The district is known for its mild weather, although the mountain resorts of Rokytnice, Destne and Ricky usually have plenty of snow in winter. Hunting is popular in the district, as there is plenty of game in the mountain areas. Those who are drawn by the mystery of old ruins will find themselves at home amidst the ruins of Potstejn, one of the biggest castles in Bohemia. The district town of Rychnov nad Kneznou has its own chateau, the Orlice Mountains District Museum,
Regional Jewish Museum, the Orlice Gallery and other places of interest.
The district town of Rychnov nad Kneznou is a regional center of tourism, culture, and industry. The original settlement of Rychnov nad Kneznou dates back to the first millenium B.C., although the present-day town has its origins in the 11
th century. Herman of Drnholec, owned the settlement between 1258-67, at which time Rychnov was already a small town along the trade route to Kladsko and Slezsko. In 1488 King Vladislav Jagellonsky granted the quickly growing Czech town an official emblem and the right to host two annual fairs. In the middle of the 15
th century the town and its surroundings became a retreat for the Unitas Fratrum. Ownership of the domain changed frequently during the Counter-Reformation. Eventually, on the site of a former wooden castle, Krystof of Neyenperk built a
monumental late-Gothic Church of the Holiest Trinity, later completed with a remarkable Baroque facade by J.B. Santini. After the Thirty Years War, Rychnov came into the possession of the Libstejnsti family of Kolovraty, who built an impressive Baroque palace with a picture gallery and began construction of a royal riding school. Until the middle of the 19
th century, the town maintained its medieval character: old wooden houses, butcher shops on the square, and trade guilds. It wasn't until 1848 that capitalist enterprise began to take hold. Situated in the foothills of the Orlicke Hory Mountains, the district town of Rychnov nad Kneznou is the region's center of tourism, culture, and industry. The town's highlights include
the Renaissance chateau with its magnificent picture gallery and Orlicke Hory Museum, and the Baroque Church of the Holy Trinity.
The present-day cultural life of the city is enriched by the Orlicka Gallery in the Rychnov chateau, with its permanent exhibit of paintings by Antonin Hudecek, Jan Trampota, Antonin and Jan Slavicek, Miloslav Holy, and statues by Leos Holy and Ladislav Benes. The Orlicke Hory Museum features a permanent exhibit of the nature of the region and its glass.
Tourists are recommended to visit the other towns of the region, which also boast many historic landmarks and points of interest. Nearby Kostelec nad Orlici features an early Baroque church and a chateau with a large English garden. Opocno features one of the most significant historic landmarks, a Renaissance chateau with a
picture gallery and weapon collection. Nearby Vamberk is famous for its traditional lace production, the history of which is detailed in its Lace Museum. Rokytnice in the Orlicke Hory Mountains features an interesting historic town square with wooden arcades and a parish church from the 17
th century.
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