Historical Towns

Transcription

Historical Towns

Historical
Towns
Content
Brtnice
4-5
Nové Město na Moravě
36 - 37
Bystřice nad Pernštejnem
6-7
Pacov
38 - 39
Černovice
8
Pelhřimov
40 - 43
Golčův Jeníkov
9
Počátky
44 - 45
Polná
46 - 48
Přibyslav
49 - 50
51 - 52
Habry
Havlíčkův Brod
10
11 - 13
Horní Cerekev
14
Světlá nad Sázavou
Hrotovice
15
Svratka
Humpolec
16 - 17
Telč
54 - 56
Chotěboř
18 - 19
Třebíč
57 - 60
Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou
20 - 21
Třešť
61 - 62
Jemnice
22 - 23
Velká Bíteš
63 - 64
Jihlava
24 - 27
Velké Meziřičí
65 - 66
Kamenice nad Lipou
28 - 29
Žďár nad Sázavou
67 - 69
Ledeč nad Sázavou
30 - 31
Žďírec nad Sázavou
Moravské Budějovice
32 - 33
Žirovnice
Náměšť nad Oslavou
34 - 35
Map
53
70
71 - 72
73
3
Brtnice
www.brtnice.cz
Information Centre
Náměstí Svobody 74
588 32 Brtnice
Tel.: +420 567 571 722
E-mail: [email protected]
end of the 16th century, during the reign of Hynek Brtnický of
Walenstein, it was rebuilt into a Renaissance seat by the Italian
architect Baltazar Maggi de Ronio. The most recent renovations
at the end of the 18th century gave the chateau its present
appearance. The chateau is not open to the public.
Chateau Church
HISTORY
The town of Brtnice lies in the valley of a river of the same name,
on the Jihlava – Třebíč road. The town’s name is derived from a
place where bee-hives (“brtě”) used to stand. Until the Thirty
Years War, Brtnice was one of the wealthiest towns in the Jihlava
area, with flourishing trade and crafts.
The first written mention of Brtnice dates to 1234. In 1410, it
became the property of one of the major families of the Lords
of Brtnice and Wallenstein. The town flourished for two full
centuries under their gold and blue coat of arms with lions, and
a mighty fortified castle was built there. In the 16th century, the
castle was re-built, acquiring roughly the features that it boasts
today. After 1623, these Czech nobles were replaced by the Italian
family Collalto et San Salvatore, which held the Brtnice estate
until 1945. The new owners strove to improve the architecture
of their seat. A cloister was built, the interior of the church was
redone, and the chateau also saw building adaptations. The
town acquired its present atmosphere in the Collalto era, having
retained its original layout.
The originally evangelical prayer house dedicated to St. Mathew
was built in 1588 by Hynek Brtnický of Walenstein. In 1629, the
Collalto family started a rebuilding project based on the plans
of the architect G. B. Pieroni. The interior was changed and two
chapels were added, giving the church the shape of a Greek
cross. When complete, it was re-consecrated as the Assumption
of Virgin Mary and later dedicated to the beatified Juliana from
the Collalto family. The adjoining former cloister was built in
1636-44 for monks of the order of Pauline Fathers, who were
invited to town by the owner of the Brtnice estate, Rombald XIII
de Collalto, in 1624. The monastery was abolished by a decree of
the Emperor in 1784.
SIGHTS
A number of Renaissance and Baroque houses lining the square
have survived, showing the development of building and
decorations from the beginning of the 17th century until the
Empire era. The Town Hall has the most striking façade. Its
present form is the result of an extensive Renaissance overhaul in
the 2nd half of the 16th century. The façade with the loft gable
and battlements dates back to this era, as well as windows with
Renaissance jambs, portals in the passageway, and interiors with
comb vaults. The bell in the Town Hall turret was named “The
Work Bell”.
Parish Church of St. James the Greater
It is the dominant building from the historical development of
the town. It was built around 1727 on Gothic foundations. The
1760 fire damaged it so greatly that it had to be rebuilt nearly
from the ground up between 1776 and 1784. The church houses
precious historical artistic craft objects. Among the most valuable
is the Renaissance, richly decorated copper baptismal font.
Bridges
Chateau
It was originally a Gothic castle
castle, dating from the 1430s
1430s. At the
4
T
The River Brtnice plays an unusual role in the town’s scenery
scenery. The
Baroque statues of saints on its bridges are the work of a local
B
native, David Lipart, from 1715-1718. The bridge is even in the
n
town’s coat of arms. A unique local feature is the Jewish Bridge
to
which, in combination with the chateau in the background, gives
w
th
the impression of a Brtnice likeness of Prague Castle.
DON’T FORGET TO VISIT
Contact information: Náměstí Svobody 263, 588 32 Brtnice, tel.
+420 567 216 128, +420 724 543 722, e-mail: sindelkova14@volny.
cz, www.brtnice.cz
The
T museum is operated by the Moravian Gallery in Brno,
Husova
18, 662 26 Brno, tel. +420 532 169 111, e-mail: info@
H
moravska-galerie.cz,
www.moravska-galerie.cz/en
m
TIPS FOR TRIPS
R
Rokštejn
The most frequent destination of walks originating in Brtnice
T
The Birth House of Josef Hoffmann
The corner house in the square is an example of the town’s medieval
architecture. It was rebuilt several times – in the Renaissance style,
and later in the Baroque. It is the birth house of Josef Hoffmann
(1870 – 1956), a world-famous architect and a major figure of
the Viennese Art Nouveau. His work had a significant impact
on decorative art in the early 20th century. He created a large
number of designs for the Wiener Werkstätte artistic workshops,
which he co-founded. The museum exhibition features examples
of drinking-glass design, porcelain dinner sets, furniture, and
household textiles. A number of these timeless designs are still
alive in the production of major Austrian companies. For his birth
house, he designed new pieces of furniture and multicoloured
paint for the walls of the rooms, which was uncovered when the
building was renovated.
iis the romantic castle ruin in the river valley, between the
vvillages of Panská Lhota and Přímělkov (8 km from Brtnice).
T
The
castle was founded in the second half of the 13th century
and its complex building development puts it among the
most important monuments of medieval architecture. As a
stronghold of the Hussite nobility of South-Western Moravia,
it was burned and partially knocked down during the Hussite
wars. A four-sided tower survived, as well as remnants of the
walls of the residential buildings and the castle wall walkway.
During several years of archaeological surveying, a number of
interesting finds were discovered at Rokštejn. Among the most
interesting is the skeleton of a new-born child stashed in the
foundations of the tower – evidence of fading pagan rituals. It
was a so-called building sacrifice that was to assure safety and
good fortune for the castle. Another unusual find is a set of
bone dice in the tower by the gate, which the guards used to
pass time while on duty.
A Nature Trail through the Černé lesy Micro-region
A trail originates in Brtnice that draws attention to interesting
points in thirteen municipalities in the micro-region: the chateau
p
a
and Baroque bridges adorned with sculptures in Brtnice, the
Rokštejn ruin, natural monuments, remnants of fortresses,
R
decorative house gables, sacral monuments, and lakes. Total
d
llength of trail: 50 km
C
Contact information:
IInformation Centre, náměstí Svobody 74, 588 32 Brtnice
ttel.: +420 567 571 722
e-mail: [email protected]
e
5
Bystřice nad Pernštejnem
www.info.bystricenp.cz
www.bystricenp.cz
Tourist Information Centre
Masarykovo náměstí 1
593 01 Bystřice nad Pernštejnem
Tel.: +420 566 551 532
HISTORY
The first historical reference to this town stretching along the
River Bystřice is from 1220. The settlement was established as
the economic centre of a newly colonised territory. The town
flourished most under the rule of the Pernštejn family, in the
15th and 16th centuries. In 1580, Emperor Rudolf II granted
Bystřice the status of a town and gave it new privileges and a
coat of arms. In the 19th century, weaving especially flourished
there. The modern development of Bystřice is associated with the
development of the uranium industry in the 1960s. The town’s
landmark is St. Lawrence’s Church, with a double-towered front.
The main square is adorned by a plague column and a fountain
featuring statues of the missionaries Cyril and Methodius.
SIGHTS
The town’s landmark is St. Lawrence’s Church. It was built in the
13th century and has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. It
owes its present look to the Baroque rebuilding at the end of the
17th
17t century. The two towers at
the front were added in 1750,
and
an their height was increased
during
du
the repairs necessitated
by the 1841 fire.
The
Th former town hall building,
fro
from
1809, today houses the
museum.
The square features
mu
a plague
column and a fountain
p
wit
with
sculptures, dominated
by statues of the missionaries
Cy
Cyril
and Methodius.
The
first
rs mention of the fountain
6
comes from 1506. The Marian column from 1727 is decorated with
sculptures of the town’s patrons – St. John Nepomuck, St. Florian, St.
Sebastian, and St. Lawrence.
The cemetery-based Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1615 by
Jan Čejka of Olbramovice. Originally, it was evangelical. After the
Battle of White Mountain it was closed and only reopened in 1719.
The Baroque St. Anne’s Chapel dates back to 1749.
A statue of T. G. Masaryk, the work of Vincenc Makovský, stands in
front of the T. G. Masaryk Primary School. It was first unveiled in
1938, only to be removed two years later, and then unveiled again
after the Second World War, and removed again in 1961. It returned
to its pedestal for the third time in October 1968. In 1984, it was
removed again and stored in the Horácká Gallery in Nové Město na
Moravě. Its most recent unveiling took place on 6 July 1990.
The Municipal Museum
The museum resides in the former town hall building, built in the
1800s on the site of two older houses. Original Gothic vaults have
survived in the cellars. One of the exhibition halls is devoted to
the academic painter Alois Lukášek. Throughout the year, the
permanent exhibitions are supplemented with exhibitions from
the museum’s collections.
Permanent exhibitions: biological collection, history of the
town, ethnography, agriculture, crafts, Štěpánov cast iron,
archaeological collections, development of settlement on the
upper Svratka, and a mining exhibition.
Contact Information: Masarykovo náměstí 1, 593 01 Bystřice nad
Pernštejnem, tel. +420 566 552 180, e-mail: muzeum.bystricko@
tiscali.cz, www.bystricenp.cz
offi
o ce, and a train station from the America of the late 1800s.
In summer months, a rich programme is prepared for visitors
– a western show with a demonstration of the cowboy’s art of
lassoing, horse training, action theatre, etc.
la
Contact Information: Western - Šiklův mlýn, 592 56 Zvole 49, Tel.
C
+420 566 567 400, e-mail: [email protected], www.western.cz
+
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Pernštejn Castle
The monumental castle above the confluence of the Rivers
Svratka and Nedvědička is one of the best-preserved Gothic
castles. Its historical interiors are furnished with period furniture.
The interior castle premises are interestingly interconnected with
winding hallways and passages and spiral staircases.
Tel. +420 566 566 101, e-mail: [email protected]
www.hrad-pernstejn.cz/en
The Svratka Water-Management Nature Trail
T
The main mission of the trail crossing the Bystřice micro-region
T
is to protect and utilise the region’s water assets. The 16 kmlong trail starts in the village of Dalečín, passes through the
lo
vvalley of the River Svratka, along the right-hand bank of the Vír
Water Reservoir, to the village of Švařec. The trail features 22
W
sstops with instructive texts, maps, pictures, aerial photographs,
and information about the villages along the way. You can look
a
fforward to interesting information about the construction of the
Vír Reservoir, the flooded village Chudobín, water protection,
possible accidents and their liquidation, as well as the treatment
of raw water.
The Karasín Lookout Tower
This tower with a restaurant lies 704 m above sea level and
comprises a one-level brick building and a 30-meter-tall square
tower. It can be reached via tourist trails, but also by car.
The Horní les Lookout Tower
The Horní les hill, 774.3 meters above sea level, not far from
Rovečné, is the highest point of the Svratecká hornatina Nature
Park. The tower is 59 meters tall, and its balcony can be reached
P
by 201 steps. The tower can be reached via the blue tourist trail
b
ffrom Vír, or via the red tourist train from Olešnice na Moravě.
V
Vítochov – The Romanesque St. Michael’s Church
The Šiklův mlýn (“Šikl’s Mill”) Old Western Town
The entertainment park in the valley of the River Bobrůvka
features a saloon, a black-smith’s workshop, a casino, a sheriff’s
Č
Černvír – An 18th-century log bridge made of fir, 35 meters long,
ccovered with shingles
Švařec – A 19th century covered wooden footbridge over the
Š
River Svratka, and the 16th century Chapel of the Holy Trinity.
R
The ruins of Zubštejn, Aušperk, Pyšolec, Bukov, and Dalečín
T
C
Castles
7
Černovice
interior elements and ribbing, used to stand in the square; from
it, the town was run for nearly 700 years. In 1966, the hall was
converted to a cinema. There is also a monument to the victims
www.mestocernovice.cz
Town Hall of Černovice
Mariánské náměstí 718
394 94 Černovice
Tel.: +420 565 492 102
Fax: +420 565 492 109
of the First World War. It was unveiled in 1926 and is the work
of the academic sculptor J. V. Duška. In 1937, a memorial to the
victims from Zborov, Terron, and Doss Alto was unveiled in front
of the Sokol gymnasium. Inside the memorial is soil from the
battlefields mentioned.
HISTORY
The first mention of human settlement in the area can be found in
Kosmas’ Chronicle; permanent settlement probably commenced
in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. The original settlement
was established on Černovice Brook, and by the second half
of the 14th century, seven mills had been built there, which is
documented in the 1379 Registry of the Rožmberk Estate. In the
past, Černovice was an important market centre, with two trade
routes intersecting there in the Middle Ages: one was the salt
route from Prachatice to Hradec Králové, and the other went
from Tábor in the direction of Jindřichův Hradec. The oldest
written record of Černovice has survived in the description of
the Prague Archdiocese draw up between 1344 and 1350, on the
initiative of Archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice. The town’s coat of
arms dates to the 14th century.
SIGHTS
Due to frequent fires and disasters, Černovice does not abound in
sights. The chateau was built in 1641 by the then-owner of the
estate, Martin Jindřich Paradise de la Saga, on the site of a former
brewery. The chateau acquired its present appearance during
the time of Prince Schönburg. He moved the brook that ran
through the chateau’s courtyard to its present location. He had
a rock formation removed for its new channel, thereby creating
the Black Alley. In the southern part of the chateau was a very
beautiful chapel of the Birth of Virgin Mary, which was used
for coal storage during the totalitarian era, and now has been
co
converted
into an office. The
chateau
is occupied by the
cha
Dia
Diagnostic
Institute of Social
Care
for the Youth, which
Ca
takes
tak care of both the chateau
and
an the enclosure.
Th old town hall, with Gothic
The
8
Also worth mentioning is the cross in the square in front of the
tower, featuring the coat of arms of the Zessner family, from the
first quarter of the 19th century. Another cross, in the cemetery,
dates back to 1832, and features the coat of arms of the Schönburg
family, on its pedestal.
Behind the church is a Marian column that in the 1950s was
moved here from the square, where it had stood since 1892.
The decanal Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross stands
on the site of St. Catherine’s Chapel. The church building, as we
know it today, dates to 1737, when it was rebuilt by the Kinsky
family after the 1730 fire. The family also donated sculptures
of patron saints of Bohemia for the side altars. Until 1813, the
church was surrounded by a cemetery.
Sculptures of St. Wenceslas and St. John Nepomuck have stood on
the bridge in Pršín since 1924, when they were moved there from
the bridge in front of the chateau, where they had stood since
about 1730. St. Anne’s Chapel in Pršín was built in 1736. On the
way to Svidník Hill, 740 m above sea level, is a Jewish cemetery
from 1730.
