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Town in the Czech Republic
Photo: MartinVeselka, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Česká Skalice is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of East Bohemia. It has about 5,000 inhabitants (2025). It lies on the Úpa River and on the shore of Rozkoš Reservoir. The town is known for the Ratibořice Castle and Grandmother's Valley, both associated with the work of one of the most important Czech women writers, Božena Němcová.
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Czech: zámek Ratibořice
Baroque architecture and Bohemian landscape makes it among the best-known and most-frequented places in East Bohemia. The park surrounding the château is a designed landscape park which leads into the Grandmother's Valley (Babičičino udolí), now a National Natural Monument. The castle and the valley are visited for its connection with life and work of Božena Němcová, who belongs among the most impactful Czech writers.
Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie
It is a Baroque building from the 18th century.
Opened in 1931. In addition to an exhibition about the life and work of this writer, it also includes a collection of paintings by Julie Winterová-Mezerová donated by the artist.
Bývalá radnice
Built in 1586, rebuilt in 1864 in the neo-Gothic style after a fire.
Pevnost Josefov
A large historic defence complex of 18th-century military architecture built between 1780 and 1787. Over the years, the fortress has been converted into a residential district.
zámek Opočno
A former aristocratic residence rebuilt in the Renaissance style in 1560–67. The castle is open to the public and serves as a museum with many historical interiors, a gallery, a library, ethnographic collections, and an armoury housing weaponry from 16th to 19th centuries including oriental weapons.
Česká Skalice is located about 8 kilometres (5 mi) west of Náchod and 24 km (15 mi) northeast of Hradec Králové.
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