That long row of statues on the terrace above the Elbe, looking at you as if they know something about you - you may have seen them in a photo without knowing where they stand. They are in Kuks. And right at the start, one thing that makes you see the place differently: Count Špork turned the entire valley into a giant baroque theatre about life and death, and in his vanished spa, streams of wine reportedly flowed from the fountains, but a single night of high water was enough to wash that bustling life away forever. The best events in Kuks still take place in exactly these surroundings, and that is precisely why they feel different from a concert in an ordinary hall.
The chateau with its spa on the left, "life" bank is long gone. But the hospital on the opposite bank remains, along with the Church of the Holy Trinity and Braun's sculptures, which still place Kuks among the European elite. When music and theatre return here in August, you get an experience you cannot buy anywhere else. This text will guide you through what is worth it this year and tell you what to expect and what to watch out for.
Why the best events in Kuks are different from a typical summer programme
Kuks is not a random village with a pretty church, but a carefully conceived baroque complex created by one of the most interesting patrons of his era. That gives the events here a context that almost nobody else has, and it is the main reason why the best events in Kuks are hard to compare with programmes elsewhere.
Count František Antonín Špork began developing the Elbe valley at the end of the 17th century. In 1692 he embarked on a sweeping transformation of the Kuks valley, intending to create a summer court and a renowned spa and social centre for the nobility, turning the valley into an urbanistically and artistically magnificent complex. He built the whole thing as a contrast: on the left bank of the Elbe, symbolising life, stood the chateau with its famous spa; on the right, symbolising death, he established a hospital for veteran soldiers.
The sculptural decoration was entrusted to Matyáš Bernard Braun, not without reason nicknamed the Czech Michelangelo. Between 1712 and 1731 he created for Špork, among other things, a set of allegorical sculptures of human Virtues and Vices that are an absolute pinnacle on a European scale; the originals are now in the lapidary, while copies adorn the wings of the hospital. It is thanks to them that Kuks earned the nickname that has stuck: an island of baroque art.
Inside the hospital another rarity awaits. From 1743 to 1945 the hospital pharmacy At the Pomegranate operated here, and in its original layout and with furnishings from the 1750s it represents the second oldest preserved baroque pharmacy in Central Europe. Add to that unique wall paintings: the main hospital corridor bears a newly restored cycle of the Dance of Death, created after a model by Hans Holbein the Younger. The dominant feature of the whole complex is the Church of the Holy Trinity, where concerts are held most often. It is no wonder that since 1995 the complex has been protected as a national cultural monument.
Musical Summer Kuks: classics in the Church of the Holy Trinity
The first of the events worth the journey is a summer classical music concert in the Church of the Holy Trinity. The space with its baroque acoustics and Braun's sculptures at your back turns an ordinary programme into something that cannot fit inside a concert hall.
The Kuks hospital is regularly brought to life by concerts; the complex is frequently enlivened by various events, among them concerts held in the Church of the Holy Trinity. The next Musical Summer concert falls on 15 August 2026 and takes place in the baroque complex of Kuks. You can find the programme and reservations directly on the event page Musical Summer Kuks, where the exact start time and tickets are also listed.
Why come here for classical music when you have more options nearby? The Church of the Holy Trinity is not just a pretty backdrop. It is a sacred space that was from the very beginning part of Špork's "scene about death", so music here carries a completely different undertone than in a concert hall. Those looking for similar evenings elsewhere can browse our concerts section and put together a whole summer from them.
Theatrum Kuks: baroque as you would not expect it
The second flagship event is a multigenre festival that turns the baroque complex into an open-air stage. Theatre, opera, puppetry and visual art projects, all delivered with a playful boldness that even a sceptic will find proof that baroque is not boring.
The Theatrum Kuks festival was founded in 2002 by musicologist and cultural initiator Stanislav Bohadlo, together with the theatre company Geisslers Hofcomoedianten, which from the very beginning co-created the poetics of a "new baroque-theatrical style" under the direction of director Petr Hašek. The 2026 edition begins in the baroque complex of Kuks on 19 August. It is a multigenre festival of baroque and baroque-inspired art in the complex of the village and hospital of Kuks and its surroundings, which has long been demonstrating that baroque can be alive, playful, relevant and surprisingly contemporary.
The heart of the festival is the home company, Geisslers. This ensemble has made Kuks its home stage, loosely continuing the tradition of Špork's theatre company, and each year it presents at least one modern premiere of a newly discovered text from the Špork library. You are therefore watching and listening to things that nobody has performed for three centuries. The programme also does not stick to a single stage: the Prague Malé vinohradské divadlo is a regular guest, and the programme includes commedia dell'arte workshops led by Italian theatre-maker Luca Cairati.
One of the highlights of this year's programme is an opera-and-light production. The theatre of light is being prepared by Geisslers Hofcomoedianten in collaboration with co-production partners Musica Florea, Smetanova Litomyšl and DAMU Praha. The date, venue and tickets can be found directly on the event page THEATRUM KUKS 2026. And if you lean more towards the stage than the concert podium, take a look at our theatre section.
Jaroslav Tůma: an organist who never plays the same way twice
If this selection is to have a star with a capital S, it is Jaroslav Tůma. He ranks among the top of the European organ and harpsichord scene and handles baroque and improvisation like few others.
Jaroslav Tůma was born in 1956, is a concert organist and professor at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and also performs on harpsichord, clavichord, fortepiano and other keyboard instruments. He grew up musically in the best of company. He studied at the Prague Conservatory under Jaroslav Vodrážka and at AMU under Milan Šlechta (organ) and Zuzana Růžičková (harpsichord). Then came the wider world: he holds first prizes in organ improvisation competitions in Nuremberg in 1980 and in Haarlem in the Netherlands in 1986.
And here is the detail that makes Kuks a perfect fit for him. Improvisation is his trademark. A special chapter of his programmes consists of improvisation pieces, where music tailored to the specific instrument and the mood of the moment is created on the spot from themes given by the audience just before the concert. The audience therefore never knows what is coming, and no two of his recitals are ever the same. He also likes to choose old instruments: he enjoys performing on historical instruments or their copies. His name also appears in the Theatrum Kuks programme, in a piece subtitled "From deep distress to all-embracing light", which carries the festival's theme of light. More names from the field can be found in our artists overview.
Claudia Eftimiadisová and baroque that walks around your feet
While Tůma represents the musical strand of Kuks, the name Claudia Eftimiadisová belongs to the theatrical one. She is the kind of performer who plays out baroque right among the audience, on stilts if need be.
Eftimiadisová is part of the acting ensemble of Geisslers Hofcomoedianten, the company that forms the backbone of the entire Theatrum. Her style best illustrates what Kuks is all about. In the fifteen-minute "miniature" Orbis Pictus, translating entries from Comenius's illustrated encyclopaedia into theatrical images, she performs on stilts alongside other actors. But she can also work in a more intimate register. For the 2024/2025 season, Geisslers included an all-female production Rusty Anna, or What the Bone Is Worth!, in which Eftimiadisová and Lucie Valenová play out an eccentric legend of guilt and manipulation in a baroque chapel.
Critics notice above all her physicality. Reviewers praise her incredible transformations of characters and write that she would deserve an award for her capering. And it is precisely this that the festival uses to attract people who think they are "not into baroque". When such vivid theatre meets Braun's sculptures and Tůma's organ, it is clear why the best events in Kuks cannot be lumped together with the ordinary summer merry-go-round.
How to make the most of Kuks: practical tips
Before you set off, a few practical things that will save confusion on the spot and help you combine a concert or festival with a visit to the monument.
Kuks hospital lies in the village of the same name near the town of Jaroměř, in the picturesque Elbe valley. The ideal approach is to arrive early and combine the event with a guided tour. The available circuits include the Hospital, the History of Pharmacies and the History of Drug Production. Those who enjoy sculpture will appreciate the lapidary: it houses the originals of Braun's allegories of Virtues and Vices as well as the Angels of Death. And if you have time for a walk, the surroundings contain the largest open-air gallery of baroque sculpture and Braun's nativity scene in the forests.
Good news for families and those with limited mobility: the interiors of the hospital, except for the Špork family vault, are barrier-free, as are the herb garden and the surrounding area. Always buy tickets for concerts and the festival through the official channels of the individual events to be sure of the date and your place. And if you are heading somewhere else or looking for an alternative on another evening, open our events calendar; fans of classical music may also enjoy a Prague programme such as The Best of Czech and World Music at the Church of St. Martin in the Wall.
Frequently asked questions
When do the main events in Kuks take place in August 2026?
The Musical Summer Kuks concert falls on 15 August 2026 and the Theatrum Kuks festival begins on 19 August 2026. Both take place in the baroque complex of Kuks, with the Musical Summer concerts held specifically in the Church of the Holy Trinity. Exact start times for individual programmes can always be found on the relevant event page.
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets and reservations are handled by the organisers of each event through official advance sales. For Musical Summer Kuks you will find them on the event page; for Theatrum Kuks the festival advance sale is running. I recommend buying in advance, as the capacity of the complex and individual stages is limited.
Is Jaroslav Tůma really performing in Kuks?
Yes, this organist and improviser is part of the Theatrum Kuks programme with a piece that carries the festival's theme of light. Given how closely Kuks is tied to baroque music, it is a match made to measure.
Can the visit be combined with a tour of the monument?
Absolutely, and I warmly recommend it. Inside the hospital you can explore the baroque pharmacy At the Pomegranate, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Dance of Death paintings and the originals of Braun's sculptures in the lapidary; outside, the open-air sculpture gallery awaits. It is therefore better to arrive well before the concert or performance begins.
Is the complex suitable for people with limited mobility?
To a large extent, yes. The interiors of the hospital, with the exception of the Špork family vault, are barrier-free, as are the herb garden and the surrounding area, so you can get around with a pram or a wheelchair.
Sources
- Musical Summer Kuks - event page (15 August 2026, Baroque Complex, Kuks)
- THEATRUM KUKS 2026 - event page (19 August 2026, Baroque Complex, Kuks)
- hospital-kuks.cz - official website of Kuks hospital (history, exhibitions, pharmacy)
- Wikipedia: Kuks (hospital), Theatrum Kuks, Geisslers Hofcomoedianten
- kudyznudy.cz and itras.cz - history of the complex, Špork, Braun and accessibility
- operaplus.cz and theatrum-kuks.cz - profile and programme of the Theatrum Kuks festival
- jaroslavtuma.cz, ceskevarhany.cz and rozhlas.cz - profile of Jaroslav Tůma
- geisslers.cz and i-divadlo.cz - productions and roles of Claudia Eftimiadisová