Jewish Cemetery
The cemetery dating back to 1730 is situated on the road to
Svidník Hill (740 m above sea level). In autumn 2001 a Memorial
to Jewish Holocaust Victims was unveiled there. It comprises 53
stones along the path to the cemetery – the 43 stones on the
st
le
left bear the names of Holocaust victims and the 10 on the right
ccommemorate the inhabitants who survived imprisonment. The
rrenovated mortuary houses an exhibition of photographs and
m
materials documenting the Jewish history of Černovice. The
exhibition can be visited upon arrangement with Mr. Alfred
e
T
Teller, tel. +420 565 492 057, +420 776 631 248.
HISTORY
There were several settlements between the 10th and the 12th
centuries on the overland trail that passed through Bohemia
to Moravia. In spite of that, the history of Jeníkov is not very
clear. It can be assumed that the town came about through the
merger of two settlements in the locale, some time around 1580.
More about the fate of the town is known after 1636, when the
estate, confiscated from the Trčka family, became the property of
Martin Maxmilián, the Free Lord of Goltz. He improved the town
relatively quickly. Since 1648, it has been called Golčův Jeníkov.
In 1773, the estate was purchased by Count Filip Kolovrat –
Krakowský, who claimed the state tobacco factory for the town.
In 1812, the building was converted to a chateau. This man, an
economist by education, also established a needle factory in
town, which was the first of its kind in Central Europe. In 1785,
he had a tower built by the deaconry and equipped it with bells.
During the Napoleonic wars, there were lazarettos in the town,
as well as a military camp. In 1808, the town was consumed by
a great fire. It was restored under the rule of the Herberstein
family, and the appearance that it acquired in that era has been
largely retained to date. In the same era, a park was established
by the chateau, with trees that are a special kind of seven-leaf
chestnut. Since 1870, Jeníkov has enjoyed a railway connection.
SIGHTS
Goltz’s Baroque fortress with a square layout features a barrel
vault on its ground floor. A spiral staircase leads to the first floor,
comprised of three residential rooms. There are gun-holes on the
second floor.
The Empire-style decanal Church of St. Francis Seraphim was
built in 1827; attention is drawn to its interior paintings and
furnishings. A curious item is a whale bone under the choir loft
by the main entrance, brought by General Martin Goltz from his
military campaigns.
The Deaconry was established in 1627, and it originally served
as a Jesuit residence. The Goltz family symbols are featured
above the jambs of the entrance door. The church, deaconry, and
parish house can be visited upon agreement with the priest (F.
Skřivánek, tel. 569 442 184). A rarity is the 49-meter bell tower,
which stands across the road from the church. Due to his disputes
with the Jesuits,
Golčův Jeníkov
www.golcuv-jenikov.cz
Information Centre – Lanete, spol. s r.o.
Náměstí T. G. Masaryka 114
582 82 Golčův Jeníkov
Tel.: +420 569 442 577
Fax: +420 569 442 578
Count Ledebour had it intentionally built outside of the church
buildings. The original tower was half stone, half oak. In its
present form, it dates back to 1785, but the bell is from 1482.
The cemetery-based St. Margaret’ Church was founded in the
14th century; on the northern wall, a remnant of a Gothic portal
can be seen.
The Town Hall was built in 1648.
Be
Between 1871 and 1873,
a new neo-Romanesque
syn
synagogue was built on
the site of the original 1659
wo
wooden Jewish prayer
ho
house, boasting Moorish
de
decorative
features.
Mo
Moses’
Decalogue
is
ins
inscribed
above
the
ma
main gable in gold, and
underneath it is a large decorative Star of David. The synagogue
was renovated in the 1920s, and now houses a depository of the
Prague Jewish Museum: it is not open to the public.
The Goltzova tvrz Gallery
The tower fortress was built in 1650–53 by General Martin
Maxmilian of Goltz. It was of a residential nature, but in the
event of an attack, the fortress would have served as a defensive
stronghold. There attic even boasts gun-holes. After General
Goltz’s death, the property passed from one owner to another;
the fortress was no longer used as a residence, but served as a
hop-storage for the local brewery, and after 1912 it was left to
dilapidate. After the 1990s renovation, it houses a gallery with
a sales exhibition of Czech 19th and 20th century paintings.
Contact information: The Goltzova tvrz Gallery, Goltzova tvrz
8, 582 82 Golčův Jeníkov, tel. +420 603 865 778, +420 603
480 887, +420 603 497 420, e-mail: [email protected], www.
antikgoltz.cz
JJewish Cemetery
It lies about a kilometre outside of town. The oldest tombstones
with legible inscriptions date back to the 16th century. Three
w
ttombstones are in the form of sarcophagi. Rabbi Aaron Kornfeld
is buried there, a significant Jewish scholar who established a
Talmud school in town, this was the last school of its kind in
T
Bohemia.
Visits possible upon agreement with the cemetery manager (Mr.
V
JJarmil Ronovský, tel. +420 569 442 691).
9
Habry
www.habry.cz
Town Hall of Habry
Žižkovo nám. 66
582 81 Habry
Tel.: +420 569 441 217
Fax: +420 569 441 229
The historical sights of the town of Habry include the Baroque
Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, built in 1384.
In 1730, both the church and the parish house were rebuilt.
In front of the church entrance is a statue of St. Florian, from
1713.
The Baroque castle was built around 1718. The originally
two-storey building was used as a school until 1992.
HISTORY
Habry was an ancient trading settlement on the overland
route from Prague to German Brod (today Havlíčkův Brod)
and on to Moravia. The town stretches along both banks of
the River Malá Sázavka. The first written mention about the
settlement of Habry can be found in Kosmas’ Chronicle from
1101, when Prince Oldřich passed through it with his army.
From the narrow path called “Haberská stezka”, which used
to pass through the border forest, the ages created a broad
trading route. As a natural centre for traders from a broad
area, Habry was granted the status of a township with market
rights by Charles IV in 1351, and given the right to use its own
coat of arms: an ancient silver key in a red shield intersecting
with a white sword with a golden handle. After 1850, Habry
became the centre of a self-administering district, and in 1909
Habry’s status was elevated from that of a township to that
of a town.
T
The
old Town Hall, with a turret and clock, was built in 1770.
Ž
Žižka’s Stone Table, from 1422, is at the top of the hill called
T
Táborec.
A 1714 sculpture of John Nepomuck is housed in a nook in
h
house No. 152.
T
The stone bridge with a road crossing the River Malá Sázavka
w
was built in 1825.
The 1825 Jewish synagogue was converted to a wide-screen
cinema in 1979.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Táborec Hilltop (515 m above sea level) with an abandoned
and flooded quarry, where, as legend has it, Jan Žižka set up
camp in 1422, before doing battle with Sigismund’s army.
The Birch Alley protected area is 2 km to the west of town
and is the site of one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries, from
the 17th century.
A tourist trail passes through the forest to a memorial to the
partisan movement, in Leškovice.
SIGHTS
10
HISTORY
Havlíčkův Brod
www.muhb.cz, http://mic.muhb.cz
Městské informační centrum
Havlíčkovo náměstí 57
580 01 Havlíčkův Brod
Tel.: +420 569 497 357
The New Town Hall, also called Stará rychta, dates to the end of
T
the 15th century. At the end of
the 19th century, it was rebuilt
in the Neo-Baroque style.
Ma
Malina’s
House, with a richly
diverse façade and gable, is
div
late Baroque.
lat
The town’s history reaches back to the early 1200s. The original
settlement near the silver mines gradually developed into a
town with royal rights. Its rich history is documented by about
a hundred sights; in the 1980s, the town’s centre was declared
a heritage zone. The town walls with bastions, the historical
centre with a Baroque square lined with gabled houses, rich
church furnishings, a fountain with a Triton, a fabled skeleton
on the New Town Hall tower, as well as one of the most precious
bells in the Czech Republic are only a few examples of the riches
that invite the town’s visitor for a tour. Also of interest is the
tradition of the Brod secondary school, called the Carolinum,
where a number of important figures studied, such as Josef
Dobrovský, Bedřich Smetana, Jan Zrzavý, and Karel Havlíček,
whose name the town has borne since 1945.
The house “At the Golden
Th
Lion”,
Lio
with a walled-in Gothic
pillar at the front, is the
pil
oldest inn in town, and was
old
mentioned as early as in the
me
mid 1500s.
mi
SIGHTS
The historical town centre is an urban heritage zone. Gabled
houses have survived around nearly the entire square and in
adjoining alleys. Some of the
ad
buildings here were in part
bu
made of brick as early as in the
ma
13th century.
13t
Havlíček’s House is the seat
Ha
of the Vysočina Museum in
Havlíčkův Brod. One of its
Ha
exhibitions is devoted to Karel
exh
Havlíček, who lived there. The
Ha
corner bay survived from the
co
original Renaissance house, as
ori
well as a painted ceiling on the
we
first floor, and Gothic architectural fe
features have also survived.
The Old Town Hall in the southern part of the square is a valuable
Renaissance building adapted in the 17th century. The front
terminates with battlements, and the Renaissance gable features
the so-called Brod Death Figure. According to legend, this was
the treacherous guard Hnát, whose skeleton was placed at the
Town Hall as a warning. The place of his execution is, as legend
has it, called Hnát’s Rock (probably from 1513) on the bridge over
the River Sázava.
In the centre of the square is a plague column from 1717 and
Koudel’s Stone Fountain with a Triton – probably the work of
sculptor J. V. Prchal, from the second half of the 18th century.
The town’s landmark is the decanal Church of the Assumption
of Virgin Mary. It was built in the mid 1200s and subsequently
rebuilt several times. Valuable frescoes in the early Baroque
dome have survived, as well as a very valuable main altar; a side
altar features a painting of a guardian angel, probably by Karel
Škréta. The massive four-storey tower houses the bell known as
Vilém, one of the oldest cast in Bohemia. It bears the date 1305,
weighs 2 metric tonnes, and it was sold to the town’s inhabitants
by Mikoláš Trčka of Lipá in 1453. An outstanding feature is the
church clock with a 24-hour dial. The deck on the tower affords
distant views.
The Church of the Holy Family was built as a part of the Augustinian
Monastery, from 1679 to 1696. Construction was commenced by
the Italian builder Jan Baptista Dominic Canavalli and completed
by the Chrudim builder Daniel Měnický. In the north, the Chapel
of God’s Tomb was added in 1725. One of the country’s best
11
Ba
Baroque
sculptors,
Ignác
Rohrbach, took a decisive part
Ro
in decorating its interior. The
single-nave building with a
sin
thr
three-sided presbytery has
thr
three sections of barrel vaulting
wit
with lunettes and passes. In
the west is a choir with a ledge,
de
decorated with a fresco from
the middle of the 18th century
an
and contemporary wrought
ba
bars.
The perfect acoustics
of the space allows it to host
org
organ concerts.
After the
ab
abolition of the Bare-footed
Augustinians
Augustinians, the monastery building served as a school
In 1889, the “Future” (“Budoucnost”) Municipal Park was
established. Its 25 hectares feature interesting kinds of flora,
such as katsura trees, sweet chestnut, and the American tulip tree.
With a cascade of nine ponds, the park turns into a forest that
reaches all the way to the municipality of Knyk. Respite is offered
by a gazebo with a view, a children’s castle, and the Kotlina
sports facility. You will find a memorial to Vojtěch Weidenhoffer;
a bust of Josefína, the mother of Karel Havlíček Borovský, by V.
Dohnalová; and a bust of Bedřich Smetana, by J. Pelikán. The
sculpture of Karel Havlíček Borovský comes from the workshop
of the academic sculptor Bohumil Kafka, from 1924. The park’s
landmark is the Church of the Holy Trinity, a structure with an
interesting composition and with the three-sided Chapel of the
Holy Cross. According to legend, it was built on the site where a
tulip grew with three flowers in the decanal garden, symbolising
the Holy Trinity.
St. Adalbert’s Church, originally Gothic from the 13th century, has
been adapted in the late-Gothic style from the end of the 16th
century.
St. Catherine’s Church was built in the 13th century on the site of
the former ford, and subsequently rebuilt several times; originally,
it was a church for the local hospital.
The surviving parts of the town walls with bastions comprised
a part of the fortifications, from around 1310 and from the last
quarter of the 15th century, when the town had a double belt of
walls with a moat.
The Vysočina Museum of Havlíčkův Brod
The museum can be found in Havlíček’s House in the square. Only the
corner bay and the painted ceiling on the first floor have survived from
the original Renaissance house, as well as certain Gothic architectural
features. After two fires, the front of the house was adapted in 1871
by the architect František Schmoranz of Slatiňany, in the Neo-Gothic
style. The house was held by the family of Karel Havlíček Borovský
between 1832 and 1880. Below the bay is a commemorative plaque
and Havlíček’s medallion is on the façade. The permanent exhibition
“In the Footsteps of Karel Halvíček in Německý Brod” features authentic
personal belongings of Karel Havlíček, his parents, his wife Julia, and
daughter Zdenka. The museum’s collection is rich in glass, archaeological
finds, paintings and sculptures, manuscripts, and precious prints.
Contact Information: 580 01 Havlíčkův Brod, Havlíčkovo náměstí 19,
tel. +420 569 429 151, fax: +420 569 429 987, e-mail: muzeum@
muzeum.hbnet.cz, www.muzeumhb.cz
Gallery of Fine Art
Sin
Since
1965, the gallery has
specialised in Czech book
spe
illustrations, drawings, and prints
illu
created after 1918. It is housed in
cre
ah
historical 14th century burgher’s
house, in which a number of
hou
Gothic, Renaissance, and Classicist
Go
architectural
arc
elements
have
survived and can be viewed by
sur
visitors. The significant position
visi
of the owners of the house in
the medieval era is documented
by a number of archaeological
finds that were amassed during the ren
renovation of the house and are
now deposited in the museum. The gallery’s collection comprises some
seven thousand works of art, featuring prints and illustrations by Cyril
Bouda, Adolf Hoffmeister, Emil Filla, Ota Janeček, Kamil Lhoták, Jaroslav
Panuška, Bohuslav Reynk, Karel Svolinský, Jiří Trnka, Adolf Zábranský, Jan
Zrzavý and many others. The exhibition includes the renovated Uhrov
Altar, featuring a sculpture of Calvary by Ignác Rohrbach. The highBaroque altar was made around 1735 for the Chapel of the Elevation
of the Holy Cross at Uhrov Chateau. The permanent exhibition is
supplemented with exhibitions of top Czech graphic artists.
Contact Information: 580 01 Havlíčkův Brod, Havlíčkovo náměstí
18, tel., fax: +420 569 427 035, e-mail: [email protected],
www.galeriehb.cz
Štáfl’s Bastion
Š
A well-preserved wall tower
from
fro the original fortifications.
The tower houses items
commemorating
a local native,
com
the painter Otakar Štáfl (1884
– 1945).
1
Tours for groups upon
request.
req
Contact
Co
Information: Tourist
Information
Inf
Centre, Havlíčkovo
náměstí
ná
57, 580 61 Havlíčkův
Brod,
Bro tel. +420 569 497 357,
e-mail:
e-m
[email protected],
http://mic.muhb.cz
htt
12
the treacherous guard
was
wa thrown into the
town
tow moat and stoned
to death. The place is
commemorated
com
by the
so-called
soHnát’s Rock,
which
wh
is integrated in the
ledge
led of the stone bridge
over
ov the River Sázava.
