česká u Brna, were hung to the tower on 7th March 1959 in competence of the clerical administrator Alois Voral. The second planned independent steeple was not completed and the bones from the original churchyard are laid inside. The inner decoration of the church is not consistently baroque. The main pseudorenaissance altar is from 1906, the portal sculptural altars of St. Jan Nepomucký, and The Holly Virgin are built in a baroque style, the pulpit (around 1760), has a rocay decoration, the Calvary is from 1905. From the interior, the 1555 tinny font is the most precious.
Pillar of the Holly Virgin
In the vicinage of the St. James` church, next to the road towards Náchod, there is The Pillar of the Holly Virgin situated. The pillar has a staircase with three steps from all four sides, on which there is a two-piece pedestal, wider in the lower part, verging by three shapes to a narrower part above with shapes with an overhanging moulding. On the pedestal, there is a round, from above conically narrowing pillar, at the bottom equipped by a simple base, topped by a composite head above. Above, there is the statue of the Holly virgin, standing on the globe, encircled by a snake. The Holly Virgin holds little Jesus in her armful. The rich and flying drapery emphasizes an effusive motion in a spiral. The statue is gilt; its glory with little stars around her head is gilt as well. The Pillar of the Holly Virgin is made of a gritstone. The author of this baroque relic, which dates from 1724, is unknown.
Calvary statuary
In the vicinage of the St. Jacob`s church, next to the road in towards Náchod, there is The Calvary statuary situated. On a four-piece staircase base, there is a massive pedestal on which the upper one is equipped by an ornamental volute on its sides. The pedestal is topped with a moulded ledge. On the elevated pedestal, there is a cross with crucified Jesus, at the bottom, on sides of the cross, there are two smaller sculptures – The Holly Virgin on the left and St. Jan Evangelista on the right side. Both statues are looking up in a slightly spiral motion to the cross. At the foot of the cross, there is the skull sculpture. The gritstone statuary probably originated a bit later than The Pillar of the Holly Virgin, in the half of the 18th century. Its author is unknown.
St.Vaclav`s statue
The statue stands on the right side of the staircase, in front of the main entrance to the St. Jacob`s church in the square. On the elevated square-based pedestal with a foot at a bottom and moulded ledge at a top, there is the St.Vaclav`s larger-than-life statue. The statue has its gravity centre in its right leg; the left one is stepped forward. The Saint has the saint Vaclav`s crown on his head. Having its left hand leant on his bust, the right one props against the saint Vaclav`s shield with a crest. The statue is enwrapped in a drapery hanging down to the back, and at the same time, providing a stabilization of the statue. On the front side there is an inscription: “Saint Vaclav! For thousands of years you did not let us die. Do not let us die or our future generations 929 – 1929.” On its side, there is a sign: “To the memory of the men of worth at the St.Vaclav`s millenary.” The pedestal and the statue are made of sandstone from Hořice. Its author was the carver and sculptor Břetislav Kafka from Červený Kostelec, owner of the carver`s and sculptor’s Workshop.
St. Ludmila`s statue
The St. Ludmila`s statue stands on the right side of the staircase, in front of the main entrance to the St. Jacob`s church in the square. On an elevated square-based pedestal with a foot at the bottom and the moulded ledge at the top, there is the St.Ludmila`s larger-than-life statue. The statue has its gravity centre in its right leg; the left one is stepped forward. Holding the flowers, her hands lean on her bust. On the Saint’s head, there is a crown with a veil; the whole body is enwrapped in rich drapery. On the front side there is an inscription “Saint Ludmila, Saint Vaclav`s governess, pray for us! 921 – 1933” On its backside, there is an inscription: “In the 1900th anniversary year of our salvation. The pedestal and the statue are made of sandstone from Hořice. Its author was the carver and sculptor Břetislav Kafka from Červený Kostelec, owner of the carver`s and sculptor’s Workshop.
The Božena Němcová`s house
On a former trader Augustin Hůlka`s house number 127 in the Boženy Němcové street, there was a memorial tablet in 1912 unveiled: Božena Němcová used to live in this house from September 1837 to April 1838. On 24th May 1942, the Božena Němcová`s room was inaugurated, on the teacher, museum keeper and regional writer Josef Hurdálek`s own initiative with the town council’s contribution. The room was newly arranged in 1962, to the centenary anniversary of the writer’s death. However, the house was not tended systematically in the following years, it decayed and was closed for technical reasons in 1974. Its redevelopment was slow and demanding. A new exposition was installed in the interior. On 9th May 1985, the house was presented to public. After 1989, the Just-Sirůček family abandoned their claim of restitution on the house and dedicated it to the town on requirement that it would serve to the memory of Božena Němcová. An integral part of a new exposition of the Božena Němcová`s house became the brief history of Červený Kostelec, illustrated on fourteen panels in the entrance room – the former trader’s shop. Besides the entrance exposition, the house is wholly dedicated to the writer`s story Poor people. Downstairs, visitors go through the Hůlkas-Hloušek`s room and the kitchenette with a tile stove. Both rooms are furnished with the period furniture, pictures, things, and equipment for home flax spinning. The Božena Němcová`s attic room is furnished with a period furniture as well. In the spacious hall anteroom depicted the exposition designer Stanislav Kulda the heroes of the story Poor people.
The basic art school building
The contemporary basic art school building in Nerudova street, formerly a manufacturer Theodor Keyzlar`s villa, is an architectonically remarkable cubist building, which is registered in the national registry of historical landmarks in Náchod region. The villa was projected by acad. arch. Josef Gočár and realized in the years1923-1924 by a builder Josef Pitřinec from Červený Kostelec. A spacious hall downstairs with an original wooden paneling serves pupils as a concert hall; in other rooms, there are classrooms for each kind of art. The films used to be shot inside the building.
Victoria’s grave
After an abolition of a churchyard in 1821, a new cemetery was consecrated in the area of the former trader František Vacek`s garden. This place was used for burying until 1868. Nowadays, in this place, in the garden in the Dvořáčkova street, going from the church to a new cemetery, there is a symbolical crazy Victoria’s grave, character from Božena Němcová`s Grandmother. On the metal-tipped cross there is the tablet with the sign: Here rests Victoria, born in 1792, the daughter of Antonín Žid from Červená Hora, died on 17th October 1868. Victoria Židová was found half-dead in a small cave in an oak wood below Žernov and was brought to her native Červená Hora. After her death, she was buried in a mass grave in then cemetery in Kostelec, to the cost of her village because Červená Hora belonged to the local presbytery. According to her death certificate from 18th October, she died of senility in the age of 76.
J. K. Tyl`s theatre
Cultural life in Červený Kostelec takes place in J. K. Tyl`s theatre mostly. This building from 1925 is integrated harmonically in a building complex of the so-called Cultural site (schools, theatre, Sokol house). A spacious stage with an actors` rear room, modern illuminating and sound systems make realization of sophisticated performances possible. An auditorium without a circle holds 398 people. Besides the main auditorium, there is the so-called small auditorium for 100 people. It is used for associations` conferences, for small-scale cultural activities, annual meetings, etc. Local actors for their rehearsals use the two clubrooms above the auditorium, during performances, they serve as cloakrooms. Downstairs, there are the Divadlo café and an apartment.
Interior of the Josef Kajetán Tyl`s theatre
The curtain, painted manually by A. Dobeš in 1942. Its model was a painting by K. Líbal.
Dead Memorial – the Legionnaire
In a monumental sandstone memorial with a sculpture of a legionnaire made by the sculptor Břetislav Kafka from Červený Kostelec, dedicated in 1929 in the Smetana`s park, there are inscribed 92 names of people who died and 17 names of people missing in World War one. The memorial was removed and kept in the Břetislav Kafka`s villa garden. After the war, it was put on the original place and dedicated on 9th May 1946. To names of the dead and missing in the World War one there were added 29 names of the people executed and tortured to death by Nazis and those who died in a battle against the Nazism in 1939-45.
The municipal office
In 1929, a new representative municipal savings bank building was built in the square. The Municipal savings bank was designed by an engineer arch. Jindřich Freiwald, together with a builder Josef Böhm from Prague. A builder J. Hořeněvský from Pardubice realized the construction; acad. sculptor Otakar Švec made the two sculptures for a frontage of the building. After interior reconstructions, the building is a seat of the municipal office. Downstairs, there is a town show room.
