Stará Paka


Stará Paka is a municipality and village in Jičín District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,200 inhabitants.

Administrative division

Stará Paka consists of six municipal parts :
  • Stará Paka
  • Brdo
  • Karlov
  • Krsmol
  • Roškopov
  • Ústí

Etymology

The name Paka appeared in its initial form as Paká. The meaning of the adjective paká is unclear. It probably meant 'opposite', and probably referred to its location on the shady slopes, away from the sun. Already from the 14th century, two settlements were distinguished.

Geography

Stará Paka is located about northeast of Hradec Králové and northwest of Hradec Králové. It lies in a hilly landscape of the Giant Mountains Foothills. The highest point is the hill Staropacká hora at above sea level. The Oleška River flows through the municipality.

History

The first written mention of Stará Paka is from 1357. Little is known about its past. Together with the neighbouring town of Nová Paka, it belonged to the Kumburk estate.

Transport

Stará Paka is located on the railway lines LiberecPardubice and KolínTrutnov.

Sights

The main landmark of Stará Paka is the Church of Saint Lawrence. It was built in the Baroque style in 1754–1760, on the site of an older wooden church.
For its preserved folk architecture, the almost entire village of Karlov is protected as a village monument zone. It consists of half-timbered houses from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries with very decorative wooden gables called lomenice.