Štáfl’s Cottage
TIPS FOR TRIPS
This timber building from the second half of the 16th century is
one of the most valuable monuments of old rural architecture in
Bohemia. The interior of the residential room features timber
walls and the original ceiling made of massive logs. The cottage’s
name refers to the family of the original owner. The cottage
houses a permanent exhibition of the scouting movement and
occasional exhibitions are held there.
Contact Information: ul. Barbory Kobzinové 2015, tel. +420 604
130 962, e-mail: [email protected], www.sweb.cz/antikhb
The Lookout Tower of the Church of the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary
The tower’s observation deck 40 meters above ground affords a
view of the town and the general area.
Contact Information: Information about the current opening
hours can be obtained from the Information Centre, Havlíčkovo
náměstí 57, Havlíčkův Brod, tel. +420 569 497 357, e-mail:
[email protected], http://mic.muhb.cz
Memorial of K. H. Borovský
An exhibition commemorating the life and work of the writer and
journalist Karel Havlíček Borovský (1821 – 1856) is placed in his
birth house, which was declared a national cultural asset in 1976.
It houses Havlíček’s writings and documents as well as literature
about the author. The marble bust and memorial plaque were
made in 1931 by the sculptor Ladislav Šaloun, on the occasion of
the opening of the memorial. There is a monument to Havlíček in
the local square, by sculptor J. Strachovský, from 1901.
Contact Information: 582 23 Havlíčkova Borová, Havlíčkova 163,
ttel. +420 569 642 123,
e-mail: [email protected],
e
www.havlickovaborova.cz
w
L
Lipnice
nad Sázavou Castle
One of the most massive Bohemian castles was built in the early
O
14th century on the elongated top of a rocky ridge. In the early
1
1500s, it was rebuilt as a late-Gothic castle, and later received
1
Renaissance adaptations. The castle’s St. Lawrence’s Chapel was
R
adapted in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. After
a
tthe 1869 fire, the castle became dilapidated, and it was partially
rrenovated in the first half of the 20th century. The large tower
offers views up to 70 km distant. In addition to the tower, the
o
ttour includes the armoury, an archaeological exhibition with a
set of Gothic stove tiles, St. Lawrence’s Chapel, and the extensive
cellar system with the original medieval well. The Samson Gallery
holds seasonal exhibitions. In summer, the courtyard comes to life
with performances by theatre groups, fencers, and musicians.
Contact Information: 582 32 Lipnice nad Sázavou, tel. +420 569
486 189, e-mail: [email protected], www.hrad-lipnice.cz.
POINTS OF INTEREST
The Brod Death Figure
A skeleton, also called the “Brod Death Figure”, can be seen
in a niche of the Renaissance gable of the former town hall.
He holds a scythe in his hand with the Latin inscription „Qua
hora nescis“ – “You never know the hour”. He is associated
with the name of the guard Hnát, who, according to legend,
gave a signal to the armed inhabitants of the neighbouring
town of Jihlava for a siege of the town in 1472, by ringing a
bell at the Lower Gate. The ringing, however, warned the
burghers of Brod, who repelled the attack. As punishment,
Below the castle is a Memorial to Jaroslav Hašek, in the house in
which Hašek spent the latter years of his life and where he wrote
his most famous work: The Good Soldier Švejk and His Fortunes in
the World War. Tel. +420 569 486 105, www.lipnicens.unas.cz
Stvořidla
A nature reserve on the River Sázava; a paradise for water
enthusiasts and tourists; and a public campground with a stop of
the same name on the railway line.
13
Horní Cerekev
www.hornicerekev.cz
Town Hall
Náměstí T. G. Masaryka 41
394 03 Horní Cerekev
Tel.: +420 565 396 495
Fax: +420 565 396 746
HISTORY
No precise historical records have survived attesting to the
date of the town’s establishment. The original settlement
was settled by a man called Líček, and it was named Líčkovice
after him. Later, the settlement was named after the church,
originally wooden – cierkev. In the 14th century, the settlement
was expanded by Dobeš z Bechyně, the highest marshal of the
Kingdom of Bohemia. He granted certain rights to Cerekev
– the right to be a town, judicial powers, as well as the right
to fortify itself, turning the settlement into a town. The first
surviving written document of the town dates to 1361. Dobeš
z Bechyně built a fortress with moats on the shores of the
town’s largest lake. The history of the Horní Cerekev estate
is very diverse, with twelve various owners – the most famous
of whom was the Léskovec family. During their rule, between
1411 and 1655, Horní Cerekev became the centre-point of the
resolution of government problems and economic issues. It was
named after the oldest known member of the Léskovec family,
Jan: Cerekev Léskovcova Superiori (Horní). The last owner was
the Hohenzollern family, which held the estate until 1945.
The latest chapter in the history of Horní Cerekev is the
elevation of its status from that of a municipality to that of a
town, on 27 October 2000.
SIGHTS
One of the town’s landmarks is the Church of St. John the
Baptist. The original St. Linhart’s Chapel was renovated by the
Léskovec family at the end of the 15th century, in turning it into
a church. The interior furnishings were donated to the church
by Count Cavriani, and the southern exterior wall was decorated
by the Dean, Jan Soval, with a sun dial. On the western side
above the entrance is the crest of the Archbishop of Prague,
František Ferdinand Küenburg, from 1715, carved in granite.
Another architectural and cultural monument is the Church
of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The original wooden
church with two towers was rebuilt in stone. After the 1821
fire, which destroyed both towers as well as the bells, only one
was put up again. The interior of the church and most of its
furnishings come from the 18th century. The main arch depicts
the Last Supper, by the academic painter Číla, from 1911. Under
the church floor are tombs of the nobility, clergy, and burghers.
Immediately next to the church is the parish house. The first
mention of the parish house is from the 14th century. The first
known priest, Jiří Matěj of Vlašim, came to the local parish in
1359.
What today is the chateau used to be a water fortress owned by
14
Dobeš of Bechyně in the 14th century. It was cleverly built on a
small peninsula on the edge of the “Chateau” Lake, so that its
moats could be filled with water. The chateau was completely
rebuilt in the 17th century by Albrecht Šebestián, equipping it
with arcades. In 1734, František Ferdinand Küenburg adapted
it roughly to its present form. On the eastern side used to
be a wooden drawbridge for pedestrians: riders had access
via a stone bridge from the west. Legends say that a secret
underground passage led to distant forests in Plaňany. In the
mid 1990s, the neglected chateau was renovated by a private
owner, but it is not open to the public.
A memorial to war victims was built and ceremoniously
unveiled in the square in 1935, in memory of the inhabitants
of Horní Cerekev who fell in the First and Second World Wars.
Not far from the memorial is a statue of St. John Nepomuck,
the town’s patron, dating from 1713. It has stood here since
1843; previously, the statue had stood by the Church of the
Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.
A granite Gothic plaque for Jan Léskovec, from 1558, is placed
on the former Rajský Mill, below the chateau.
About one kilometre from town is a Jewish cemetery, which
has been gradually renovated since 2000.
NATURE
On the edge of Horní Cerekev, in the direction of Kamenice nad
Lipou, is a heritage-protected tree – an ash – which is estimated
to be 200 years old. A very valuable natural point of interest is
the 1 km-long chestnut alley, planted in 1884 – 1886 along the
Horní Cerekev – Pelhřimov road.
In the immediate vicinity of Horní Cerekev, you can enjoy a
beautiful natural locale with a flooded stone quarry, more than
25 m deep in places. In the nearby village of Nová Buková is the
European watershed of two large river basins: the Elbe and the
Danube.
HISTORY
Finds of Neolithic pottery document that this locale has been
settled since ancient times. The first written mention of Hrotovice
can be found in a deed of King Přemysl Otakar I, from 1228. Since
its founding, Hrotovice has had a fortress, a church, and a parish
house. The Hrotovice estate was held by a number of aristocratic
families and lower nobility. Until the mid 1800s, Hrotovice was
a small village that did not differ in any way from other villages
in the area. From 1850, a district court and revenue authority
had their seat in the municipality, a post office was established,
and the first industrial companies were founded, i.e., a sawmill,
brickworks, and a distillery. The town continued to develop even
at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s, Hrotovice
became a popular summer destination due to its beautiful
surroundings. In 1994, Hrotovice was granted the status of a
town.
Hrotovice
www.hrotovice.cz
Information Centre
nám. 8. května 2, 675 55 Hrotovice
Tel.: +420 568 860 057
The information centre is open from May
to September
Město Hrotovice
náměstí 8. května 1, 675 55 Hrotovice
Tel.: +420 568 838 530, +420 568 838 532
Fax: +420 568 860 324
SIGHTS
Memorial of F. B. Zvěřina
T
The exhibition in the newly renovated house in the square
p
presents the life and work of the academic painter František
B
Bohumír Zvěřina, a local native (1835 – 1908). The building also
h
houses an information centre, which operates seasonally.
C
Contact information: Information centre, Náměstí 8. května
2
2, 675 55 Hrotovice, tel.: +420 568 860 057, e-mail: icentrum@
h
hrotovice.cz, www.hrotovice.cz. Open 1 May – 30 Sept., outside
o
of the opening period, contact by telephone, on +420 568 838
5
532.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Th town’s
The
t
’ llandmark
d
k iis th
the chateau,
chatea built
b ilt in
i the
th Renaissance
R
i
style
t l
at the end of the 16th century, on the site of a medieval fortress.
The chateau acquired its present appearance in the first third of
the 18th century, when it underwent an overhaul and received
Baroque adaptations. The rectangular courtyard boasts open
arcades on the ground floor, and frescoes have survived in the
chateau chapel. The linden tree in the chateau’s courtyard was
planted in 1918, in honour of the declaration of an independent
Czechoslovak state. In 1991 – 1994, the chateau façade and
courtyard were renovated, with a financial contribution from
Hrotovice’s businesses and inhabitants.
The originally Romanesque St. Lawrence’s Church was rebuilt in
the Gothic style in the mid 1300s, and in the second half of the
17th century it underwent Baroque adaptations. The town boasts
18th century Baroque statues of St. Francis, St. John Nepomuck,
St. Vendelín, St. Donát, and St. Florian.
The stone cross in the centre of the square, and the memorial
on the front wall of the chateau, commemorate the Hrotovice
tragedy of 8 May 1945, when the explosion of a mistakenly
dropped bomb at the very end of the war killed 114 inhabitants
of Hrotovice and 36 Soviet soldiers.
T Nové Rybníky Nature Trail
The
Nové Rybníky (New Lakes) near Hrotovice are an important
N
ssummer resort, used as a natural swimming facility. They can be
reached by a two-kilometre nature trail with a natural theme.
Five rest-stops feature sheds with benches, bike stands, and
information and map boards.
Mstěnice
An abandoned medieval village with a fortress (about 4 km to
the south of Hrotovice) was first mentioned in written sources in
1393. The village was destroyed in 1468 by the Hungarian army of
King Matthias Corvinus, in his march on Třebíč. An archaeological
survey has been conducted there, which is of fundamental
significance for learning about the life of medieval villages. The
remains of a massive stone fortress and courtyard stand there, as
well as a rare find: a grain-drying facility with a barn from the
second half of the 13th century.
Information Centre of the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant and
the Dalešice Hydro Power Plant
Top-level audiovisual technology provides visitors with
information about the energy sector, the use of nuclear energy,
and the power plant itself.
Contact information: Dukovany nuclear power plant, information
centre, 675 50 Dukovany, tel. +420 561 105 519, e-mail:
[email protected], www.cez.cz
15
Humpolec
www.infohumpolec.cz
Municipal Cultural and Information
Centre
Havlíčkovo náměstí 91
396 01 Humpolec
Tel./Fax: +420 565 532 479
HISTORY
Hu
Humpolec
lies near the D1
motorway,
mo
approximately
half-way between Prague and
ha
Brno.
Brn
The establishment of
the medieval settlement in
the 12th century was related
to the ancient overland trail
con
connecting Želiv Monastery
wit
with Prague and Moravia. The
set
settlement belonged to the
Or
Order of Teutonic Knights, Želiv
Mo
Monastery, and a number of
ari
aristocratic families. In the 13th
century the area gained in import
century,
importance due to the extraction
of silver; after its decline at the end of the 15th century, the
foundations of the town’s drapery tradition were laid. In that era,
Orlík Castle was built on a hilltop above the town, whose remains
can still be seen in the municipal forest park. In the 19th century,
drapery production reached such dimensions that the town was
dubbed “the Bohemian Manchester”. The town’s landmark is
St. Nicholas’ Church, founded by the Želiv Premostratensians in
1233. The Upper Square is dominated by the Town Hall and the
museum, and near the cemetery is the first toleration church in
the Czech lands, built in 1785 –1788. The most significant local
natives include the anthropologist Aleš Hrdlička, conductor Josef
Stránský, and director Jindřich Honzl.
nearby shafts constitute the remnants of medieval mining.
The Upper Square is dominated by the 1914 Town Hall, adorned
with sculptures by František Fiala – Futurista, and by the Museum
of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička.
The square also features a memorial to the suffering in both
World Wars and in the Communist era. Worth mentioning is also
the statue of T. G. Masaryk by the sculptor Makovský, in Tyršovo
Square. It has been removed three times and then restored to its
place, the last time being on 1 March 1990.
In Havlíčkovo Square, a single-nave evangelical church from 1862
can be found, and not far from the cemetery is the first toleration
church in the Bohemian lands, built between 1785 and 1788.
Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička
SIGHTS
The town’s landmark is the decanal St. Nicholas’ Church established
by the Želiv Premonstratensians in 1233. Its Baroque adaptations
are in part the work of the famous architect Jan Blažej Santini.
The remnants of the medieval Orlík Castle are a decorative
feature on the town’s skyline and a part of the municipal forest
park. The castle was abandoned in the 1630s. Only its prismshaped tower, entry gate, and parts of the residential buildings
and walls have survived.
At the foot of the hill, below the castle, is a Jewish cemetery from
1719, where relatives of the composer Gustav Mahler, born in the
ne
nearby village of Kaliště, are
bu
buried. The Jewish settlement
is d
documented by the partially
pre
preserved Jewish quarter in
Zic
Zichpile, and by a Baroque
syn
synagogue from the second
ha
half of the 18th century. The
16
Since 1933, the museum’s exhibits have been placed in a former
school building, built in 1851. The anthropological exhibition
informs the visitor about the latest hypotheses of the origin of life
on earth, and attention is paid to human biology and the work
of the anthropologist Aleš Hrdlička. The ethnographic exhibition
shows the Humpolec area as it was in the 19th century, and in
the exhibition devoted to the life and work of Gustav Mahler,
recordings of his music can be heard. The permanent exhibitions
are supplemented by exhibitions throughout the year. Exhibition
halls in the Upper and Lower Squares are used for temporary art
exhibitions.
Contact Information: Horní náměstí 273, 396 01 Humpolec, tel.
+420 565 532 115, fax: +420 565 532 479,
e-mail: [email protected], www.infohumpolec.cz
The “In the Footsteps of History” Trail
This five-kilometre trail with ten stops informs walkers about
the history of the most significant architectural sights in town:
the Museum of Dr. Aleš Hrdlička bears the name of the worldfamous anthropologist, a local native. St. Nicholas’ Church, from
the beginning of the 13th century, is listed by expert literature
as an example of the development of the art of Czech building.