Bohdašín – The Memorial to Nazism victims
The Memorial to Nazi victims, made by an acad. sculptor Josef Marek, was on 26th June 1966. The author was inspired by a Josef Čapek`s series of paintings against Nazism – Oheň. A woman defends herself desperately, barehanded. She holds a twig, symbol of a victory in her raised hand. Vertically skewed pedestal comes across as an exclamation mark. On a sandstone tablet in front of the memorial, there is a sign inscribed: “To the victims of Nazism 1942 Bohdašín – Končiny“. Names of the seventeen people tortured to death and executed members and cooperators of an illegal rebellious group S 21 B follow - Klikar Josef, Satranová Zdeňka, Satran Ladislav, Geisler Josef, Hejna Václav, Burdych Antonín st., Burdych Antonín ml., Burdychová Josefa, Burdychová Milada, Hampl Miloslav, Merta Jaroslav, Ježek Karel, Prouza Stanislav, Schejbal Josef, Kábrt Karel, Falta Josef, Vokatý Jaroslav. The name of the paratrooper Jiří Potůček-Tolar is also mentioned there. In the sandstone pedestal there is an earth from the scaffold from Zámeček u Pardubic and from Trnová in the district of Pardubice, where a protectoral policeman shot a sergeant Jiří Potůček dead after his escape from Končiny. Because of a damage of the statue, at the end of 2000 a restoration firm from Hradec Králové made an artificial stone replica. Then, the pedestal was cleaned as well and the area around was planted with flowers and ornamental wood.
The cemetery with the St. Cyril and Metoděj`s chapel
Regular, as well as accidental visitors of the cemetery in Červený Kostelec agree that this cemetery is one of the most beautiful in the Czech republic. Situated at the top of the Chrby hillock, not far from the town centre, with its green areas arrangement, it makes a smooth continuation of the Smetana`s park. Many groves with a piously maintained floral decoration are introduced with monuments and gravestone with numerous sculptures, reliefs and sculptural works. Many of the town’s eminent personalities repose here. This cemetery is already the third known last resting place of Kostelec citizens. Primordially, the cemetery surrounded the St. James` church and extended to the present square. Groves could be found here still in 1840, while the second cemetery in a Vacek`s garden below the current cemetery was already in use. The second cemetery was in use until 1870, although in 1862 of the priest František Kerner`s accord a foundation stone to the St. Cyril and Metoděj`s chapel on Chrby was laid. At the same time, construction works on the third cemetery in Kostelec began. A bishop Karel Hanel from Hradec Králové consecrated the cemetery in 1863.
In 2005, the chapel, a Cavalry and a paving of the main path were completely reconstructed. A new illumination was built in the cemetery, a columbarium and a scatter place in an urn grove.
The St. Cyril and Metoděj`s chapel
The chapel was completed a consecrated in 1865. Its interior decorate two paintings by Kostelec native acad. painter Gustav Vacek. The Holy Virgin at the altar and The Holy Virgin with little Jesus in a glory near an entrance. A certainly interesting thing is an organ from 1873, which after its recent renovation and completing its piston range can be used not only for liturgical purposes but for concerts as well.
The Cavalry
By the path from a gate to the chapel there are fourteen Cavalry stoppings made by V. Střihavka in 1875.
Artistically valuable tombstones
In the Červený Kostelec cemetery, there are some especially artistically valuable tombstones, that a visitor should not overlook. Right from the chapel, at the main path to a ceremonial hall, there is the Antonín Matýs` grave with a statue of Christ by Břetislav Kafka. On the right, back part (northern), there are a few graves with artificial tombstones. At the cemetery wall, there is “the Memento” puttied sculpture; on the next grave, there is “the Wounded” sandstone sculpture by a sculptor Špatenka from Trutnov. By a pathway nearer to the centre of the cemetery, there are two tombstones – “the Sorrow” sandstone statue and „the Miners” sandstone sculpture by sculptors Veis and Deyl from Hořice. On many tombstones there are little sculptures and engravings illustrating the life, profession or image of the deceased. Showing regards and gratitude to deceased reflect belief and love of our citizens and impress every visitor of the cemetery.
Eminent personalities` graves
Augustin Purm
At the sidewall, on the left side of the old part of the cemetery, there is a grave of Augustin Purm`s (*28th August 1800 – 5th June 1875), Božena Němcová`s teacher, and of his wife, teacher Otylie Purm`s, born Rudlová. At first, he taught Božena Němcová as a teacher’s assistant in Česká Skalice, later as a teacher in Chvalkovice. In Kostelec, Božena Němcová stood up for him as he defended his father-in-law Alois Rudl.
