Memorial of Karel Poláček in Rychnov nad Kněžnou

The regional Jewish Museum of Podorlicko Region - Museum of Karel Poláček in Rychnov nad Kněžnou documents the history of Judaism in the region and presents the life of Rychnov native, writer and humorist Karel Poláček.

In one of Jewish families in Rychnov nad Kněžnou the future journalist and writer Karel Poláček, author of the book Bylo nás pět (There were five of us), was born in 1892. He was also widely popular for his humoristic prose such as Muži v offsidu (Men in Offside).
The exposure in the former synagogue commemorates his life and work and also maps the history of Jewish communities that were previously found in several places in the Podorlicko region.
The museum is located in a synagogue, in a Baroque Classical longitudinal building from 1782, which was built on a place of fire destroyed building, mentioned already in the Renaissance.

Another monument in this town that is worth visiting is Rychnov nad Kněžnou Castle.
The baroque castle of Rychnov nad Kněžnou was built in the years 1676–1690, during the period of Frantisek Karel Libštejnský of Kolowrat. It was adjusted and enlarged according to the project by J. Santini in the 18th century.
Guided tours take you around the castle interior, the Holy Trinity Church, a bell tower, which holds the third largest bell in Bohemia, named Kryštof. Tours also include the Kolowrat collection of family pictures, which belongs to the biggest historical picture-galleries in our country.
The castle complex integrate a French park and the Riding-Hall – a Baroque new building from 1720s probably designed also by G. Santini.

The Toy Museum in the square in Rychnov nad Kněžnou offers an exhibition focusing on the famous cook, Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová.
The exposition is located on the first floor of the Town Hall, exactly in place of a flat where a married couple Rettig, Municipal Officer Jan Alois Sudiprav Rettig and Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová, who wrote his famous home cookery-book here, lived in years 1824 – 1834.
Visitors will see period cooking and household utilities, such as a washboard, a churn, a bell for laundry, a hand washing machine, an iron with charcoal pad, various ladles, whiskes, and other interesting items.
The exhibition includes personal things of Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová – a parasol, a hand embroidered handbag, a straw-hat, hand-crocheted gloves and well-preserved travel suitcase.