CENTRE OF THE IRON MOUNTAINS

This municipality is located in the foot of the Starý Jičín hill in Moravská brána (The Moravian Gate) about 5 km west of Nový Jičín. The Starý Jičín hill offers a remarkable view of a wide scenery - The Jeseníky mountains, Odry region and even Ostrava city.

The establishment and development of the municipality is related to the history of the Starý Jičín castle and the Lordship of Starý Jičín as the market centre on connecting roads between the Adriatic and the Baltic sea, so called Jantarová cesta (Amber trail). The name of this historical trail has been recently transfered into a "Cycle paths creation" project. The length of the trail is 300 km and leads along the existing paths. Starý Jičín is its intersection with the centre on the square. In consequence of increasing the tourism in the community, the square is being improved step by step. The reconstruction of the square area and the fountain began last year and the improvement can already be seen today.

Above the community on the Starý Jičín hill only ruins of castle have been preserved. The community which owns the ruin, tries to reconstruct it step by step. After reconstruction and finishing the castle keep, there is a castle café in operation. A period arms exposition and a documentation about the castle and the Lordship os Starý Jičín have been installed in the upper part of the look-out tower. Under favourable weather the tower offers a beautiful view of the scenery of Moravská brána (the Moravian Gate).

Besides the refreshments on the castle there is a restaurant called "Zámeček pod hradem (Little chateau under the castle)", which thanks to its character reminds of the atmosphere of medieval castles and chateaux. It has got a new additional building where you will find a luxury accommodation.

There are few more historical landmarks in the village, for instance The St. Wenceslas parish church, a stone pillory - a column of the Lower Capital Right, the statue of St. Jan Nepomucký situated on the square, a reconstructed wooden gallery leading from today's municipal authority to the ancient church, and others.

The community comes back to life both by holding regular jousts on the castle courtyard, and sporting activities (holding the mountain bike races to the castle) "CROSS-COUNTRY".

There are few more historical landmarks in the village, they are: St. Wenceslas Church, A stone pillory (a column of the Lower Capital Right), Statue of St. Jan Nepomucký on the square a wooden gallery leading from today's municipal authority to the ancient church, and others. Instead of a former brewery there is now a luxury restaurant with a new hotel complex. The square and the fountain are beeing reconstructed at present. Starý Jičín has also become a part of the cycle path Moravská brána (The Moravian Gate).

INFORMATION: http://www.stary-jicin.cz