The building that today serves as a Spořitelna branch has a
commemorative plaque noting the speech made by K. H. Borovský
from the building’s window in 1848, when it served as the town
hall. Architect Josef Zítek participated in the construction of the
new Town Hall at the same time as he worked on the plans for
the National Theatre. The functionalist Gočár’s House is inscribed
on the Central List of Cultural Assets. The Baroque Jewish
synagogue, rebuilt in 1886, is presently used by the Czechoslovak
Hussite Church. The corner stone of the first toleration church in
Bohemia was laid on 18 May 1785. The statue of T.G. Masaryk,
which has been removed three times, is a work of V. Makovský.
The building today used as the Town Hall is decorated with
sculptures by František Fiala, known as Ferenc Futurista.
Contact Information: Municipal Cultural and Information Centre,
Havlíčkovo náměstí 91, 396 01 Humpolec, tel. +420 565 532 479,
email: [email protected], www.infohumpolec.cz
The Ruin of Orlik Castle
Only the prism-shaped tower, entry gate, and parts of the
Contact Information: Castrum, o.p.s., Hradská 818, 396 01
Humpolec, tel. +420 723 735 062, +420 724 937 647, e-mail: info@
hrad-orlik.cz, [email protected], www.hrad-orlik.cz
Jewish Cemetery
The cemetery is outside the town of Humpolec, in what is today
the forest park below Orlík Castle. It was established in the early
1700s and later expanded twice with the addition of terraces.
By the entrance, there is the “bejtshtube”, a ceremonial room
where the deceased was ritually cleansed before burial. There
are about one thousand tombstones in the cemetery, many of
which are of great artistic value; most are Baroque and Classicist.
The cemetery was used by Jews from the general area; several
relatives of the composer Gustav Mahler and the author Franz
Kafka are buried there.
Bernard Brewery
The brewery produces special brand-name beer without
pasteurisation. An excursion through the family brewery guides
visitors through the brewing tradition established in town in the
mid 1500s. The excursion, including a video presentation and
beer tasting, takes approximately 1 hour.
Contact Information: The Bernard Family Brewery, a.s., ul. 5.
května 1, 396 01 Humpolec, tel. +420 565 532 511, +420 565 532
407, fax: +420 565 532 183; e-mail: [email protected], www.
bernard.cz
TIP FOR TRIP
K
Kaliště
– The Birth House of Gustav Mahler
Originally an inn, in which the world-famous conductor and
O
ccomposer Gustav Mahler (1860 – 1911) was born, the house
residential buildings and walls have survived from the medieval
castle that was abandoned in the 1630s. Newly built is the castle
bread oven and a replica of a 15th century pottery kiln, so that
in summer visitors can try baking bread and making pottery.
w renovated with the contribution of the Musica noster amor
was
FFoundation. The renovation was completed in 1999, under the
auspices of the soprano Gabriela Beňačková. A new music hall
a
has been added to the period restaurant, which is the venue
h
ffor concerts and international master-level courses in singing,
piano, and contemporary musical interpretation. Souvenirs
p
and brochures with the composer’s family tree are available; an
a
exhibition of the Czech connections in the life of G. Mahler. A
e
vvisit must be arranged in advance.
Fencers, musicians, and theatre companies bring the castle to life
during the summer Medieval Festival. A tour with a guide can be
provided by inquiring with the manager.
Contact information: 394 51 Kaliště u Humpolce 9, tel. +420 565
C
546 528, +420 777 868 239, e-mail: [email protected],
www.mahler-penzion.cz
17
Chotěboř
www.chotebor.cz
Information Centre
– Chotěboř Municipal Library
Krále Jana 258
583 01 Chotěboř
Tel./Fax: +420 569 626 634
HISTORY
The first
first written reference to the town comes from 1265,
1265 but it
can be supposed that the first settlement stood there in the 12th
century and was probably related to the Libice Trail that passed
through there. The first documented holder of the estate was
Smil of Lichtemburk, who owned the silver mines. In 1331, the
King of Bohemia, John of Luxembourg, bestowed on the town
the Jihlava town mining rights and elevated its status to that of
a Royal Town. In 1454, King Ladislav the Posthumous had the
town fortified again. At the end of the 15th century, the Mikuláš
Trčka of Lípa Jr. acquired Chotěboř and connected it to his estate,
whereby it changed from a royal town to a liege town. During
the Thirty Years War, the town was damaged by the Swedish army
and Catholicised. From 1683, the estate was held by Count Kinský,
who had the Baroque chateau built. After 1836, ownership of
the town passed to the family of Dobřenský of Dobřenice, until
its confiscation in 1948. The character of the town was disrupted
in the 19th century by several fires, which destroyed many houses
in the square and the church. A major event in the town’s history
was the arrival of the first train on 1 June 1871.
SIGHTS
The chateau was built in 1701 – 1702. The foundations and parts
of the walls of the former fortress, whose origins date back to
the rule of Charles IV, were used in the construction. The chateau
features the Chapel of the Holy Trinity with rich stucco decorations,
frescoes, and paintings with biblical themes. Since 1952, the
chateau, which was returned to the Dobřenský family in 1992, has
been the seat of the Chotěboř Municipal Museum. The museum
collection grew primarily due to its own activities and through
18
do
donations by the local residents
and the museum’s admirers.
Esp
Especially the collections of
mi
military items, sigillography, and
geo
geology contain precious items.
As a whole, the collection of
fin
ne art and the book collection,
con
containing several relatively
pre
precious
manuscripts,
first
and old prints, are the most
sig
significant.
The Church of St. James the
Elder
Elder, originally Romanesque and llater Gothic, was damaged by
several fires and re-built in a neo-Gothic style. The church boasts
tw
two naves and a prismatic tower.
In the Václav Fiala Park is the neoeo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic
neo-Romanesque
Chapel of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, which was built in 1863
on the basis of plans by Fr. Schmoranz.
The Chapel of St. Anne was built on the site of a small chapel in
1902.
The Marian column in the small park under Trčků z Lípy Street
was built in 1700 when the town was threatened by a plague. It
was sponsored by the holders of the Chotěboř estate, the Kinský
family.
The Marian column in the square was built by the town in 1890.
By the entrance to the chateau park is a statue of John Nepomuck
from 1720.
A technical monument is a
three-storey
thr
rectangular water
tower.
tow
Its tank was filled with
water
wa
from a well by the River
Doubrava
Do
and from it water was
distributed
dis
by gravity through
pipes
pip to Chotěboř Train Station,
for steam train engines.
DON´T FORGET TO VISIT
Municipal Museum
The Italian-type, early Baroque chateau was built by Count Vilém
Leopold Kinský in the early 1700s, on the site of a Gothic fortress.
The Chapel of the Holy Trinity, with rich stucco decorations, has
survived in its original condition. The chateau was adapted in
the 19th century and after the 1927 fire. It is surrounded by a
TIP FOR TRIP
A Nature Trail through the Valley of the River Doubrava
The River Doubrava flows through the nature reserve, through
a canyon-shaped, forested valley, creating picturesque and wild
corners with boulders in the riverbed and numerous weirs. You can
encounter rock towers and a waterfall there, as well as a gigantic
pot and a boulder sea. A splendid view of the valley is offered
by the Čertův stolek rock tower, in whose vicinity two man-made
b
ccaves are located. A commemorative plaque for the priest and
poet František Boštík has been placed on the Sokolohrady rocky
p
promontory, where Sokolov Castle used to stand. The Mikšova
p
jáma Pond, Koryto Canyon, the Great Waterfall, and Točitý vír are
já
just some of the other interesting and fabled places in the valley.
ju
The medium-difficulty trail, which runs parallel to the red tourist
T
ttrail, passing through romantic spots and locales where protected
plants and animals are found, is 4.5 km long and has 11 stops.
p
The trail starts near the Upper Mill near Chotěboř and ends in the
T
vvillage of Bílek.
15-hectare English garden in the protected valley of the River
Doubrava. The chateau is held by the Dobrzenský family, which
has resided there since 1836. The museum collections document
the town’s historical development, and it has rich collections fine
art and archaeological,
geological,
and ethnoge
graphical
artefacts. The
gra
collection
of books is also
co
precious,
featuring sevepre
ral rare manuscripts, first
prints,
and old prints.
pri
Thematic
exhibitions
Th
are held throughout the
year.
yea
Contact
information:
Co
Riegrova
1, 583 01
Rie
Chotěboř,
tel. +420 569
Ch
623
62 293, e-mail: [email protected],
www.
cho
muzeum-chotebor.org
mu
19
Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou
SIGHTS
www.jaromericenr.cz
The Information Centre of the Municipal
Cultural Centre
Komenského 1029
675 51 Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou
The extensive Baroque chateau boasts two levels and an
H-shaped layout. The backbone is the main wing facing the
square, and the side wings mark off an honorary courtyard in
Tel.: +420 568 440 132
www.meks-jaromerice.cz
HISTORY
tthe
he north, and in the south they are connected to the park.
T
The ochre-white colour scheme of the walls makes the façade
a
appear more plastic. In this form, the chateau is one of the
m
most significant Baroque buildings in Europe.
According to a legend, the settlement was founded in 1131
by the Přemyslid Prince Jaromír, but the first written records
document the establishment of a fortress with a larger
settlement only in the early 1300s. In the 16th century, the
fortress was converted to a Renaissance chateau that was
similar in layout to the contemporary three-wing buildings.
After 1623, the estate was confiscated and sold to the German
warrior Gerhard of Questenberk. In three generations, the
town experienced previously unseen economic, building,
and cultural development. Extensive building adaptations
took place at the chateau at the end of the 17th century,
under Jan Antonín Questenberk, who also enriched the
town by developing a Servite Monastery with a Loreto and
St. Catherine’s Hospital. The building development at the
chateau was completed in the early 1700s under Jan Adam
Questenberk, according to the design of architect Jakub
Prandtauer.
In the 18th century, the town also experienced unusually rich
cultural life. Jan Adam of Questenberk gathered the famous
chateau orchestra at his seat, which was among the most
significant of its era. It is here that the opera “On the Origin
of Jaroměřice na Moravě”, sung in Czech, was first heard in
1730. It was composed by the chateau Kapellmeister and
composer František Václav Míča, a native of Třebíč.
When a teacher, Václav Jebavý, came to the Jaroměřice
burghers’ school two hundred years later, he found a quiet
town without any traces of the former abundance of cultural
life. In spite of that, the poet – under the pseudonym of
Otokar Březina – found unique inspiration there for his poems
and philosophical essays.
20
Th adjoining chateau park
The
d
is divided
in two by the River
Ro
Rokytná.
Its nearer part is
de
designed
as a French garden,
an the other features looser
and
lan
landscaping.
The entire park
is composed in thorough
sym
symmetry,
which emphasises
the use of stone benches
an
and
sculptures from the
1730s,
depicting figures from
17
classical
mythology.
cla
St. Margaret’s Chur
Church, which adjoins the main
The chateau’s St
chateau wing, was decorated by K. F. Toepper, Jean Baptiste,
and the painter Seglioni.
The
Th Otokar Březina Museum
is located in the building in
which
the poet spent the latter
wh
years
yea of his life. He is also
buried
in the local cemetery.
bu
The
Th tombstone is an excellent
work
by the poet’s friend,
wo
the sculptor Antonín Bílek, a
bronze
sculpture “The Author
bro
and
an His Sister Pain”, depicting
both
the poet’s personal and
bo
artistic
fate.
art
The square boasts a sculpture of tthe Holy Trinity and a set of
Baroque sculptures can be found on the bridge over the River
Rokytná – St. Mary Magdalene, St. John Nepomuck, a Pieta,
and St. John Sarkander.
Chateau
collections. The public rooms of the chateau are especially
noteworthy: the Ancestral Hall with an allegorical painting
on the vault, by F. M. Francius; the Dance Hall with paintings
by Jean Baptiste and a well-preserved set of sitting furniture;
and
a
the Chinese Chamber with inlays. The stucco decorations
are
a by G. Alfieri and J. Canoni. A Roman bath and salla terrena
were
w
set up on the chateau’s ground floor. The historical
exhibition
e
commemorates the musical tradition connected
with
w
Count Jan Adam Questenberk and the Kapellmeister of
his
h chateau ensemble, František Václav Míča. Many concerts
and
a
cultural events are held at the chateau every year; the
Peter
P
Dvorský International Music Festival builds on the
musical
m
tradition.
Contact
C
information: Náměstí Míru 1, 675 51 Jaroměřice nad
Rokytnou,
R
tel. +420 568 440 237, +420 724 730 852, e-mail:
[email protected],
ja
www.zamek-jaromerice.cz.
The
T
Otokar Březina Museum
The
T
museum is the oldest literary museum in Moravia. The
poet’s
p
apartment has been preserved in its original form, and
the
t
study library contains all of Březina’s work. The archive
c
contains
manuscripts, testimonials about Otokar Březina and
t
the
persons whom his work influenced, as well as about his
fr
friends.
School groups can choose from two video projections
a
and
nearly thirty audio-programmes concerning other major
figures – Jakub Deml, František Bílek, Jan Zahradníček, Jiří
K
Kuběna,
and others. The museum also houses a mini-gallery of
F
František
Bílek’s paintings and prints.
The originally Renaissance chateau was built on the site of a
Gothic water fortress and was later converted into extensive
Baroque castle grounds with St. Margaret’s Parish Church. It
is surrounded with a symmetrical French-style garden which
turns into a landscaped park. The chateau features an
installation of period interiors with valuable furnishings and
C
Contact
information: Březinova 46, 675 51 Jaroměřice nad
R
Rokytnou,
tel. +420 603 760 768, e-mail: studijniknihovna@
otokarbrezina.cz, e-mail:
www.otokarbrezina.cz
[email protected],
21
Jemnice
www.mesto-jemnice.cz
www.tic.jemnice.cz
Husova 2
675 31 Jemnice
Tel.: +420 721 508 737
James’ Church in the suburb of Podolí – originally a Romanesque
rotunda, it has retained its round tower (the oldest surviving
tower in Moravia). The presbytery is High Gothic, and the nave
was rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century.
HISTORY
T
The municipal St. Stanislaus’ Church in the square, originally
G
Gothic, received a Renaissance vault in the 16th century; its
in
interior
furnishings are Baroque. Under the organ loft are
s
signifi
cant Renaissance tombstones of the Lords of Meziříči and
L
Lomnice.
Jemnice is one of the oldest towns in Moravia.
Moravia The original
settlement was established on the site of a border castle,
dating from the late 11th and early 12th centuries. The town
was established in the early 13th century as a royal property
at a crossroads of trading routes, near a ford across the River
Želetavka, near deposits of gold and silver. Evidence of that
is the town’s name – Jemnice was the seat of the „jamníci“
(pitters), collecting ore from pits. The first written records of
Jemnice are in the Kuřim Chronicle of 1226.
The town experienced its peak in the Middle Ages. During
the reign of the Luxemburg dynasty, it was granted extensive
privileges. Later, this era of flourishing was followed by an era
of decline. Twice the town was pillaged – in 1468, during the
military mission of Matthias Corvinus, and during the Thirty
Years War. In addition, the ownership of the Jemnice estate
passed from one family to another. From 1842 until 1945,
Jemnice was held by the Pallavicini family.
The layout of the historical part of the town is determined by
its well-preserved medieval walls and several gates. The town
acquired its present, classicist, appearance after the 1832 fire.
Major figures born or active in Jemnice included the Austrian
romantic poet Franz Grillparzer, a family of painters – the
Charlemonts, and the painter Roman Havelka.
SIGHTS
The town has been declared a heritage zone. The entire historical
core is surrounded by well-preserved double walls with four
bastions and two barbicans.
The significance and showpiece nature of the medieval town are
documented by the surviving church buildings. The oldest is St.
