Peruc

An ancient agricultural settlement, Peruc is situated over a forested landscape fault , which goes down to the wide valley of the nearby Ohre river.

Into public awareness Peruc came mainly by the romantic story of the meeting between Oldrich and Bozena. The first write about the story was Kosmas in the 12th century, followed by Dalimil and Vaclav Hajek of Libočany in the 16th century. A story of Czech prince who married a common village girl some time in 1004 was taken over by Czech renaissance authors, as it was example of Premyslid monarchs (democratic style. It was also reflected in painting (by Frantisek Zeníšek), folk-songs and operas (Frantisek Skroup).

Historically, Peruc was for the first time evidenced in 1170, when it belonged to Mesek and Hroznata brothers. Before the Hussite wars, a large part of the village was owned by the Premonstratensian fairy in Strahov. Later a number of different owners took turns here. Among the better known ones, let us mention the Pětipestský family in the 16th century and the Hruska of Brezno family before the 30-year war. In 1673, Peruc was bought by Jan Jetrich of Ledebur, whose descendants lived here till 1798. In the period of 1804 to 1945, Peruc was owned by the Thun family.

A parish church was in Peruc since 1384. The medieval fort was rebuilt as a renaissance manor in the 16th century. During the 30-year war, between 1618 and 1648, the village and its vicinity were plundered several times. The consolidation was mostly looked after by the Ledebur family in the late 18th century., when the core buildings of Peruc (the castle, church etc.) took more or less the today's shape. In 1813, a vast army of anti-Napoleon coalition was assembled between Peruc and Vraný, and Russian tsar, Prussian king and Austrian Emperor met here. In the early 1870's, the Prague-Most railway was put into operation, with a station in Peruc, in the period of 1856 to 1911, there was an industrial sugar refinery in the village. Near to it a well-known swimming pool was established in 1980, Peruc was promoted to a market-township status.

Quite a few interesting sights are remains of the Peruc history. The slanted square is dominated by St. Peter's and Paul's Church built by P.P. Columbany in 1725, with an impressive facade valuable inside facilities. Opposite to it there is a three-tract castle of the 1760-1770 period, with a Rococo reconstruction of the original building. It is interesting by its oval entrance hall with a staircase, I.F. Platzer's sculptures and other decorations. A special side gate leads to a park with some unusual trees.

Close to the square are several interesting rural and town houses, including the town-hall. The most popular attraction however is the roof-covered pseudo-Gothic Bozena's spring, past which we can go down to an ancient and massive Oldřich's oak, which is wilting nowadays. Several more sculptures are to be seen in Peruc, in particular the statue of St. John of Nepomuk in the square at the church and the memorial of the three monarchs in the fields close to Vrany.

Peruc parish is in a building of extraordinary historical value. In the period of 1840 to 1892 there was an outstanding patriot and philantropist František Danes. He was visited by K.H.Borovsky, F. Palacky, F.L.Rieger, K.Sabina, F.L.Celakovsky, V.B.Trebizsky, J.S.Baar, B.Jablonsky, A.E.Komers, and S.Cech's family, by the way, originated here.

In late 18th century, the castle here was known by the very developed musical life. A hundred years later, the village became a popular summer resort. Many painters began to coming here. This tradition was in a most significant way completed by Emil Filla (1882-1953), who moved to Peruc after the World War II and painted the landscape.

Its is fully justified to say that Peruc is a very attractive and memorable place, The vicinity is pleasant, from Debersky to Macuv dul, over which there is a well-known Krásná vyhlídka view, with unique panoramic views of Ceské stredohori mountains (Bohemian Higlands).

Louny

The royal town of Louny was founded by the House of Premyslides in the middle of the 13th century on two important traffic routes: a water route on the river Ohře and a land route on the way from Prague to Nuremberg or Leipzig. There used to exist a settlement called Luna already at the end of the 11th century located in the place of today's St. Peter's Church, which was later built there in the middle of the 15th century. Another significant monuments of Louny (such as the fortification walls with bastion and the Zatec Gate, God's Mother Church and the House of Sokols of Mory) remained preserved from the end of that century. A destroing fire broke out in the town in March 1517. As a result of this harmful fire the inhabitants of Louny were forced to build a new church. The construction of the new St. Nicola's Church built in the late Gothic style was finished in 1538 according to the plans of royal architect Benedict Rejt. From the Renaissance period we can also admire the house of "Daliborka" whose facade comes from the turn of the 17th century. For example the so-coled "Baroque Hospital" (a hotel nowadays) or the statue of the Virgin Mary placed on the plague column in the centre of the town allows us to look into the life at the end of the 17th century. At the beginning of the 19th century a building of the contemporary courtyard in Empire style was built in the place of the original town hall from 1398. The flood-protection bridge with 40 arches was built serving as a stable road between Louny and Leipzig in the period of numerous floods. We can also see other buildings from the end of the 19th century, e.g. the Jewish synagogue, the Jirasek mills or the contemporary town hall built in Historicism style in the place of the former "Three Lime Trees" house.

Louny - Interesting Sights

1. Church of St. Nicola's

build in the 16th century at a place of an original Gothic church, which was destroyed by a fire in 1517. An architect was apparently royal master builder Benedict Rejt. Triple gambrel roof with 60m high prismatic tower n NW corner (municipal and country armorial bearings on a facade), groined vault converging to 6 rectangular butresses, plastered decorated late Gothic presbyterium. Baroque triptych carved prime-altar from the beginning of the 18th century.

