The royal
city of Kouřim

The first predecessor of today’s town was the Old Kouřim fortress, which is said to have been founded by Duke Lech, the brother of the Czech forefather. The early Gothic town fortifications with bastions and the Prague Gate have been preserved almost in their entirety. Other valuable buildings can be found on Peace Square. The dominant feature of the town is the Church of St. Štěpán with a bell tower. The bells hang upside down and are set in motion by stepping on the pedals.

From the square in Kourim you can go on a circular route following the yellow tourist signs. Soon you will climb up to the rune rock Lech’s Stone, on which Duke Lech is said to have rested.
From here you will have a beautiful view of the panorama of Kouřim. And then it is only a short walk to the highest point (298 m) of the hill Stará Kouřim, where the Baroque chapel of St. Víta. The remains of a hall building were discovered on the site, which was part of a large Slavic hillfort built during the 9th century. century. The existence of the fortress is evidenced by the remains of the ramparts. In the eastern part of Stará Kouřim there is a spring which creates Libušino jezírko. It served as a source of drinking water for our ancestors. The nature trail continues along the meadow path and then descends through the forest along the Výrovka (Kouřimka) stream to Kouřim, where the circuit closes.