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Jičín
Jičín is a picturesque and historical town in the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj, in Czech), making it a perfect destination for a day or a weekend trip.
The town was chosen by Duke Albrecht von Wallenstein (Albrecht z Valdštejna, in Czech) as the main seat of his duchy during the 17th century, and its planned layout reflects a Baroque character.
The centre is organized around Valdštejn’s Square, dominated by Valdštejn’s Castle, which today houses the Regional Museum and the tourist info point.
On the square’s eastern side stand the old city walls, with the Valdice gate, a striking reminder of the town’s past.
Rumcajs fairy tale
The town of Jičín is best known for the beloved Czech fairy tale and cartoon hero Rumcajs, a shoemaker turned bandit.
Rumcajs’s adventures with his wife Manka and son Cipísek were written by Czech writer Václav Čtvrtek and designed by Czech illustrator Radek Pilař.
According to the tales, Rumcajs once worked as an honest cobbler in a shop under the tower, but one day he offended the major and he was therefore expelled from the town, finding refuge in a forest nearby.
The Rumcajs workshop can be found in a small alley in the town centre.
It tells the story of Čtvrtek and Pilař and displays the original artwork of the TV cartoon series.
Around Jičín you will also find murals, statues, themed trails, events and guided walks that celebrate Rumcajs and the places that inspired the stories.
The Valdštejnská loggia in Jičín
About 2km northeast of the town centre stands the Valdštejnská loggia, a distinctive early Baroque summer palace created between 1627 and 1632.
It belongs to a larger complex that originally included a courtyard with farm buildings, a formal garden and the Libosad park.
The site was meant to be a peaceful retreat where von Wallenstein’s circle could rest, listen to music, admire the landscape and hold informal representative meetings.
A linden alley connects Jičín with the Valdštejnská loggia and Libosad, offering a pleasant walk.
After the duke’s murder in 1634 and the confiscation of his estates, important interior elements, such as the upper floors and a large oval spiral staircase, were never built.
In the following centuries inappropriate constructions and alterations, including the creation of a railway that crossed the gardens, and long neglect made the loggia unusable and left it in a state of serious dilapidation.
The entire project was never completed or understood and it remained unfinished and largely abandoned for a long time.
In 1996 the Lodžie association was founded to save the monument and soon began hosting cultural events alongside the initial repairs.
Since 2014 the site has been run by the Valdštejnské imaginárium, a non-profit organization that uses the unfinished Baroque loggia as a cultural community centre and creative platform for Jičín.
The Imaginarium combines historic conservation with a busy program of concerts, theatre, music, lectures, screenings, workshops and author‑led events that take advantage of the building’s unusual atmosphere.
The loggia and the main courtyard host free interactive exhibitions accessible during the opening hours of the “Café Loggie“. It is also possible to take part in guided tours organized by the on-site infopoint.
How to get there
There are direct buses that will bring you to Jičín from Prague Černý Most in 1.5 hours.
Other options include a train to Nymburk + a bus to Jičín, or a bus to Turnov + train to Jičín, all for about 2 hours of travelling.
Just remember to check the latest schedule on pubtrans.cz while planning your trip.
By car it is between 1 hour and 1.5 hours from Prague, depending on where you start from.
Parking is free at the loggia, both at the official parking and at the tiny train station area.
Free parking is also available in many streets around town. If you want to park at the main square, then you will have to pay.
