Military cemetery in Kbelnice

Kbelnice Military Cemetery is a small war cemetery north of the village of Kbelnice in the Jičín district, in the Hradec Králové region of eastern Bohemia. It was created as a memorial to one of the decisive battles of the 1866 Austro-Prussian War and today ranks among the better-preserved cemeteries from that conflict in the Czech Republic.

How to get there?

The cemetery lies on the left side of the road leading from Kbelnice toward Turnov, a short drive from Jičín. The area sits on the edge of the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) region, close to well-known sights such as Hrubá Skála Castle and the Trosky ruins. Jičín and Turnov both make convenient starting points, each roughly a fifteen- to twenty-minute drive away, and the cemetery works well as a stop on a broader tour of Bohemian Paradise.

What happened here?

On 29 June 1866, one of the battles of the Austro-Prussian War was fought near Jičín, pitting Austrian and Saxon forces against the Prussian army. The clash ended in defeat for the Austrian-Saxon side and opened the road toward Prague for the advancing Prussians. A plaque inside the cemetery's ossuary records the losses: 45 officers and 445 men of the Austrian army, 14 officers and 179 men of the Saxon army, and 21 officers and 308 men of the Prussian army.

The cemetery itself was established in 1891 on land donated by Karel Řezníček, a brewer from Hrubá Skála. In the years that followed, remains and memorials from isolated battlefield graves and from smaller war cemeteries being closed elsewhere in the region were gradually moved here. Today the site, covering just under 1,900 square metres, holds more than fifty war graves and monuments, including mass graves of Austrian, Prussian and Saxon soldiers as well as memorials dedicated to specific units, among them the 18th Field Rifle Battalion and the 18th Infantry Regiment. Individual officers' graves have also survived, including those of Captain Philipp Kowarik and Captain Ottokar Freiherr von Braun.

What is there to see?

The centrepiece of the cemetery is its ossuary chapel, built between 1904 and 1906 in the Art Nouveau style. Part of the remains gathered from the battlefield were placed inside, and a plaque on the building records the casualty figures for each army. The chapel is listed as a cultural heritage monument of the Czech Republic, and the whole cemetery is recorded in the Central Register of War Graves maintained by the Czech Ministry of Defence.

Walking among the graves, visitors can still read inscriptions in German and Czech identifying the fallen soldiers and their units. The site keeps a quiet, contemplative atmosphere — shaded by trees and rarely crowded, it contrasts with the busier attractions nearby in Bohemian Paradise.

When to visit?

The cemetery can be visited year-round, though spring through autumn is the most comfortable time, when the weather suits a slow walk around the grounds and the surrounding Bohemian Paradise trails. It pairs naturally with a visit to nearby castles such as Hrubá Skála or the Trosky ruins, making for a meaningful historical stop along the way.

Frequently asked questions

What historical event is the Kbelnice cemetery connected to? The Battle of Jičín, fought on 29 June 1866 during the Austro-Prussian War.

When was the cemetery founded? In 1891, on land donated by Karel Řezníček, a brewer from Hrubá Skála.

What can visitors see there? More than fifty war graves and monuments, an Art Nouveau ossuary chapel built between 1904 and 1906, and memorials to individual military units.

Is the cemetery a protected heritage site? Yes — the chapel is listed as a Czech cultural heritage monument, and the entire cemetery is recorded in the Central Register of War Graves.