22
The interior of the Gothic St Vitus’ Monastery Church is the
result of the 18th century Baroque renovation, when fresco altar
decorations by J. Winterhalter were added in the presbytery.
By the Franciscan monastery is the “St. Vitus Linden Tree”, nearly
800 years old, associated with the work of the preacher Jan
Kapistrán.
The chateau was built in 1661, in the rebuilding of the lateRomanesque castle, and acquired its final appearance one
hundred years later. The chateau is surrounded by an extensive
naturally landscaped park (21 ha).
The Třebíč Vysočina Museum, Jemnice Branch
The exhibits are housed in a Baroque burgher’s house with
Empire-style adaptations. At the back, farm buildings from the
The medieval water system, leading from St. Vitus’ Church to
town, is protected as a technical monument.
To the north of town, on a hill by the road to Chotěbudice, is
the family crypt of the Pallavicini family, built between 1902 and
1904 in a Neo-Classicist style.
POINT OF INTEREST
B h
Barchan
Ba
One of the oldest historical
On
festivals in Central Europe
fes
is held annually on the
first
r Sunday after St. Vitus’
Day; its roots extend back
Da
to the era of the reign of
the Luxemburgs. The legend says that in 1312, John of
Luxemburg, the King of Bohemia, had to intervene militarily
against robber barons. He left his wife Eliška Přemyslid in
Jemnice, where she was under the protection of the Jemnice
burghers. The massive walls ensured that the town itself
was safe. The King informed his wife about the success of
his mission in the manner common at that time – through
4 messengers. Eliška gave them a barchet – a measure of
fabric, a scarf, stockings, and a wreath.
tturn off the
th 20th century
t
h
i d Th
hibit
have
survived.
The museum exhibits
document the town’s history and the mining of minerals in SouthWestern Moravia.
Contact Information: Náměstí Svobody 75, 675 31 Jemnice, tel.
+420 604 419 160, www.zamek-trebic.cz, www.tic.jemnice.cz.
Town Walls
Double walls have survived around the entire historical core of
the town, with four bastions and two barbicans. A sculpture of
a so-called fine virgin – the town’s palladium – has been walled
into one of the gates.
Jewish Quarter and Cemetery
Jemnice was the home of one of the oldest Jewish communities
in the lands of the Bohemian Crown. The first written record
dates to 1336. The vast majority of houses and the gate have
survived. The oldest tombstones at the Jewish cemetery come
from the 17th century.
TIP FOR TRIP
www.barchan.jemnice.cz
Na Jemničkách
Two kilometres south of town is a locale with remnants of
medieval adits, left after the extraction of gold and silver.
23
Jihlava
www.jihlava.cz, http://tic.jihlava.cz
586 01 Jihlava
Tel.: +420 567 167 158-9
Tourist Information Centre – Mother of
God Gate - brána Matky Boží
Věžní 4785/1
586 01 Jihlava
Tel.: +420 567 167 155-6
HISTORY
Jihlava, the oldest mining town in the lands of the Bohemian
crown, was established in the first half of the 13th century
during the colonisation of the region, which was accelerated
by the finding of silver ores. The riches flowing from mining
were especially apparent in the generosity with which the town
was founded. The regular layout of the grid of streets with
a large square in the centre is from 1270, and the three main
church buildings were built nearly simultaneously – St. James’
Parish Church and the Conventual Franciscan and Dominican
Monasteries. Royal privileges guaranteed the town prosperity
and Jihlava soon became one of the most powerful towns in the
kingdom. It was protected by massive fortifications, the square
was lined by stone houses with arcades, and coins were minted in
town. Jihlava also assumed a leading position in the legal sphere
– for the first time in Central Europe, mining law was codified
there, in addition to town law, and it became a model for many
other mining towns.
The significance of silver mining declined at the end of the
14th century, when the richest veins of sterling silver had been
exhausted. The town’s economic development had, by that point,
been assured by trade and crafts – drapery became the decisive
industry for three centuries. The large fire of the town in 1523
ended the medieval stage of the development of the town, which
was renewed in the Renaissance style.
After the damage caused by Swedish occupation at the end
of the Thirty Years War was removed, the town was renewed
in the Baroque style and achieved new material and cultural
development. Empress Maria Theresa invited Dutch drapers to
town, whose experience improved production. In the second
half of the 18th century, Jihlava was the second largest producer
of fabric in the monarchy. The city gradually loosed itself from
the tight clasp of its walls, a town hall was added, and at the
beginning of the 19th century, town gates with narrow passages
were torn down and house façades received Classicist adaptations.
The entire heritage reserve – a unique combination of Gothic,
Renaissance, and Baroque architecture – will please every admirer
of artistic monuments and age-old history.
24
SIGHTS
The historical centre of town is an urban heritage reserve. The
sloped rectangular square, with its 36,650 square meters, is
one of the largest historical squares in the country. It is lined
by precious burghers’ houses on Gothic foundations. After the
1527 fire, they were rebuilt in the Renaissance style; in the 17th
and 18th centuries, they were adapted in the Baroque style; and
the exterior appearance of the houses were also supplemented
by the stark Classicist facades
of the 19th century.
The
historical
his
character of the
square
squ
was harshly violated by
the building of a department
store
sto (completed in 1983). The
square
squ
is supplemented by a
Baroque
Ba
plague column from
1690.
169
The valuable original
of the statue of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
from its crown, has been placed inside the Jihlava Town Hall. Two
stone fountains are decorated with sandstone sculptures of the
classical gods of the waters, Neptune and Amphitrite, and a band
of original 19th century paving stones has survived around the
fountains. Underneath the historical city core is an underground
labyrinth of passages that is 23 kilometres long. Some of the
passages are open to the public.
The Town Hall, adapted in the Baroque era, was created through
the joining of three early-Gothic houses. It was in front of the
Town Hall that the Compact of Basel was ceremoniously declared
on 5 July 1436, ending the Hussite wars in the lands of the
Bohemian Crown.
The Parish Church of St. James the Greater was consecrated in
1256. The interior with Baroque adaptations features Gothic
sculptures and a Renaissance golden baptismal font. The
observation deck of the northern tower is open to the public in
summer.
The Conventual Franciscan Church of the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary is one of the oldest stone buildings in town. Inside,
the original appearance of the church has survived, with massive
late-Romanesque pillars, fragments of Gothic painting, and
sculptures of female saints.
The Dominican Church of the
Th
Elevation of the Holy Cross
Ele
was built in the style of French
wa
Gothic and completed under
Go
the influence of Parler’s Gothic.
Together with the monastery,
Tog
was handed over for military
it w
purposes in 1871; today, it
pu
Hussite Church. A portion of the
is used by the Czechoslovak Hussit
monastery has been turned into the Gustav Mahler Hotel.
An extraordinarily valuable sculpture is stored inside the former Jesuit
Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola – the Přemyslid cross – a statue of a
crucified person from the early 14th century. The church was built in
1683 – 1689 by the Italian builder Jacopo Brascha. Its good acoustics and
high-quality organ make it possible to hold spiritual music concerts.
St. John the Baptist’s Church is among the oldest surviving
stone buildings in Vysočina. At the end of the 12th century,
it was the centre of a market village, which gradually lost its
importance after the establishment of a town on the opposite
bank of the river. The contemporary appearance of the church
is the outcome of Baroque renovations from the end of the 18th
century. By the western entrance is a painting of a sleeping
miner, commemorating the former fame of Jihlava’s silver mining.
Masses of Czech – German reconciliation are held there on the
occasion of the patron’s feast day.
The evangelical St. Paul’s Church was built between 1875 and 1878
in the Neo-Gothic style. It was named to honour the protestant
preacher Pavel Sperat, who was active in Jihlava at the beginning
of the 1520s. It was under his influence that a significant part of
the inhabitants chose Protestantism.
The town walls were built from the mid 13th century on.
The
three-kilometre-long
for
fortifications comprised two
row
rows of walls with towers,
ba
bastions, a moat, and five town
ga
gates. Only the gate of the
Mo
Mother of God has survived.
Th
The band of walls surviving to
da
date has been renovated in its
17t
17th century Baroque form,
and the space between the walls ha
has been turned into a park.
The Jewish Cemetery is the only reminder of the existence of a
Jewish community. It was established in 1869 and comprises over
one thousand tombstones of the members of the local Jewish
community, including Rabbi J. J. Ungar, the parents of Gustav
Mahler, and Louise Fürnberger, and many others. A memorial
to the victims of the Holocaust was erected in the cemetery on
8 May 1995.
The Memorial of the Royal Oath can be found underneath Prague
Bridge, in the place where King Ferdinand entered the Kingdom
of bohemia on 30 January 1527. He was welcomed by the Czech
lords and knights there and swore to preserve freedom and the
privileges of the land and all estates.
There are a total of four border stones in the shape of a frustrum.
They were built in 1750 by the decision of Maria Theresa, as a
resolution of a dispute over the course of the Bohemian –
Moravian border, to the north of the River Jihlava. That is why
they bear the symbols of both lands.
The Vysočina Museum of Jihlava
The
Th exhibition of the museum,
established
est
in 1892, is housed
by two architecturally valuable
Renaissance
Re
houses on the
main
ma square. The permanent
exhibition
exh
focuses on silver
mining
mi
and coin minting
in Jihlava, and on geology,
minerals and nature in the Czech
minerals,
Cz
Bohemian Highlands,
presenting protected areas in the Jihlava region; it also presents
a guild room and a Jewish prayer room. An interactive exhibition
called “Jihlava Changed by the Centuries” is devoted to the
town’s history from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
Seat of the museum: Masarykovo náměstí 55, 586 01 Jihlava, tel.
+420 567 309 728, fax: +420 567 300 828.
Exhibition buildings: Masarykovo náměstí 57/58, 586 01 Jihlava,
tel. +420 567 573 880,
e-mail: [email protected], http://muzeum.ji.cz
Gustav Mahler’s House
There are exhibition premises in
n the
th
he house occupied by Gustav
Mahler’s family between 1860 and 1889, as well as a multi-purpose
hall and the stylish coffee shop Café Mahler. The permanent
exhibition comprises the estate of the academic sculptor Thea
Weltner, Mahler’s niece, and the exhibition “Young Gustav
Mahler and Jihlava”. The exhibition presents’ Gustav Mahler’s
youth and young adult years and documents the impact of the
environment on the artist’s ripening, against the backdrop of the
historical image of the Jihlava of that era.
Contact Information: Znojemská 4, 586 01 Jihlava, tel. +420 567
306 232, e-mail: e-mail: [email protected], www.
dum-gustava-mahlera.cz
The Vysočina Regional Gallery
The gallery occupies two historical houses in the centre of town,
whose interiors are noteworthy from the architectural point of view.
The
Th Gothic is represented there by
portals
po
at the front, the groundfloor
o “mázhaus” boasts vaulting
on Tuscan pillars, and the house
boasts
boa tall halls with Renaissance
decorations.
dec
The gallery’s
collection
col
comprises works of art
from
fro the 19th and 20th centuries.
Throughout
Th
the year, short-term
exhibitions
exh
are held in both
buildings.
bu
Contact Information: Komenského 10, 586 01 Jihlava, tel. +420 567
301 680, Masarykovo náměstí 24, tel. +420 567 309 722, e-mail: e-mail:
[email protected], www.ogv.cz
25
The Lookout Tower of the Church of St. James the Greater
The
construction
of
the
no
northern church tower, 63
me
meters tall, was completed
in the early 14th century. It
ser
served as a guard tower for the
tow
town, had a pyramid-shaped
roo
roof, and figural painting on
the façade. Historical sources
do
document that from 1561
the
there was a tower keeper with
tw
two helpers operating there
– tthey announced the time by
sou
sounding a trumpet, welcomed
rar
rare guests with fanfares, and
pro
protected the town by watching
for fire and enemies. The last towe
tower keeper and his family lived
there until 1924. The deck is 40 meters above ground (556 meters
above sea level) and offers a view of the area in summer.
Contact Information: Masarykovo nám. 2, 586 01 Jihlava, Tourist
Information Centre, tel. +420 567 167 158-9, e-mail: [email protected], http://tic.jihlava.cz
Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, in the Church of St. James the
Greater
The construction of the chapel
wa
was the last change made
to the layout of the church,
wh
whose origins are dated to
the 1240s. It was built in 1702
an
and sponsored by the town
ph
physicians and a great Jihlava
pa
patron, Jakub Jindřich Kielmann
of Kielmannseck. The octagonal
Ba
Baroque sight is noteworthy
for its wall paintings and rich
stucco decorations. It houses
stu
a precious Gothic Pieta from
1370. It is only open to the
13
public on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer, and the ticket is
also good for the lookout tower.
For more information, contact: Masarykovo nám. 2, 586 01 Jihlava,
Tourist Information Centre, tel. +420 567 167 158-9, e-mail: tic@
jihlava-city.cz, http://tic.jihlava.cz
The Mother of God Lookout Gate
The gate is the only one of five town gates in the medieval
fortifications to have survived, and it is a characteristic symbol
of the city. The crown of the gate is open all year round and the
battlements 24 meters above ground afford a view of the entire
town. The mezzanines house exhibitions devoted to the history
of silver mining in Jihlava. Information panels inform visitors
about the historical development of the wall fortifications and
the town-hall clock. A telescope is available in the tower for
regular astronomical observations.
Contact Information: Věžní 1, 586 01 Jihlava, Tourist Information
Centre in the Mother of God Gate, tel. +420 567 167 155-6, e-mail:
[email protected], http://tic.jihlava.cz
26
The Jihlava Underground
The Jihlava underground is the second largest system preserved
underneath historical buildings in the Czech Republic. The
passages were created through the mutual interconnection of
cellars, which were cut in stone from the end of the 14th century,
often in three levels, and served in the storage of beer and craft
products. Some of the passages are accessible between April and
September from the courtyard of the Municipal Library (Hluboká
1), and the excursion takes about 30 minutes. At its deepest
point, the route is 13 meters below the surface; a unique feature
is the fluorescent passage. Occasionally, in the high season, the
excursions are enriched with demonstrations of the art of fencing,
instruments of medieval torture, etc.
Contact Information: Hluboká 109/1, 586 01 Jihlava, tel. 567 167
887, e-mail: [email protected], www.agricola.cz, http://tic.
jihlava.cz
Contact information of the manager: Smrčenská 5, 586 01 Jihlava,
Občanské sdružení Georgii Agricola, tel. +420 605 982 142, e-mail:
[email protected], www.agricola.cz
ZOO
TIP:
Tourists can visit selected tourist destinations on a special ticket
– the Ježek Discount Card. It includes entrance to the Mother of
God Gate, the Lookout Tower of St. James’ Church, an excursion
through the Jihlava Town Hall, Gustav Mahler’s House, and
the Jihlava ZOO. The card can be purchased in Jihlava’s tourist
information centres and is valid until the end of the year in which
it was purchased. Each facility can be visited once on the card.
POINT OF INTEREST
The Jihlava Miners’ Parade commemorates the silver fame
of the former royal town.
Th
The
parade
tradition,
rea
reaching back over a
hu
hundred years, was started
in 1890 by the curator of
the Municipal Museum,
Joh
Johannes Haupt, and they
we
were held until the Second
Wo
World War.
After the
wa
war, it was merged with
the celebration of Miners’
Da
Day, and in 1967 it ceased
alt
altogether. It was renewed
thr
through the efforts of
en
enthusiasts in 1999, and
sin
since then the parade has
been held in Jihlava every odd year
year. A parade of 160 children
dressed in historical costumes representing every mining
profession passes through the city.
