Chudenice
The town of Chudenice is located approximately 15 km northwest of Klatov in the heart of the Kdyńsko - Chudenice Highlands at an altitude of 488 m above sea level. The first mention of Chudenice refers to the local church and is traditionally dated to the year 1200. The first real written account of Chudenice dates from 1291.
However, according to archaeological findings, the area of today's Chudenick was already inhabited in the middle of the 5th century. In 1592, Emperor Rudolf II promoted at the request of Humprecht Czernin Chudenice to the town.
On April 7, 2006, Chudenice was awarded a flag, and subsequently the title of the town, in the modified form "township", was restored. The administrative district of Chudenice includes the municipalities of Slatina, Lučice, Bezpravovice and Býšov and the settlements of Bělýšov and Vyšensko.
The most valuable monument in Chudenice is the parish church of St. John the Baptist, which dates from the first half of the 14th century. The most valuable element of the church is the main altar, whose paintings were created in 1505 by the so-called Master of the Poor Altar. No less interesting are the frescoes in the triumphal arch from the mid-14th century and the ceiling fresco from 1759.
The second most interesting monument in Chudenice is the Old Castle, the cradle of the Czernin family from Chudenice. Three important milestones are reflected in the construction history of the Old Castle. The old Gothic fortress underwent its first major modification after the Hussite wars, when new knowledge about firearms was used, and the entire area was supplemented with bastions that completed its fortification. The old inconvenient feudal residence underwent a very fundamental transformation at the end of the 16th century under Humprecht Czernin, when the fortress was rebuilt into a more comfortable Renaissance mansion. Not only the sgraffito facades on part of the building, but also the charming Angel Room and the Black Kitchen come from this period. The castle's current appearance was only imprinted by the late Baroque reconstruction under Prokop Czernin, which took place in 1776 under the direction of the architect Karel Balling. The castle is owned by the town of Chudenice and is open to the public. In the interiors, visitors can view the regional museum exhibition, the Czernin castle exhibition equipped with original furniture, Jaroslav Kvapil's birthplace, the Dobrovského exhibition and the Chudenice parish.
There are many examples of characteristic folk architecture in Chudenice. An interesting monument near the town is the late Baroque chapel of St. Anna, where a large open-air pilgrimage is celebrated every year on the feast day of this saint, which also includes a procession from the church of St. John the Baptist.
The Bolfánek observation tower, towering over Chudenice, can be seen from afar. It is the original tower of the church of St. Wolfgang, who has stood on the Žďár hill since time immemorial. A stone in the so-called Schlepejová chapel, standing in close proximity to Bolfánk, indicates that this is an old, probably Celtic cult place.
The church was a decree of Emperor Joseph II. abolished in 1786 and demolished up to the tower after 1810 at the latest. It was converted into a lookout tower in 1845.
Below Bolfánek stands the imperial castle of Lázeň, which was modified to its present form after 1864 by the owner of the estate, Eugen I. Czernin. The castle is surrounded by an English landscape park, which is freely accessible to the public, as well as the nearby arboretum and the national natural monument, the American Garden, founded by Czernin in 1842. In addition to dozens of beautiful and interesting trees, visitors can look forward to one of the oldest Douglas firs on the European continent or the European unique flowering dogwood.
Chudenice is the birthplace of Jaroslav Kvapil (1868 - 1950), writer, dramaturg, director and director of drama at the National Theater in Prague. Jaroslav Kvapil was also buried in the region that inspired him to write the libretto for the opera Rusalka.
In the years 1816 - 1828, the founder of Czech Slavic studies, Josef Dobrovský (1753 - 1829), was a guest in Chudenice. Josef Dobrovský, as the most prominent figure of the Czech Enlightenment, worked as an educator at the castle. Important trees in the vicinity also bear his name, in Polení it is the well-known Dobrovský linden, and in Drslavice in 1990 the Dobrovský oak succumbed to a gale. In Chudenice itself, it is Dobrovského linden alley.
For example, Alois Vojtěch Šmilovský (1837 - 1883) wrote about Dobrovský's stay in the region. An alley in Chudenice is also named after Šmilovský.
Nearby is the Chudenická pheasant, which was declared a protected area as early as 1933.
Source: Běleč microregion, published by Mikroregion Běleč z.s.p.o., 2013.
However, according to archaeological findings, the area of today's Chudenick was already inhabited in the middle of the 5th century. In 1592, Emperor Rudolf II promoted at the request of Humprecht Czernin Chudenice to the town.
On April 7, 2006, Chudenice was awarded a flag, and subsequently the title of the town, in the modified form "township", was restored. The administrative district of Chudenice includes the municipalities of Slatina, Lučice, Bezpravovice and Býšov and the settlements of Bělýšov and Vyšensko.
The most valuable monument in Chudenice is the parish church of St. John the Baptist, which dates from the first half of the 14th century. The most valuable element of the church is the main altar, whose paintings were created in 1505 by the so-called Master of the Poor Altar. No less interesting are the frescoes in the triumphal arch from the mid-14th century and the ceiling fresco from 1759.
The second most interesting monument in Chudenice is the Old Castle, the cradle of the Czernin family from Chudenice. Three important milestones are reflected in the construction history of the Old Castle. The old Gothic fortress underwent its first major modification after the Hussite wars, when new knowledge about firearms was used, and the entire area was supplemented with bastions that completed its fortification. The old inconvenient feudal residence underwent a very fundamental transformation at the end of the 16th century under Humprecht Czernin, when the fortress was rebuilt into a more comfortable Renaissance mansion. Not only the sgraffito facades on part of the building, but also the charming Angel Room and the Black Kitchen come from this period. The castle's current appearance was only imprinted by the late Baroque reconstruction under Prokop Czernin, which took place in 1776 under the direction of the architect Karel Balling. The castle is owned by the town of Chudenice and is open to the public. In the interiors, visitors can view the regional museum exhibition, the Czernin castle exhibition equipped with original furniture, Jaroslav Kvapil's birthplace, the Dobrovského exhibition and the Chudenice parish.
There are many examples of characteristic folk architecture in Chudenice. An interesting monument near the town is the late Baroque chapel of St. Anna, where a large open-air pilgrimage is celebrated every year on the feast day of this saint, which also includes a procession from the church of St. John the Baptist.
The Bolfánek observation tower, towering over Chudenice, can be seen from afar. It is the original tower of the church of St. Wolfgang, who has stood on the Žďár hill since time immemorial. A stone in the so-called Schlepejová chapel, standing in close proximity to Bolfánk, indicates that this is an old, probably Celtic cult place.
The church was a decree of Emperor Joseph II. abolished in 1786 and demolished up to the tower after 1810 at the latest. It was converted into a lookout tower in 1845.
Below Bolfánek stands the imperial castle of Lázeň, which was modified to its present form after 1864 by the owner of the estate, Eugen I. Czernin. The castle is surrounded by an English landscape park, which is freely accessible to the public, as well as the nearby arboretum and the national natural monument, the American Garden, founded by Czernin in 1842. In addition to dozens of beautiful and interesting trees, visitors can look forward to one of the oldest Douglas firs on the European continent or the European unique flowering dogwood.
Chudenice is the birthplace of Jaroslav Kvapil (1868 - 1950), writer, dramaturg, director and director of drama at the National Theater in Prague. Jaroslav Kvapil was also buried in the region that inspired him to write the libretto for the opera Rusalka.
In the years 1816 - 1828, the founder of Czech Slavic studies, Josef Dobrovský (1753 - 1829), was a guest in Chudenice. Josef Dobrovský, as the most prominent figure of the Czech Enlightenment, worked as an educator at the castle. Important trees in the vicinity also bear his name, in Polení it is the well-known Dobrovský linden, and in Drslavice in 1990 the Dobrovský oak succumbed to a gale. In Chudenice itself, it is Dobrovského linden alley.
For example, Alois Vojtěch Šmilovský (1837 - 1883) wrote about Dobrovský's stay in the region. An alley in Chudenice is also named after Šmilovský.
Nearby is the Chudenická pheasant, which was declared a protected area as early as 1933.
Source: Běleč microregion, published by Mikroregion Běleč z.s.p.o., 2013.