Klenotnice

Klenotnice (the Treasury of Gem Stones) is a small, focused mineral museum in Nová Paka, a town at the foot of the Krkonoše mountains in the Hradec Králové region of the Czech Republic. It operates as an independent exhibition of the Nová Paka City Museum, dedicated entirely to the gemstones and rocks once mined throughout the surrounding Podkrkonoší area.

What will you find inside?

The current building dates from May 1996, but the collection itself is much older — the first gemstone exhibition here was held back in 1908. The visit effectively starts outside: a fossilized tree trunk more than 8 metres long, roughly 300 million years old, stands on display in front of the entrance.

Inside, the museum is organised into four thematic sections. A volcanism exhibit covers rocks and minerals of volcanic origin, a geological development section traces the region's deep history through fossils, and a spiritism room displays an unusual set of mediumistic drawings — an offbeat addition that gives the museum its own character. The core of the visit, though, is the gemstone exhibition itself: polished agates, amethysts and jaspers sourced from deposits around Nová Paka. Several pieces are over a century old and come from sites that are now exhausted or no longer accessible — giant geodes from the Hvězda quarry, unusually coloured agates from Kumburský Újezd, large jasper blocks from Kozákov, and star quartz from the Strážník hill.

How to get there and when to visit

Klenotnice stands at F. F. Procházky 70 in Nová Paka, in a separate building close to the main City Museum, so it's easy to combine both in a single walk through town. Nová Paka sits on the route between the Krkonoše mountains and the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), making it a convenient stop on a longer trip through the region. Because this is a small, independently run exhibition, it's worth confirming current opening hours by phone or email before setting out.

Where does the region's gem-cutting tradition come from?

The tradition of collecting and cutting gemstones in this area goes back to the 14th century, during the reign of Charles IV. The first stonecutters arrived from northern Italy, and only over time did local residents of Podkrkonoší take up and develop the craft themselves. That centuries-long tradition turned the region into one of the more significant centres of gem-cutting in the Czech lands, and Klenotnice remains the best place to see that history up close.

Practical tips

A small sales counter at the entrance sells both loose stones and locally made jewellery crafted from agates and amethysts — a fitting souvenir from Nová Paka. Given its modest size, a visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, which makes it easy to pair with a stop at the main City Museum building or with other sights nearby.

Frequently asked questions

How does Klenotnice differ from the main Nová Paka City Museum? Klenotnice is a separate, independent exhibition run by the same museum, focused purely on gemstones, volcanism, geology and spiritism, and housed in a different building from the main museum.

How long does a visit take? Because the exhibition space is compact, most visits last between thirty minutes and an hour.

Can you buy stones or jewellery on site? Yes — there is a small counter near the entrance selling both raw and polished stones as well as finished jewellery made from local minerals.

Where do the exhibited stones come from? Mostly from deposits around Nová Paka and the wider Podkrkonoší region, including the Hvězda quarry, Kumburský Újezd, Kozákov and the Strážník hill, though several of these sources are now depleted or inaccessible.