Polní Voděrady

Polní Voděrady is a small municipality in the Kolín District of the Central Bohemian Region, home to roughly 150-200 residents. Despite its modest size today, the village's recorded history stretches back to the 11th century, and its main landmark is a manor house paired with a parish church built over older foundations.

How old is the village?

The first written record of Polní Voděrady dates to 1088, when the settlement belonged to the Vyšehrad Chapter. The next documented chapter begins in 1359, when the estate passed into the hands of the Sázava Monastery, which held it until 1547. Nearly two centuries of ecclesiastical ownership is a notable feature of the local history, and it's unusually well documented for a village this size.

Where did the local manor come from?

Once the estate left monastic hands, it passed to the nobility. It's believed that the original fortified house, on the site of today's manor, was built after 1569 by Jan Zikmund Myška of Žlunice. The earliest written confirmation dates from 1577, when the property was inherited by his son, Jaroslav Myška of Žlunice.

A major architectural shift came in 1642, when the new owner, Jan Burián Slavíkovec of Slavíkov, a provincial captain of the Kouřim region, converted the older fortified house into a Baroque manor with a small adjoining park — a summer-residence-style building, with utility rooms on the ground floor and living quarters upstairs.

Why doesn't the current building look Baroque?

What visitors see in Polní Voděrady today isn't that Baroque structure. Between 1810 and 1811, new owner Václav Novotný built an entirely new Classicist building on a different spot, on the north side of the manor courtyard, independent of the earlier construction. The older building wasn't remodeled — it was effectively superseded by a fresh one.

In 1861 the estate passed to Václav Ignác von Eisenstein, an Austrian glassware entrepreneur and knight, who chose Polní Voděrady as his family's residence. The manor remains privately owned today and underwent an extensive renovation in 2015.

What else is there to see nearby?

Alongside the manor, the village has a Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, built on Romanesque foundations — meaning its origins reach further back than the current, later structure suggests at first glance. This layered ownership history — a cathedral chapter, a monastery, a string of noble families, and finally an industrialist — is what sets Polní Voděrady apart despite its small population today.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Polní Voděrady? Recent data puts the population at roughly 150-200 residents.

Is there a castle or manor in Polní Voděrady? Yes — the village has a manor house whose current Classicist main building dates from 1810-1811 and is privately owned today.

Can visitors tour the manor? Since it's in private hands, access may be limited; it's worth checking current visiting conditions locally before planning a trip.

What other historic sights are in the village? Besides the manor, the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is notable for standing on Romanesque foundations.

Which district does Polní Voděrady belong to? It's administratively part of the Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.