Holovousy

Holovousy is a small municipality in the Jičín district of the Hradec Králové Region, made up of four parts: Holovousy, Chodovice, Chloumky and Dolní Mezihoří. The village is best known for its historic château and a long fruit-growing tradition that once made it a hub of Czech agricultural research.

How do you get there?

Holovousy sits right next to the town of Hořice, a short drive from Jičín, in the Podchlumí region at the foot of the Zvičinsko-Kozákovský ridge. It makes a convenient stop for anyone exploring eastern Bohemia between Hradec Králové and Jičín — the surrounding countryside is gently rolling, well suited to cycling or walking routes that link several neighbouring villages.

What will you see?

The centrepiece of the village is Holovousy Château, originally a Baroque residence built on the site of a Gothic fortified manor first recorded in writing in 1433. The estate once belonged to the Holovouský family. In the early 20th century, after Dr. František Malinský purchased the property in 1904, the building was reconstructed in 1906–1907 to a design by architect Jan Vejrych, giving it the pseudo-Gothic and Art Nouveau appearance it still has today.

From 1951 to 2015, the château housed the Research and Breeding Institute for Fruit Growing before the institute moved to newly built premises nearby. That institute is the reason Holovousy became one of the country's notable centres of fruit cultivation — a local apple variety called "holovouský malináč" has been grown here since the late 18th century, and it later became the inspiration for the municipality's coat of arms and flag.

Around the château lies a park of roughly 1.5 hectares, home to 20 species of conifers and 66 species of deciduous trees. Sculptures dating from the second half of the 18th century still stand in the grounds, making the park a rewarding short walk after visiting the château itself.

In Chodovice, the neighbouring part of the municipality, look out for the Church of St. Bartholomew — a local landmark and a reminder of the area's older settlement history.

When should you visit?

Spring and summer are the best times to come, when the château park is at its greenest and the surrounding orchards — a living echo of the village's fruit-growing past — look their most attractive. Autumn brings the harvest season, which fits naturally with the site's pomological heritage. In winter, Holovousy remains a quiet, low-key destination for anyone looking to get away from crowds.

Frequently asked questions

What is Holovousy Château known for? Above all for having housed the Research and Breeding Institute for Fruit Growing for more than 60 years, from 1951 to 2015 — one of the more important Czech institutions dedicated to fruit cultivation.

Where does the château's current pseudo-Gothic, Art Nouveau look come from? It dates to a 1906–1907 reconstruction commissioned by Dr. František Malinský and designed by architect Jan Vejrych, built on top of the older Baroque residence.

What else is worth seeing besides the château? The surrounding park with its 18th-century sculptures, and the Church of St. Bartholomew in nearby Chodovice, one of the municipality's four constituent parts.

Where does the local apple variety associated with Holovousy come from? The "holovouský malináč" has been cultivated in the area since the late 18th century and became so well known locally that it now features on the municipality's coat of arms and flag.