The Church of St. Nicholas in Veliny is a unique historical gem in this picturesque village in the Holice region. It was built in the mid-18th century. What makes it unique? It is a wooden, timbered church with a triangular shingle roof. It has a single nave, flat ceilings and carved pillars in the choir loft, which still houses a functioning 19th-century organ. The presbytery faces east.
Inside the church is a rare Josephine coffin dating from the 1780s. What is interesting about it? At that time, in order to save wood for coffins, the deceased were lowered into the grave through an opening in the bottom of the coffin. This method of burial was introduced during epidemics. However, due to strong resistance from the population, it was only used for a short time.
Originally, the Josephine coffin was stored in a morgue from 1750. Today, it can be found in the sacristy of the church, where it was moved at the end of the 20th century.
Did you know that the predecessor of today's church once stood on this site? It was probably also dedicated to St. Nicholas. The first written mention of it dates back to the 14th century. In 1365, the church is listed as a branch of Ostřetín. In 1366, it is referred to as a parish church. In the 17th century, it belonged to the parish in Roveň, and later it was attached to the parish in Holice. In 1786, it returned to Ostřetín. At that time, it allegedly had considerable endowment property.
The Veliny church underwent several repairs, especially at the beginning of the 20th century. Unfortunately, some of them were carried out unprofessionally and damaged the entire building. In 1983, the interior was also modified, and today it has the appearance of a traditional church.
Between 2008 and 2013, extensive reconstruction of the church and its surroundings took place. Today, the church in Veliny serves religious purposes, but also as a cultural centre. Concerts, weddings and memorial services are held here. It is open to the public all year round. You can arrange tours of the church at the municipal office in Veliny.
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About the Project
Discover Hidden Gems
Project Registration Number: CZ.11.2.45/0.0/0.0/21_033/0003118
Implementation Period: August 1, 2022–September 30, 2023
The project addresses the low visitor numbers at less prominent yet touristically interesting sites—hidden gems—located near more prominent locations in the Czech and Polish parts of the Nisa Euroregion, through systematic conceptual and marketing measures.
The goal is to raise awareness of places that are as yet undiscovered by tourists, as well as those that have been forgotten, thereby increasing visitor numbers.
Lead Partner:
Okresní hospodářská komora Liberec
Project Partners:
Liberecký kraj
Město Frýdlant
Město Raspenava
Obec Heřmanice
Obec Dolní Řasnice
Obec Horní Řasnice
Powiat Lubański
Gmina Pielgrzymka
Gmina Świerzawa
The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg V-A Czech Republic–Poland Program | 2014–2020.
Discover Hidden Gems II
Project Registration Number: CZ.11.02.01/00/23_004/0000126
Implementation Period: September 1, 2024–December 31, 2026
Discover Hidden Gems II builds on the activities of the previous project, further developing the skryteskvosty.eu/en website and the joint promotion of lesser-known tourist destinations.
The project focuses on extensive marketing support for hidden gems — that is, places of tourist interest but less well-known on both the Czech and Polish sides of the border.
The goal of the project is to raise awareness of places that are still undiscovered by tourists, as well as those that have been forgotten, thereby increasing visitor numbers. The project includes the development of the website, the presentation of individual locations, and the implementation of joint marketing activities aimed at promoting tourism in the participating regions.
Lead partner:
Okresní hospodářská komora Liberec
Project Partners:
Liberecký kraj
Město Frýdlant
Město Raspenava
Obec Heřmanice
Obec Dolní Řasnice
Obec Horní Řasnice
Powiat Lubański
Gmina Pielgrzymka
Gmina Świerzawa
The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg Czech Republic–Poland 2021–2027 program.
Project partners
