CZ: Chlumec Nad Cidlinou - A Locality Where The Time Was Stopped-VIDEO
Chlumec nad Cidlinou has approx. 5 thousands of inhabitants. Saturday morning looks like standard working day. The streets are full of people, plenty of cars are passing up and down, so you can enjoy genuine busy traffic there. Nevertheless, when the noon comes, everything is changing. You can smell lunch from open windows, and the streets are, except some pedestrians, suddenly desert. Tourist information office is closed as well. This office is situated inside small book shop, and just there, you can get some interesting information, as far as the town´s sightseeings is concerned.
Only the confectionery (where the artificial plastic figure of a cook or confectioner is placed), is trying to temptate the clients inside and a pub, which seems to be never closed, or Astra Hotel, characteristic pink building decorated with ligting neons, remain open during this time period.
Back to 1980, together with Astra Hotel
Several young boys from Germany ordered the accommodation in the hotel. And, as the menu is offering the meals in Czech as well as the German languages, there is no problem for them to order the respective meals according to their taste. However, the dining room is full of smoke, all is stylized in old way, the music box is playing loudly, and the meals ordered by the boys, could be accompanied with omnipresent flies. No wonder, here one piece of olive is offered for a price of CZK 3!
Similarly, as nobody is looking after Astra Hotel, nobody is taking care of the rest of the town. The change to quick modern time period was found by couple of shops only. Anyway, shop-windows of most local merchants, which would temptate the clients to enter, look terribly. indeed. So, for instance, stationery shop exhibits different small paper trays, used for selling of smoked meat. The car-service, situated close to big traffic lights at the crossroads, presents various old fashioned vehicle parts.
Fragile Connection with Kinsky Parentage
St. Ursula Church is dominanting building. However, its new facade would be merited, for sure. A pleasant space around Holy Virgin Mary Column was totally destroyed with supermarket building, including parking place enclosed. To tell the truth, the only buildings which look like well in city centre, these are green Municipal Office and school of art building. It is too little for a locality, which became famous mainly through Kinsky Parentage.
Kinsky Castle - Karlova Koruna (Charles´ Crown) belongs to several from most important buildings of Baroque style in the Czech Republic. It is good luck that this complex overcame long time after confiscation. The building served National Picture Gallery as a space for the exhibition known under name „Baroque Art in Bohemia“. Now, the complex serves again for relax and a rest.
Kinsky Parentage made famous Chlumec nad Cidlinou with horse husbandry of specific colour shade (palomino). Anyway, complete horses´ team moved from Chlumec to Hradištko, (not far from Sadská) couple of years ago.
When visiting the town, it is also worth tohave a look at former Loreta Monastery of 1719. This complex served later as a hospital. At present, you can find there the exhibition of agriculture tools and history of the town. The oldest monument of Chlumec, Holy Trinity Church, is to be found close to city centre.
Text/photo/video: Klára Svobodová
Translation: ing. Jan Jonáš
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