Kouřim
There are theories that if St. Wenceslas had not won the legendary battle of Štolmíř, but Prince Radslav of Kouřim, Kouřim might have been our capital today. However, a similar situation did not occur, so today Kouřim is a quiet Central Bohemian town with picturesque houses surrounding the square and alleys, in which you feel that perhaps time must have stopped for a while. Kouřim is only about 30 km away from Prague and it is very popular with the inhabitants of the capital not only for its accessibility, but above all for its peaceful atmosphere.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Kouřim
What can you see here?
What makes the town of Kouřim famous is, above all, the local open-air museum, which is mentioned in almost every guide focusing on this town. On the green slope there are several half-timbered buildings in the form of cottages, barns or bell towers, but also statues, and the whole place acts as an illustration from a fairy tale book. And even more so when a traditional folk party takes place here once in a while.
The local attraction is also the Kouřim church of St. Štěpán, resp. its bell tower, in which the bells are hung upside down, and to sound them it is necessary to step on the pedals.
The building of the Kouřim town hall currently houses the Museum of the Kouřim region, in which you will find an exhibition of archeological finds from more than a thousand years ago, originating from the Stará Kouřim fortified settlement, founded by the brother of the Czech ancestor, Lech. Not far from the town, a rock garden is still preserved, where Lech allegedly rested, and which is called Lech's stone. Just a few hundred meters from this place is the very center of Europe.
City fortifications
The town of Kouřim also boasts one of the best-preserved medieval fortifications in the Czech lands. The local fortifications began to be built in the 13th century and the work was completed in the early 16th century. After it was partially hit by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the walls were demolished locally and the four city gates were destroyed.
The Kouřim fortification consisted of two fortification strips, which were about 14 meters apart, and between which a fence was placed. The inner wall reached a height of 6-7 meters and, in addition to the shooting ranges, it also had a wooden gallery and battlements. The outer wall is late Gothic and fortified with towers.
At present, the city fortifications have been preserved in various places throughout the circuit.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová