Antonín Štrauch

The Antonín Štrauch Monument stands on the wooded hill of Čeřovka just above Jičín, tucked among the trees rather than displayed along the town's main tourist routes. Finding it takes a bit of searching, which turns a visit into a small hillside adventure rather than a quick stop on a checklist.

Who was Antonín Štrauch?

Antonín Štrauch was born on 13 March 1831 in Jičíněves, a village near Jičín, and died on 19 January 1877 in Jičín itself. He worked as a Czech journalist, poet and writer, best known for editing satirical and humorous periodicals, later becoming editor-in-chief of the magazine Humoristické listy. His journalism came at a cost: he was repeatedly prosecuted and imprisoned for pieces that displeased the authorities of his time, and this persecution is said to have contributed to his early death.

Why a monument on Čeřovka?

The people of Jičín and the surrounding area honored Štrauch in 1889, twelve years after his death, by erecting an obelisk on Čeřovka — a hill long tied to the town's identity and to residents' everyday walks and outings. The location was a deliberate choice: the hill is visible from the center of Jičín and is itself a popular destination for a stroll, so the monument became a natural addition to routes people already walked.

What does the monument look like?

The monument takes the form of an obelisk roughly six meters tall, assembled from several parts — a base, a shaft and a crowning element. Its main body is built from sandstone quarried nearby in Vojice, a material typical of the region's architecture and sculpture from that era. The obelisk carries a portrait of Štrauch along with a memorial plaque recording details of his life and achievements. Over the decades the sandstone has weathered and gathered moss, which helps the monument blend further into its forested setting on Čeřovka.

Practical things to know before visiting

Because the monument sits within the forest on Čeřovka, reaching it means a short walk along footpaths — there is no way to drive directly up to it. The dense tree cover can make the obelisk easy to miss even from close by, so it helps to have a rough idea of where on the hill it stands before setting out. Čeřovka itself is a well-loved destination for locals from Jičín, offering views over the town and surrounding countryside, so a visit to the monument pairs easily with a longer walk across the hill.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Antonín Štrauch and why is he commemorated in Jičín? He was a 19th-century journalist and editor of Czech humorous periodicals with deep ties to the Jičín region — born in a nearby village and later dying in the town itself. He was persecuted by the authorities for his outspoken journalism.

When was the monument built? The obelisk was unveiled in 1889, more than a decade after Štrauch's death.

What material is the monument made of? Its main structure is sandstone quarried in Vojice, a village near Jičín.

How do you get to the monument? It stands among the trees on the Čeřovka hill above Jičín, reachable only on foot via the forest paths leading up the hillside.