Ota Rubáček
On the left side, by the main path from the chapel entrance, Ota Rubáček (*27th April 1915 – 6th May 1945) a hero from Prague barricades was buried there in May 1945.
Bohumil Kulíř
In front of the chapel, left from the main path, Bohumil Kulíř (*14th November 1878 – 18th March 1950) an eminent regional literary and historical studies author is buried there.
The Russian soldier’s grave
Left from the main path, right below the chapel, there is a Russian soldier buried, who died during a liberation of our region. The name is not given, at this place all Red army soldiers, who died for liberation of our country, are memorialized.
The clerical administrators` grave
By the main path, in front of the chapel, there is the grave with a pseudocorintihian pillar topped by a cross with Christ. The clerical administrators from the parish of Červený Kostelec are buried here.
The most pretentious tombstone
The most pretentious tombstone is in the old part of the cemetery, on the right side below the chapel. It is dedicated to Petr Hůlek and his family. Petr Hůlek was a rich draper and factor from Horní Rybníky-Čertovina. His wife had a richly figural decorated tombstone “Taking down of the cross” made. Josef Hurdálek depicted his career in his novel Pavel Hoňka.
František Šupich, Áda Šupich
Left from the chapel (seen from the main gate), there are the graves of František Šupich`s, the oldest priest in Kostelec (*15th October 1810 – 2nd December 1889), portrayed by Gustav Vacek; and the grave of Áda Šupich`s, a renowned composer and bandmaster.
František Karel Zachoval
Left from the chapel, just by the path, there is the grave of František Karel Zachoval`s, (*30th March 1882 – 28th May 1976) an editor of the Náchod journal. The bust of the deceased decorates the tombstone. Although, he did not live in Kostelec, he used to be his son’s and his friends` regular guest.
Austro – Prussian 1866 war soldiers
The four Austrian and five Prussian 1866 War soldiers` grave is one of the oldest in the cemetery. They were brought together from the town`s vicinity or died in local hospitals. In 2001, members of the Manové Přemysla Otakara fencing group from Červený Kostelec restored the memorial under supervision of the 1866 relic conservation committee member and solemnly consecrated and devolved it on the town.
Josef Krušina
Left from the chapel, there is the headmaster Josef Krušina`s grave (*24th July 1847 – 9th September 1927).
Gustav Vacek
Right from the chapel Gustav Vacek, an academic painter (*21st August 1821 – 1st October 1804), Božena Němcová`s contemporary, altarpiece painter and the last Habsburks` court painter, is buried
Břetislav Kafka
Right from the chapel, there is the last resting place of Břetislav Kafka`s, carver, sculptor, researcher in psychotronics and a psychotronic publications author (*14th May 1891 – 27th August 1967)
Josef Hurdálek
Left from the chapel, there is the grave of Josef Hurdálek`s (*1st July 1885 – 2nd September 1944), writer, historian of the Červený Kostelec region, town chronicler, the former town museum keeper and editor of the Od Kladského pomezí magazine.
František Jiroušek
In the right, newer part of the cemetery, by a path towards the ceremonial hall, there is the grave of František Jiroušek`s from Končiny. A German soldier shot him on 7th May 1945 in Končiny.
Jan Kratochvíl
In the right, newer part of the cemetery, not far from the ceremonial hall, there is the grave of Jan Kratochvíl`s, native of Horní Radechová, the Czechoslovak army corps` commander in the USSR. The anabasis of his army life was published many times. Jan Kratochvíl died as a general emeritus on 15th March 1975 in Červený Kostelec.
Jindřich Křeček-Jituš
In the northernmost part of the cemetery, in the urn grove, there is laid a shrine with the designer Jindřich Křeček`s remains (*7th March 1909 – 4th November1979). Besides his drawings and paintings from our region, Jindřich Křeček is known as a foreign soldier and World War two correspondent. In his inheritance there are many drawn and written evidences of length of his journey as a member of the Czechoslovak foreign units.
Miloslava Maudrová
In the urn grove, just behind the entrance gate, on the right side of the main path, there is laid an urn with Miloslava Maudrová, Božena Němcová`s granddaughter’s remains (*30th March 1878 – 30th May 1968). By her request, the urn is laid in the Červený Kostelec cemetery.
Martin Růžek
The great Czech actor Martin Růžek died on 18th December 1995 in Prague. He was born in Kostelec in 23rd September 1918. The urn with his remains was taken to his birthplace in 18th May 1996 so as he completed his part of the longest – eternal rest.