Open: Tue - Fri: 14,00 - 16,00, Sat - Sun: 13,00- 17,00

2. Municipal Museum

A house of Sokol's from Mor, late Gothic from the end of the 15th century with orial windows, parapet and high hip roof.

Open: Thu - Fri: 9,00 - 17,00, Sat - Sun: 13,00 - 17,00

3. Gallery of Benedict Rejt

Open: Thu - Sun: 10,00 - 17,00

4. Jan Hus Memorial

5. Mariánský Column

by J.J.Bendl from 1673.

is late Gothic, prismatic with a lancet arch from 1500, municipal coat-of-arms on a west front. By the sides of a carriage-way are stone memorials with Latin signs and a date 1500. The gate was in 1872 reconstructed (pseudo-Gothic parapet).

7. Museum "Fossil Wood"

in area minigolf. In an exposition of the museum are fossils 20 - 280 mil. Year old.

Open: Mon - Sun: 11,00 - 18,00

8. Town Hall

is in pseudo-Renaissance style from 1887, built according to project of S.Heller. There are eight alegorical statues on the front.

České středohoří (Bohemian Highlands)

The Ceske stredohori(Bohemian Highlands) impresses each visitor with its unique scenery, which we would vainly search for in Bohemia or elsewhere in central Europe. From the biological viewpoint the area is characterised by a marked diversity of plant and animal species and belongs to the richest in Bohemia. Numerous historic monuments are witnesses of the fact that the chapters of Czech history were written here very early.

In 1976 a large area of the geomorphological unit of Ceske stredohori was designated a protected landscape area with the aim to preserve the natural and scenic values of this unique area. It includes 1.063 km2 of land.

Budyne nad Ohri

The town was founded in the half of the 13th century with royal castle of Zbynek Zajic from Hasenburg. In the possesion of Sternberk and Herbersteins adopted to Gothic-Renaissance chateau, a big rectangular tower on the eastern side with Renaissance sgraphito ashlar decoration, halls with Gothic groined vault and Renaissance paintings. Church of St. Wenceslav founded in the 13th century with southern Gothic aisle, presbyterium and tower, Baroque plastered decorations at the prime-alter by B.Eder. There is a stone Baroque bridge from 1770 in the nortwest part of the town.

Citoliby

Baroque castle from the end of the 17th century (Torr, Passariny), prime-front with parapets, arcads in the courtyard, Gothic church of St. James adopted to Baroque during the 18th century, altars with sculptural decoration by M.Braun and Plaque Column, paintings by V.V.Reiner.

Lenesice

A church of St.Simon and Juda originally Romance, then adopted to Baroque, prismatic tower with two rows of Romance windows, Baroque castle.

Late Baroque castle from the end of the 18th century, rich stucco decoration on facade, rooms in Rococo style with floral design. Church of All Saints from the half of the 18th century. Paternal place of Vaclav Hajek of Libocany, who was an author of famous Bohemian Chronicle.

The remnants of meadows at castle in Doksy, state natural reservation in the area of 20ha, colony of rooks (Trypanocorax frugileus) and nest of kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).

Health resort, patients have been cured by peat packs since 1796, pseudo-Renaissance and Secese bath's buldings.

Postoloprty

Benedict's closter from the beginning of 12th century stood here originally, in 1420 completely destroyed by hussite attack . Renaissance mansion from 1611, reconstructed several times, last at the end of 18th century. Classicistic gate. Baroque church of the Anscension of the Virgin Mary from the half of the 18th century built by A.Almont.

Pravda

On a rocky mountain ruins of castle founded in the 15th century, in the year 1593 already deserted.

Rana

A massive hill with steppe vegetation, state natural reservation of an area 1,5ha, rare grasses of southrussian prairie (Avenastrum besseri), steppe kinds of slugs.

Here you can see an Augustian cloister founded in the 1373 by Albrecht Kolovrat, which was several times damaged by hussites and Saxons, last Baroque reconstruction were made in the half of the 18th century by A. Lurago according to plans K.I.Dienzenhofer as well as at cloister church of the Ansscension of the Virgin Mary - paintings by V.V.Reiner and J.Kramolin, statues by F.I.Weiss.

Baroque castle built at place of stronghold from the beginning 15th century by G.and P. de Maggi in years 1697-8.

Trebiz

Here is situated paternal house of writer Vaclav Benes Trebizky and middlebohemian outdoor museum.

Zlonice

Baroque church and presbytery built abouut 1730 by K.I.Dienzenhofer.

Ruins of Githic castle from the 13th century, devasted during the Thirty-year War. Massive moats.

At a place of original stronghold of a Lučan tribe. It has been a royal town since 1265, at the period of Hussite Wars was formed Zatec municipal pac. Its army was not defetaeted until 1438 at Zeletice. In the second half of the 15th century the town came to develop thanks to growth of trade and hop cultivation, it was onee of the biggest towns of the time, well preserved are only remains of Gothic municipal fortification (Priest and Libocanska gate, Hussite bulwark). Gothic town houses with acces gallery in a square are Baroque and Klasicist adopted. Originally Romance church of the Anscension of the Virgin Mary reconstructed in the 14th century, in the west portal romance relief of St. Peter from the first half of the 13th century.