TIP FOR TRIP
The zoological garden lies in the valley of the River Jihlávka,
Jihlávka in
the forest park Březinovy sady, a 10 minute walk from the centre
of town. Three pavilions are open to the public: an exotic pavilion
featuring monkeys and reptiles, the carnivore pavilion, and the
Amazon pavilion. A draw for visitors is the African village of
Matongo, with native huts and a lagoon with flamingos. The
unusual children’s corner, with a twelve-meter slide and petting
zoo, is especially popular among child visitors, as is the option to
ride in a small train.
Contact Information: Březinovy sady 10, 586 01 Jihlava, tel. +420
567 573 730, e-mail: [email protected],
www.zoojihlava.cz
The Jihlava Brewery
The brewery produces the beer „Jihlavský ježek“. The beer
making tradition in Jihlava reaches back to 1379. A visit to the
brewery connected with tasting can be combined with lunch in
the neighbouring Brewery Restaurant (Pivovarská restaurace),
where beer specialities can be tasted.
Contact Information: Pivovar Jihlava a.s., Vrchlického 2, 586 01
Jihlava, tel. +420 567 164 111, e-mail: [email protected],
www.pivovar-jihlava.cz/
T
The
Mining Nature Trail, 10 km long, is situated on the edge of
ttown, in the locale of Jihlava – Lesnov. Its thirteen stops focus on
examples of the remnants of silver extraction (St. George’s adit,
e
the mining mill race, remnants
of adit-based mining), the
history of the lookout tower on
his
Rudný Hill, and natural points
Ru
of interest (www.jihlava.cz/
kralovskemesto/pdf/hornickakra
stezka-s.pdf).
ste
Contact Information: Tourist
Co
Information Centre, Masarykovo
Inf
náměstí 2, 586 01 Jihlava,
ná
tel. +420 567 167 158
tel
e-m
http://tic.jihlava.cz
htt
27
Kamenice nad Lipou
undergone a complete renovation and presently houses the
museum.
www.kamenicenl.cz
Information Centre
Kamenice nad Lipou Chateau
Náměstí Čsl. armády 1
394 70 Kamenice nad Lipou
Tel.: +420 565 432 343
All Saints’ Church was established in the early 13th century:
it has undergone a number of building adaptations, and was
destroyed by fire several times. The tombstones of the local
aristocratic families, on the exterior walls of the church, come
from the 16th and 17th centuries – formerly, they were placed
on the church floor. The tower was built in 1707, is 49.75 meters
tall, and houses four bells that produce a majestic harmonious
sound. The tower was last renovated in 1994.
HISTORY
The Bradlo Forest Cemetery is about a kilometre south of
town. There is a cave in the south-western slope, called the
Lutheran Arian Stove, where non-Catholics gathered in secrecy,
as legend has it. A significant researcher in the field of tropical
diseases, and the discoverer of the spotted fever bacteria, Dr.
Stanislav Provázek von Lanow, and his sister, the painter Maria
Galimberti-Provázková, are buried at the cemetery. St. Mary
Magdalene Chapel, dating from the mid 1300s, stands at the
cemetery, on an octagonal foundation. Since 1806, the road
to the cemetery has been lined by fifteen stone Stations of the
Cross, which were set up in 1765; between 1992 and 1993, it was
rrestored by the academic sculptor Krnínský and equipped with
p
paintings by R. Brichcín.
The first written mention of the town comes from 1267.
Kamenice nad Lipou was established in the early 1200s as a
settlement by a castle. According to the chronicler Hájek of
Libočany, it was called Kamenice u Lipky, later was called Česká,
and after the town walls were renewed in 1702, it received the
attribute “nad Lipou” (above the linden tree) according to the
linden tree planted in the chateau garden in 1248.
A number of aristocratic families held the castle and the estate
A memorial linden tree was planted in the chateau park in 1248.
T
The
crown of the tree was struck by lightning in 1824; only the
t
torso
of the trunk survived and two bottom branches, which
s
span
36 meters wide. The trunk’s circumference at ground level
i 6 meters. During the celebrations of the 750th anniversary of
is
t town’s establishment, a daughter linden tree was planted in
the
t chateau garden in 1998. The Freedom Linden in the square
the
w planted in 1919, and those by the church in 1848.
was
over the centuries. The first known owners of the castle were
members of the Benešovic family. A significant owner of the
estate was Count Rey, who built the school and established ironworkshops. Until 1945, the estate was held by the family of the
Viennese banker Geymüller, which took good care of the castle
and the town.
Crafts and trades developed in town – drapery, stockingproduction, and shoe production. In the 1720s and 1730s, silver
was mined in the Melíšek, and at the end of the century, iron
ore in Vodná. In 1875, Antonín Rückl built a glass factory in
Včelnička. The narrow-gauge railway line, which today is an
interesting curiosity, albeit still in use, opened in 1906 and
connects Kamenice with Jindřichův Hradec.
SIGHTS
The chateau was built on the site of the 13th century Gothic
castle, when Jan Malovec had castle redeveloped in the second
half of the 16th century. The courtyard and the palace survive
to their original extent. Spacious rooms were added on to the
town castle walls and another two levels of arcades were built.
One level of the arcades was later walled in, in the era of the
Geymüller family. In 1839 – 1842, a workshop for combing wool
was set up in one of the chateau’s wings. From 1946 until 1998,
the chateau served as a children’s sanatorium. The chateau has
28
The square is adorned by an Empire-style fountain, carved by
the Jihlava stone-mason Hraba in the mid 1800s; the statute
of St. Wenceslas erected by Maria Teresa of Golč in 1765; a
memorial plaque, on the 750th anniversary of the town; and
a memorial to Fr. Sadílek, a local teacher and founder of the
scouting movement, who died in the Mauthausen concentration
camp.
A
reminder
of
Jewish
settlement
set
here is the Jewish
cemetery
cem
established
in
1803.
180
It is about 1.5 km from
town,
tow
in the direction of
the village of Antonka, and
boasts
bo
wonderful views of the
surrounding countryside. The cemetery was renovated between
1991 and 1993 with the financial assistance of the Prague
Jewish Community, and in May 1996 a plaque was put up to
commemorate local Holocaust victims. There are many Empirestyle tombstones in the cemetery from the first half of the 19th
century.
The
Th composer Vítězslav Novák
was
wa born in Kamenice.
A
museum
mu
exhibition is devoted
to the composer, and one of
his busts, by Karel Otáhal, is
placed
pla
on the school building;
the other, by Jan Kodet, was
unveiled
un
in 1995 in front of
the chateau. The composer’s
mother
mo
comes from the nearby
forester’s
for
lodge, “Johanka”. It
can be reached by a larch alley
planted
pla
in 1835.
collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts on display here
feature children’s toys from the end of the 19th century and
documents about the building development of the castle. The
southern wing of the chateau houses the Municipal Museum
with the exhibition called “Museum for All Senses” devoted to
the town’s history.
Contact Information: Prague Museum of Decorative Arts, Zámek
Kamenice nad Lipou, Nám. Čsl. armády 1, 394 70 Kamenice nad
Lipou, tel. +420 565 432 667, e-mail: [email protected],
www.upm.cz
Municipal Museum of Kamenice nad Lipou, Náměstí Čsl.
armády 1, 394 70 Kamenice nad Lipou, tel.: +420 565 434 168,
e-mail: [email protected], www.kamenicenl.cz, www.
muzeumvsemismysly.cz
The Narrow-Gauge Railway Line
A memorial
m
plaque on a house
on Vackova Street commemorates tthe patriotic priest, poet, and
writer František Josef Vacek, author of the text of the popular
song “U panského dvora”.
t h i l curiosity
i it iis th
ith a gauge off 760
A technical
the llocall li
line with
m
mm,
which is in regular operation on the Jindřichův Hradec
– Obrataň route. The first run took place on 23 November
1
1906.
In summer, it offers many options for trips through the
r
romantic
countryside, and occasionally the train set is pulled by
a historical steam engine. An interesting feature is the use of
t
traditional
Edmandson cardboard tickets, supplied by the line’s
own
o
printing house at the local train station. Tickets from there
are
a distributed to other customers in the Czech Republic, but
also
a
to Austria, Switzerland, and other countries.
For
F current information, see www.jhmd.cz.
The Chateau
The late-Classicist chateau
was created by redeveloping
wa
the Gothic castle.
In the
16th century, the castle was
16t
expanded and two levels
ex
of arcades were built. The
tower over the gate was added in 1744. A major Classicist
rebuilding project was undertaken before the middle of the
19th century. From 1946 until 1998, the chateau served as a
children’s sanatorium. Then it was transferred under the
administration of the Prague Museum of Decorative Arts and
underwent a complete renovation. The renovation uncovered
remnants of the original castle walls in the courtyard, and an
extensive renaissance hall was discovered in the eastern wing of
the chateau. The chateau features an exhibition of the artistic
work of blacksmiths, from the medieval production of treasury
cases, and Baroque wrought bars, to the work of contemporary
authors. Visitors can test the complex lock mechanism. The
TIP FOR TRIP
The Kamenice Chateau is the
starting point of the threekilometre Nature Trail of
Vítězslav Novák. Its twelve
stops inform the walker about
the landscape and wildlife
surrounding the town, and the
stop by the Johanka forester’s
lodge is devoted to the work
of composer Vítězslav Novák
and his ties to the town.
29
Ledeč nad Sázavou
www.ledecns.cz
Information Centre
Husovo nám. 60
584 01 Ledeč nad Sázavou
Tel.: +420 569 721 471
Tel./Fax: +420 569 721 507
The Jewish cemetery is in the western part of town, next to
the new cemetery. It was established in 1601 and is among the
oldest in Bohemia. About one thousand people of the Jewish
faith are buried there. It has not been used for burials since the
Second World War. The cemetery is precious both in terms of its
historical and artistic value. Most of the tombstones are Baroque,
and the oldest are from 1679 and 1706. The cemetery has been
undergoing ongoing renovations; this year, the tombstones of
the parents of Marie Hermann – Mahler (the mother of Gustav
Mahler) were found.
The establishment of the Church of St. Peter and Paul is dated
HISTORY
Ledeč nad Sázavou is one of the oldest towns in Bohemia. Its
origins can be dated to the mid 1100s, with the first written
reports of it being from 1181 and 1186. In the 13th century,
the Squires of Ledeč were noted as the owners, with Zikmund
of Ledeč being the most significant: he was among the leading
men in the lands of the Bohemian crown, during the reign of
Přemysl Otakar II. Soon after its establishment, Ledeč became the
second most significant financial centre in the area of the River
Sázava, after Německý Brod (today’s Havlíčkův Brod). It grew due
to production and trade, and from the end of the 14th century it
gradually acquired all of the rights of being a town, which were
then collectively confirmed by King Ferdinand I in 1562. Written
sources from the Hussite era refer to Ledeč as a town.
SIGHTS
The town’s landmark is the castle. The castle grounds stretch
along the right bank of the Sázava, on a tall limestone
promontory. The castle was established in the mid 1200s as an
early Gothic building. On your visit to the castle, you can also visit
the municipal museum, featuring a collection of weapons, coins,
glass, porcelain, and pottery.
The Jewish synagogue was built on a property purchased in 1739,
replacing the old synagogue that had been damaged by fire, and
that had stood in the town since 1606. Its Classicist adaptations
were made after a fire in the 19th century. After the war, the
synagogue served as a warehouse, and in 1991, it was declared
a cultural asset. The Ledeč Jewish community ceased to exist in
1942 with the deportation of Jews to concentration camps; none
have returned to Ledeč. After the war, the synagogue served as a
warehouse, and in 1991, it was declared a cultural asset.
30
t the
th early
l 14th century.
t
Th
to
The
chu
church
is built in the Gothic
sty
style.
The decanal church lost
its treasures several times, but
a gilded copper monstrance
wit the silver busts of twentywith
fou saints has survived. It was
four
giv
given
to the church by Deacon
Jan Neffka in 1773. A European
rarity
rar
is the vault over the
church
chu
nave, which is purely
decorative,
de
not load-bearing. It
was
wa made by Ledeč potters in
the 16th century.
In the east of Hus’ Square stands an 11-meter-tall Marian sculptural
group, by the Pardubice sculptor and carver Jakub Teplý. The
sculpture was made to celebrate the Marian cult in Bohemia.
On the four sides are sculptures of Bohemian patron saints – St.
Wenceslas, St. Adalbert, St.
Florian,
Flo
and St. John Nepomuck.
In the middle is a column with
clouds
clo
and angels, culminating
with
wit a sculpture of the Virgin
Mary.
Ma
In 1988, the sculptural
group
gro
underwent an overall
renovation.
ren
Statue
Sta
of Master John Huss –
the initiative for its creation
came
cam from the local Tyl Theatre
Ensemble
En
in 1921, when its
corner
cor
stone was ceremoniously
laid.
laid The sculpture was made by
the Tábor sculptor Rudolf Kabeš, from artificial rock. In his right
hand, Master John Huss holds an open book with the inscription
“Truth Prevails” and the pedestal features the inscription “Love
each other, and wish truth to one another”. The unveiling
ceremony took place in May 1926.
The Synagogue
Castle – Municipal Museum
The
T
synagogue reopened in 2000, following a demanding
renovation;
r
the vaulting, stucco decorations, and the women’s
balcony
b
have survived. The synagogue is used for concerts and
as
a exhibition premises. It is only open during exhibitions and
concerts,
c
and upon arrangement at the Information Centre.
This castle from the first
first half of the 13th century was first
first rebuilt
in the Renaissance, then in the Baroque style, and then again
after the 1897 fire. A number of architectural features have
survived – a cylindrical tower, renaissance loggia, and two gates.
The museum has been housed by the castle since 1938, and the
present exposition is a part of the Vysočina Museum of Havlíčkův
Contact
C
information: Information Centre, Husovo nám. 60, 584
0 Ledeč nad Sázavou, tel. +420 569 721 471, e-mail: ic.miroslava.
01
p
[email protected],
www.lededns.cz.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
The Ruins of Chřenovice Castle
The castle is located on a rocky promontory above the confluence
Th
of the Rivers Jestřebnice and Sázava, north-west of Ledeč nad
Sázavou. The castle was established at the end of the 13th
Sá
century. It passed from one owner to another several times, and
ce
by 1545 it was listed as having been abandoned. The 19-meter
cylindrical tower has survived, with thick walls made of quarried
cy
stone. In 1904, a vessel with Prague groschen from the time of
st
Wenceslas IV was found in the ruins.
W
The Anna Glassworks – producing replicas of Baroque historical
Th
glass, Bělá 55, 584 01 Ledeč nad Sázavou, tel. +420 569 721 164,
gl
e-mail: [email protected], www.hutanna.cz
e-
Brod.
installed,
Brod The exhibition is unique in the style in which it is installed
featuring the 1930s method of presentation. The exhibits
present the lives of local craftsmen as well as a rich numismatic
collection, a collection of clocks and watches, and paintings.
The weapon collection is presented in a hall with Renaissance
sgraffito decoration. Short-term exhibitions of paintings and
photographs can be seen in the museum’s gallery. In summer, the
castle grounds host occasional fencing, theatrical, and musical
performances.
Contact Information: 584 01 Ledeč nad Sázavou, tel. +420 731
612 457, +420 569 721 471 (Information Centre), e-mail: ic.marie.
[email protected], www.ledecns.cz
The Stvořidla Nature Reserve
Th
This is the most beautiful and most valuable section of the River
Th
Sázava, between Světlá and Ledeč. In the Quaternary period,
Sá
water carved a valley in the granite masses, through which the
w
river flows. Rounded granite boulders peek out of the riverbed.
riv
The Sázava railway line runs along the right bank of the river
through Stvořidla.
On a picturesque bend of the River Sázava, below the train stop
in Vilémovice, is the so-called Sunny Cove. A Czech writer for
young people, Jaroslav Foglar (dubbed Falcon), a Scout leader of
many years, took his troop there repeatedly, beginning in 1925,
and he gave the locale its name. His most famous book “Boys
from Beaver River” was written there. In 1997, a memorial for
Jaroslav Foglar was unveiled in Sunny Cove.
31
Moravské Budějovice
www.mbudejovice.cz
Náměstí Míru 1
676 02 Moravské Budějovice
Tel.: +420 603 207 511
Few records have survived of St. Anne’s Chapel; also opinions
differ as to the era of its origin, ranging from the 13th to the
15th centuries. According to a legend, the body of the King
of Bohemia, Přemysl Otakar II, was deposited there for one
night, when it was being transported from Znojmo to Prague in
1297 (Přemysl Otakar II fell on 26 August 1278 in the Moravian
Field).
St. John Nepomuck’s Chapel was built in 1713 by Terezie
Polyxena, the widow of Václav Renalt of Schaumburk. The
chapel stood at the cemetery built between 1617 and 1620.
HISTORY
The first written mention of the existence of settlement here
dates to 1231 – the Budějovice area was a part of the dowry
of Queen Constance, the widow of Přemysl Otakar I.
This market settlement on the medieval trading route from
Jihlava to Znojmo was elevated to the status of a town in
the second half of the 13th century. King Vladislav II, of
the house of Jagellon, confirmed all of the town’s privileges
in 1498 and gave it its coat of arms and seal. In 1522, the
town was bought by the Wallenstein family and the town
developed rapidly under their rule. The property of Zdeněk
of Wallenstein was confiscated for his involvement in the
uprising of the estates, and in 1626 Emperor Ferdinand II
bestowed it on Colonel Hanibal of Schaumburk for his exploits
in war. His heir, Jindřich Rudolf Schaumburk, decided to build
his residence on the site of several burgers’ houses, and in
1666 the construction of the chateau began. The next owner
of the estate was Count František Václav Wallis. His grandson
Joseph held the post of the Minister of Finance in the state
administration of the Austrian monarchy. The Wallis family
held the town until 1848; after the abolition of slave labour,
they became the owners of the large landed estate. In 1928,
the estate passed to the niece of Joseph Wallis, Countess Maria
Anna Salm, Schaffgotsch by marriage. In 1945, the estate was
expropriated and a museum was set up in the chateau.
SIGHTS
Th oldest architectural sight
The
in town is the cylindrical
rotunda – a 13th century
rot
ossuary. It acquired its present
oss
form through adaptations in
for
the 18th century, the ceiling
fresco “The Final Judgement”
fre
is d
dated 1726.
St. Giles’s Parish Church was
built on the remains of a
bu
church mentioned in 1240.
ch
The church was originally
Th
built without side naves, with
bu
a wooden ceiling, and a wooden bell tower in the west. A
walled-in cemetery adjoined the church. The altar painting
of St. Giles was painted in 1851 by the Viennese painted Ignác
Dullinger.
32
The Chateau – Museum of Trades
v
area When the weather is
views
of the town and its general area.
g
good,
even the Alps can be seen. Outside of the high summer
s
season,
a visit to the tower can be arranged at the museum.
TIP FOR TRIP
The chateau was built by Count Jindřich Rudolf Schaumburk in
the 17th century, from the town hall and four burghers’ houses.
In 1947, a museum documenting the town’s history was set up
there. A portion of the museum collections, devoted to extinct
and rare trades and crafts, is located in the twelve butcher shops
built in 1839. The former chateau stables host exhibitions, and
the chateau courtyard is the venue of many cultural events.
Contact Information: The Třebíč Vysočina Museum – exhibition of
trades and crafts, Náměstí Míru 1, 676 02 Moravské Budějovice,
tel. +420 568 421 100, e-mail: [email protected]
T
The
Sádek Wine and Cultural Centre
The centre stretches below Sádek Castle, in the midst of
T
vvineyards. Its comprises a hotel with a restaurant, wine cellars,
wine shop, an amphitheatre and a Vinery Nature Trail. The
w
ffour stops on the two-kilometre trail take the visitor from
tthe parking lot to the castle. There are 40 different varieties
of grape vines planted in the locale, strung on pergolas that
o
are 800 meters long. Visitors can get to know extinct, original
a
vvarieties. The tour of the vineyard for groups must be arranged
in advance and it ends with a wine tasting.
Contact Information: 675 23 Kojetice na Moravě 169, tel. +420
C
568 882 883, +420 725 614 393, e-mail: info@vinohrady-sadek.
5
ccz, www.vinohrady-sadek.cz
The St. Giles’ Church Tower
It was built on the northern side of the presbytery of the church in
1714 and is 49.9 meters tall. Two bells have survived in it – the first
from 1432, weighing 300 kg, and the second from 1535, weighing
1,700 kg. The observation deck, 26 meters above ground, offers
33
Náměšť nad Oslavou
www.namestnosl.cz
Information Centre
675 71 Náměšť nad Oslavou
Tel.: +420 568 620 493
Fax: +420 568 620 338
HISTORY
Th
The
advantageous position
on the River Oslava on an
important route from Jihlava to
im
Brno led to the establishment
Brn
of a settlement that was first
mentioned in 1234. At that
me
time, it belonged to the Lords
tim
of Mezeříčí and Lomnice,
wh
who built a castle on the hill,
60 meters above the river.
Th
The Žerotíns, an educated
an
and powerful family, rebuilt
m 1500s. The town’s next
it into a massive chateau in the mid
owners – the Haugwitz family – had a significant impact on
the development of the town. Cloth was made in town, the
chateau was a centre of musical life, and thousands of volumes
were amassed in the chateau library. An important milestone
in the town’s history was 1850, when Náměšť became the seat
of district institutions. In 1886, it was connected to the BrnoJihlava railway line, and in 1923 it was granted the status of a
town. Although Náměšť nad Oslavou has changed since then,
its most significant landmark remains the chateau tower, which
will charm everyone who visits the town. The same applies to
the Baroque bridge, which is compared to Charles Bridge in
Prague, due to the sculptures adorning it.
SIGHTS
Th
The
château
is
the
unmistakable landmark of the
un
town. The cylindrical stone
tow
defensive tower has survived
de
from the original Gothic castle.
fro
Under Jan the Elder of Žerotín,
Un
between 1565 and 1578,
be
the castle was rebuilt into
a Renaissance castle, on the
basis of a plan by the architect
ba
Gialdi. The coat of arms of
Gia
the Žerotíns sits over the entry
gate. The next owners – the
ga
Haugwitzes – adapted the
Ha
chateau in the Baroque style.
cha
The castle chapel is decorated
Th
with sculptures and paintings fro
from the abolished Capuchin
monastery. The vaulting of the chateau library boasts rich
stucco and fresco decorations. The library houses 16,000
34
volumes, including the Kralice Bible in six volumes. After 1945,
the chateau served as the summer house of President Edvard
Beneš. Concerts are regularly held in the chateau library and in
the courtyard. The chateau enclosure is famous for the raising
of fallow-deer.
The Baroque bridge over the River Oslava is one of the oldest
sur
surviving
stone bridges in the
co
country.
It was built in 1737
an is decorated by twenty
and
scu
sculptures
of male and female
sai
saints.
Eight of them are the
wo of Josef Winterhalter.
work
In the square, a visitor’s
attention will be captured by the sculpture of the Holy Trinity
from 1715, the work of the sculptor Antonín Riga, as well as by
the late Renaissance and Baroque parish house, whose front
is decorated with sculptures by Josef Winterhalter. The same
author provided sculptures for St. Anne’s Chapel, built in 1748
in the part of town called Špitálek. The paintings in it were
painted by Pavel Troger.
The landmark of the square is the Church of St. John the Baptist.
After the 1639 fire, the church was rebuilt on the site of the
original Gothic church. Among its most precious decorations
are the altar paintings by the painters Stoll and Pavel Troger.
The Chateau
The chateau’s halls house an extensive exhibition of tapestries
from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Two tour circuits afford
visitors the opportunity to get to know the period furnishings
of the historical interiors, including a library, chapel, and the
study of President Beneš. The chateau is surrounded by a
park.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Kralice Bible Memorial
The memorial is located near the remains of the Gothic fortress,
T
where a secret printing house of the Union of Brethren printed
w
tthe Kralice Bible between 1579 and 1594. The museum shows
iits visitors items from the original printing house: the 4,000
well-preserved metal type pieces are a world rarity.
w
C
Contact
Information: 675 73 Kralice nad Oslavou, tel. +420 568
643 619, e-mail: [email protected], www.mzm.cz
6
T
The
Mohelno Serpentine Step
SSerpentine is a mineral whose chemical and physical properties
allow for the occurrence of dwarf plant forms. An exceptional
a
number of plant and animal species can be found on the
n
rrelatively small area of this protected territory. A nature trail
lleads through the national nature reserve. It affords two
tthree-kilometre circuits, both requiring visitors to cope with
ssignificant elevation gain.
Contact Information: State Chateau of Náměšť nad Oslavou,
Zámek 1, 675 71 Náměšť nad Oslavou, tel. +420 568 620 319,
+420 568 620 201, e-mail: [email protected], zamek.namest@
telecom.cz, www.zamek-namest.cz
Municipal Museum at the Old Town Hall
The municipal museum was re-established in 2004. It features
two permanent exhibitions – the studio of the Náměšť
photographer Ondřej Knoll and Papírník’s printing house.
There, you can view old photographs and printing presses
from the beginning of the last century, and photographs of
old Náměšť and its surroundings, and learn about the past of
the art of book-printing. Authors’ exhibitions are held in the
gallery.
The Dalešice Water Reservoir
The Dalešice Reservoir (catchment’s area 1,136 km2, backwater
length 22 km) is used for recreation, water sport, and fishing.
Surroundings of the dam are very picturesque and romantic.
The river basin is flanked by steep hillsides, which are up to 100
m high. Two ruins of medieval castles, Kozlov and Holoubek,
further amplify the beauty of the dam. Especially from Kozlov’s
top, there is a beautiful view partly of the dam creating large
bends; partly of surrounding forests that had overgrow the
high steeps.
In summer, the regular ship transport and cruises are very
popular; five anchorages are at tourist’s disposal.
For more information see: www.dalesickaprehrada.cz
Contact Information: Masarykovo nám. 100, 675 71 Náměšť
nad Oslavou, tel: +420 568 620 493, e-mail: [email protected]
Cultural Promenade
Signs
and an information
Sig
board
will guide tourists
bo
along
all of the interesting
alo
points
in town, along two
po
routes
(chateau, town). The
rou
Cultural
Promenade includes a
Cu
technical
monument - Schulz’s
tec
filters.
They were used in the
lt
construction
of a waste-water
co
treatment
station in the 1950s
tre
and
an today are a rarity.
St. Anne’s Chapel – viewing possible upon arrangement with
the Municipal Cultural Centre, tel. 568 620 493
Church of St. John the Baptist – visits possible upon arrangement
with the parish authority, Masarykovo nám. 51, 675 71 Náměšť
nad Oslavou, tel. +420 568 623 955
35
Nové Město na Moravě
featuring a wisent head. The front façade is decorated with
sgraffito from 1938. The building is the home of the Horácké
Museum.
http://infocentrum.nmnm.cz
Municipal Information Centre
Vratislavovo náměstí 97
592 31 Nové Město na Moravě
Tel.: +420 566 650 254
Fax: +420 566 617 202
The Roman Catholic St. Kunhuta’s Church is decorated with the
sgraffito of the local native Karel Němec, from 1928 – 1929. The
oldest part of the church is the Gothic presbytery. The church
comes from the 16th century, and the nave was vaulted in the
18th century. Folk frescoes have survived in the so-called Black
Chapel.
HISTORY
The evangelical church was built between 1896 and 1898 in the
Neo-Renaissance style.
The town is a sought-after tourist and recreation centre in the
Žďárské vrchy hills. Ski tracks in the snowed-under countryside
laid a foundation for the tradition of skiing and ski production
in the region over a hundred years ago. Since 1934, the Golden
Ski of the Bohemian Moravian Highlands has been held here, a
race which has been included in the World Cup of Cross-Country
Skiing disciplines since the 1980s. The town was established in the
13th century during the colonisation of the Bohemian-Moravian
border regions. It experienced its greatest development under
the rule of the Lords of Pernštejn in the 16th century. The
historical centre of town has been a heritage zone since 1990.
The largest number of artistic monuments is concentrated in
the central Vratislav Square, where the most valuable historical
buildings can be found – there is a gallery in the Renaissance
chateau, and the Town Hall, rebuilt in the Baroque era, is used by
the museum. Of particular note is St. Kunhuta’s Church, which is
decorated with sgraffito. Open spaces in the town are decorated
with a number of significant sculptures by the local natives Jan
Štursa and Vincenc Makovský.
Horácká Gallery
The gallery, established in 1964, has occupied the chateau since
1972. The exhibition “Changing Landscapes and Shapes” features
SIGHTS
The urban heritage zone was declared in 1990 and comprises the
well-preserved historical centre of town, with many interesting
architectural sights.
The original Renaissance Chateau was built immediately after
1550. In 1643, it was pillaged by the Swedes, but was soon
restored. It burned down during the great fire of the town in
1723, and in the Baroque adaptations in the middle of the 18th
century, a new, four-wing layout was created with the addition
of several buildings. The present form of the chateau comes from
1874,
18
when it underwent NeoRenaissance
Re
adaptations. The
chateau
cha
houses the Horácká
Gallery.
Ga
The Old Town Hall was created
in 1555 by the conversion of a
burgher’s house that had been
bu
purchased.
pu
The Renaissance
entry hall with a stone portal
en
survived from the original
sur
building, and the second storey
bu
with a turret was built after
wit
the 1723 fire. Inset in the front
façade is a stone dated 1555,
faç
36
collection, and also on
paintings and sculptures from the Gallery’s collection
display is moulded glass from the Škrdlovice glassworks, from the
1960s and 1970s. The gallery’s courtyard is a venue of concerts
and cultural events.
Contact Information: Vratislavovo náměstí 1, 592 31 Nové Město
na Moravě, tel. +420 566 654 211, e-mail: horacka.galerie@nmnm.
cz, http://hg.nmnm.cz
Horácké Museum
The museum exhibits have been housed by the former Renaissance
town hall since the beginning of the last century. The permanent
exhibits present folk culture, the tradition of glass- and ironmaking in the Nové Město region, the history of ski manufacturing
and skiing, and a classroom from the 1930s. In summer, the Vír
NATURE
Nové Město na Moravě is a significant centre of the Žďárské vrchy
N
P
Protected
Landscape Area. Its rock formations are especially
ssought-after natural objects. Those that are accessible near Nové
Město include Vávrova skála, Pasecká skála with a lookout, and
M
B
Brožkova skála. Among more distant locales, those that are
p
particularly worth a visit include Žákova hora National Nature
R
Reserve, which has a nature trail; the highest hill of the Žďárské
vvrchy range, Devět skal, which has a rock town; the Samotín and
B
Blatiny area, with characteristic buildings; and the Štarkov rocky
h
hills, with the ruins of Skály Castle.
POINT OF INTEREST
A Picture Trail through the Ochoza Forest
The Ochoza forest is interwoven with a maze of trails and
footpaths, and in the winter the tracks of the World Cup of
Cross-Country Skiing lead through it. A plan of the trail, for
setting out to see eight pictures, can be purchased at the
information centre, and you can go after them on skis, by
bike, or on foot. The places that have these pictures on the
trees are the subjects of stories and legends. The pictures’
Mill is placed in the courtyard of the museum – a set of wooden
figures propelled by a water wheel.
Contact Information: Vratislavovo náměstí 114, 592 31 Nové
Město na Moravě, tel. +420 566 650 216, fax: +420 566 618 961,
e-mail: [email protected], http://hm.nmnm.cz.
authors are local artists, and the originals are exhibited in the
courtyard of the Horácké Museum.
Contact Information: Municipal Information Centre, Vratislavovo
nám. 97, 592 31 Nové Město na Moravě, tel. +420 566 650
254, e-mail: [email protected], www.nmnm.cz, http://infocentrum.
nmnm.cz
37
Pacov
www.mestopacov.cz
Tourist and Information Centre of the
Stražiště Micro-Region
mikroregionu Stražiště
Hronova 1078
395 01 Pacov
Tel.: +420 565 443 307
HISTORY
The first
first period in which the town fl
flourished
ourished was in the 15th and
16th centuries. It was then that Pacov acquired town privileges
and the Gothic castle was turned into a chateau. In the early
18th century, the town became the property of the order of
Barefooted Carmelites, which expanded the chateau and used
it as their monastery until the reforms of Joseph II. Another
interesting historical sight is the decanal church, which has a
Gothic tower and Renaissance paintings in the interiors, and
the former monastery church, St. Wenceslas’, which is used for
art exhibitions. The town has made an important mark in the
history of the sport of motorcycling. It was here that the idea
arose of establishing an international motorcyclist federation,
carried out in Paris in 1904. A museum exhibition is devoted
to the history of the motorcycle races that were first organised
on the local track in 1906. The museum bears the name of the
poet Antonín Sova, who was born in town in 1864, and the
region served as a good source of poetic inspiration for him.
five years later the chateau was transferred to the ownership
five
o
of the town. Following a demanding renovation, the northern
p
part of the building is used by the town administration. The
southern and western parts will be used by the town for
cultural purposes.
Only the tower and the ground plan have survived from the
original 13th century decanal St. Michael the Archangel Church.
It was rebuilt into its present form in the second half of the
15th century. From this era come the Gothic reliefs on the
outer side of the buttresses on the southern side, designating
the institutions that participated in the building project. Most
interior paintings come from the 2nd half of the 16th century.
SIGHTS
The original 13th-century castle was converted to a chateau
in the 16th century. In 1708, Barefooted Carmelites arrived in
Pacov and used the chateau as a monastery. It was expanded
into its present form around 1719, and then the monastery was
abolished under Joseph II, and the building was again used
as a chateau. In 1860, the eastern wing served as a school
and teacher’s residence. It was here that, in the family of the
teacher Jan Sova, the future poet was born in 1864. Until May
1945, the chateau was held by the Weiss – Tessbach family, and
then transferred under state administration; soon, a military
unit was deployed there. Soldiers resided there until 1992, and
38
The
The outline of the vault,
caricatures,
car
and inscriptions
are a hundred years older.
The
Th interior furnishings are
primarily
pri
Baroque. The tower
reached
rea
its present height
only
on in the 1870s. The repairs
to the exterior were completed in 1997.
The Baroque monastery St. Wenceslaus’ Church was built in
1719. Only 5 sections have survived from the original church.
It was renovated after the town’s great fire in 1727, and with
the abolition of the order, it ceased being used for services.
Subsequent owners used the church for various purposes –
from a warehouse to prestigious public premises. Between
1947 and 1974, it was used by the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
The overall renovation was completed in 1994, including an
adaptation of the underground premises. In summer, the
church interior is used for art exhibitions.
The cemetery-based St. Barbara’s Church was originally an
octagonal early Baroque chapel, to which a nave was added
in 1681 – 1682. The main altar and the pulpit are Baroque, as
are the woodcarvings of St. Peter and Paul. The organ comes
from the mid 1700s.
The oldest surviving tombstones in the Jewish Cemetery date
to the first half of the 18th century, although the land was
purchased in 1680. Between 1920 and 1925, the cemetery was
expanded and a memorial hall was placed in the mortuary. The
cemetery can be visited upon arrangement with the Tourist
Information Centre.
St. Anne’s Chapel is a Baroque octagonal building from 1701
– 1702. Its dome features genre-scene paintings – a view of
Prague Castle and of Pacov. The altar is from the mid 1700s.
The Antonín Sova Municipal Museum
The museum is housed in a one-storey, 18th-century burgher’s
house, which has been afforded heritage protection. The
museum exhibits document the history of the Pacov area, and
one exhibition is devoted to the life and work of Antonín Sova,
who was born in Pacov in 1864. The Painter’s Hall of Jana and
Hana Autengruber is also popular. The historical exhibition
includes documents related to the first international motorcycle
race on the Pacov track in 1906. In addition to permanent
exhibits, short-term museum and artistic exhibitions are held
every year.
Contact Information: Hronova 273, 395 01 Pacov, tel. +420 565
442 193, fax +420 565 455 155, e-mail: muzeum@mestopacov.
cz, www.mestopacov.cz, http://muzeum.mestopacov.cz
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Sova’s Nature Trail
The twelve-kilometre trail, which has four stops, starts in
Pacov and carries on to Lukavec, via the village of Bratřice and
Stražiště Hill. Instructive boards provide information about the
municipalities through which the trail passes. In Pacov, they
introduce the museum, the Gothic St. Michael’s Church, the
Renaissance chateau, and the poet’s memorial in Sova’s Park; in
the valley between Pacov and Bratřice, it features the remains
of an 18th century glass factory; in Bratřice, a Baroque chapel
can be seen; below Stražiště Hill is an 18th-century chapel with
a source; and in Lukavec is the Hříbek Baroque Gazebo in the
chateau park.
Kámen Castle
This originally Gothic castle, that had undergone a Baroque
renovation, was adapted in the 19th century in the manner of
romantic Gothic. Its exhibits feature the history of the castle
and it houses an exhibition of unique historical motorcycles
from the turn of the 20th century (e.g., a Laurin and Klement
motorcycle from 1898).
An exhibition of furniture and
accessories gives a hint of the atmosphere of life at a castle in
the second half of the 19th century. The castle is surrounded
with a landscaped park, dominated by an extensive alpine
garden. Throughout the year, seasonal exhibitions are held
POINT OF INTEREST
The 15th degree of East longitude passes through Pacov,
which serves as the prime meridian for Central European
Time. The local time to the west and east of the meridian
differs, for example by +11 minutes in the Aš Projection.
The course of the meridian is marked in a strip of yellow
on the roads of the town. Every year, the multicultural
festival The Pacov Meridian is held in town (www.polednik.
cz), when the chateau’s courtyard turns into an open-air
sculpting studio for a week. The resulting sculptures are
installed in the chateau’s park.
there,
and
h
d the
h Knights’
K i h ’ Hall
H ll is
i the
h venue off concerts, social
i l
gatherings, and wedding ceremonies.
Contact Information: 394 13 Kámen u Pacova 1, tel. +420 565
426 609, +420 736 731 958, e-mail: [email protected],
http://hradkamen.pacov.info
39
Pelhřimov
down. Because the houses were built entirely anew after the
fire, the historical centre of town has a Baroque order to it.
www.pelhrimovsko.cz
393 01 Pelhřimov
Tel./Fax: +420 565 326 924
In terms of the development and building expansion of the
town, the 19th century was important, with the development
of industry.
HISTORY
SIGHTS
The unity and well-preserved state of the architectural
monuments was the reason for the entire town core being
declared an urban heritage reserve. In its centre is Masaryk
Square, with Renaissance and Baroque houses and an Empirestyle fountain.
st
T originally Renaissance chateau was built in the middle of the
The
16th century, probably on the site of a tower-like 15th century
1
Gothic structure, which is documented by the cross vaulting in
G
tthe Gothic hall on the ground floor of the chateau. After the
large fire of the town in 1682, the chateau was rebuilt in the
la
Baroque style. The chateau received its present form, as a twoB
wing building with a mansard roof and a prism-shaped tower
w
with a figural clock, during the 1767 renovation. The dining
w
hall with ceiling paintings on the first floor has survived from
h
tthe Renaissance era. From 1849, the chateau was the home of
tthe local court; this era is commemorated by the eagle in the
upper part of the façade. Sculptures of Justice and Protection
u
iin the bottom part of the façade come from the era when the
building served as the town hall. The tower features a clock
b
tthat strikes to sound the time and whose face depicts Hercules
with a cudgel and Saturn with a scythe.
w
The decanal St. Bartholomew’s Church was built at the end of
T
tthe 13th century. The original basilica with three naves was
expanded and decorated with envelope sgraffito in 1589. The
e
ttown’s landmark is the 61-meter-tall church tower.
The history of the town reaches back to the 12th century
century. A
legend considers Bishop Pelhřim (Pelegrine in Latin) to be the
town’s founder. The original egg-shaped layout has survived
to date. The town developed rapidly from the mid 1300s.
Its owners, the Bishops of Prague, granted it a number of
privileges; it was the business centre of the area, crafts and
trades developed there – drapery, linen-making, weaving,
and ginger-bread production. In the 15th century, Pelhřimov
boasted a number of ornate burghers’ houses and was
surrounded with solid walls and tall gates. Two of them have
survived.
In the mid 16th century, possession transferred to the Říčan
family of Říčany, which set up a chateau in the upper section
of the square. After long disputes with the suzerains, the town
bought itself out of servitude in 1572, and in 1596, Pelhřimov
was elevated to a royal town by the Majestate of Rudolph II.
The Thirty Years War put an end to the peaceful development
of the town. Armies invaded the town several times, and it was
also damaged by several fires. In 1766, most houses burned
40
S Vitus’ Church is the oldest church in town. A three-nave
St.
Renaissance building rises out off medieval foundations. The
R
cchurch received Baroque adaptations between 1739 and 1740,
when another level was added to the tower. The Baroque
w
building burned out. Presently, classical music concerts are
b
held there and the church also serves as an exhibition hall.
The Chapel of Our Lady is the most significant Baroque
building in town, and it is the purest in terms of architecture.
The former pilgrimage chapel, later used as a cemetery chapel,
was built between 1710 and 1714 according to the design of
the Reverelli brothers, and it is the only ecclesiastical building
in town to have survived in its original form.
The
Th fountain in the square is
first
rs mentioned in 1546; its
contemporary
co
form comes
from
fro
1828.
In the middle
of the fountain is a column
with
wi four lions’ heads spitting
water.
wa
At the top is a sculpture
of St. James, the patron saint
of pilgrims, in pilgrim clothing,
with
wi
a hat on his back and a
pilgrim’s
pil
cane in his hand.
The Church of the Holy Cross, built in 1883-1886 in the neoGothic style, turns towards the town with its tall tower. It was
built on the site of a small ecclesiastical building from the end
of the 17th century, which was torn down when it became
dilapidated.
The late-Renaissance house called Šrejnarovský was built in
1614. It was named after its owner, the fabric-trader Kryštof
Šrejnarov. Its ground floor features a typical vaulted lobby and
the front is decorated with corner bay windows – remnants of
paintings which used to cover the entire façade have survived
on one of them. The building houses museum exhibits.
One of the most beautiful Renaissance houses in the square
is the Burgrave House called the Broumovský House; it was
built after the 1561 fire, by Squire Jan Brouma of Chomutovice.
The façade is decorated with envelope sgraffito. The building
houses the M Gallery and a Museum of Monsters on its ground
floor.
House called the Fárův House is a good example of a cubist
renovation of a Baroque house, according to the design of
architect Pavel Janák.
The
Th Municipal Theatre was
built
bu
by the local builder
Stanislav
Sta
Rokos between 1895
and 1896 in the neo-Classicist
neo Classicist style
style, on the site of the original
1707 salt storage building.
Drechsel’s Villa was built in the Cubist style between 1912 and
1913, based on a design of architect Pavel Janák. The onestorey corner villa has a pronounced main ledge; on the ground
floor, the street front of the house is divided by four windows
with Cubist trimmings.
The Vysočina Museum
Two prism-shaped gates have survived from the medieval
fortifications: the three-level Rynárec (Upper) Gate was built
in the 16th century. The access to the gate was well-developed
and features complex facilities. The gate is 17 metres tall and
has a tent roof with a tower in which a Gothic bell hangs. The
wooden balcony is carried by stone beams. The clock was
installed on the gate tower at the end of the 17th century.
The five-storey Jihlava (Lower) Gate, which has a pitched roof,
also comes from the 16th century and is 36 meters tall. The
roof terminates with a tower from the mid 1700s. The Jihlava
Gate houses the Museum of Records and Curiosities.
The Decanal Garden was established in 1603 and offers a
pleasant environment for rest. In the garden house, there is a
memorial to the Deacon of Pelhřimov, Frančišek Bernard Vaněk
(1872 – 1944), a patriotic priest who died in 1944 in the Dachau
concentration camp. He liked to spend his time in the garden
house, writing his articles and sermons.
The museum exhibits are located in three historical buildings
– in the chateau of the Lords of Říčany, in the so-called
Šrejnarovský House, and in the former prison.
The chateau has housed the museum collections since 1908,
T
ffeaturing folk art, porcelain, glass, furniture, and clocks. The
artistic collection includes an exhibit devoted to Josef and
a
Zdeňěk Šejnosta, placed in the museum’s fresco hall. The
Z
ethnographical exhibition in Šrejnarovský House includes folk
e
ccostumes, guild-related items, weapons, pewter, sculptures,
and objects documenting rural and urban culture and the
a
beginning of industry. The cellars host short-term exhibitions.
b
The former municipal prison houses an exhibition of prisons,
T
ffeaturing a torture chamber, a cell, and a prison chapel.
Contact Information: Masarykovo náměstí 12, 393 01 Pelhřimov,
C
ttel. +420 565 323 456, +420 565 323 184, e-mail: muzeum.
[email protected], www.muzeumpe.cz
p
41
The Lookout Tower of St. Bartholomew’s Church
Th
The lookout tower of the
ch
church, built at the end of
the 13th century, constitutes
a llandmark of the town. The
ob
observation deck is 30 meters
ab
above ground, can be reached
by 148 steps, and offers a
spl
splendid view of the town and
the surrounding countryside.
In the upper part of the tower,
a room
r
of the tower watch is
op
open to the public, featuring
his
historical photographs of the
tow
town. On the way to the deck,
visitors
i it
pass b
by th
the church
h
hb
bells.
ll
famous artistic family have done much work in theatre, film,
and television. The exhibition is divided into three parts.
The first comprises documents about the life and work of the
Lipský’s. The second one, devoted to film, comprises a cinema
featuring the most famous film scenes of both brothers. The
third part is named after Oldřich Lipský’s film “The Great Film
Robbery”.
Contact Information: Tourist Information Centre, Masarykovo
náměstí 10, 393 01 Pelhřimov, tel.: +420 565 326 924, e-mail:
[email protected], www.pelhrimovsko.cz
Museum of Records and Curiosities
The museum occupies the 36-meter five-story prismatic gate,
built in the 16th century as a part of the town’s fortifications.
The clock on the tower comes from the end of the 17th
Contact Information: Tourist Information Centre, Masarykovo
náměstí 10, 393 01 Pelhřimov, tel.: +420 565 326 924, e-mail:
[email protected], www.pelhrimovsko.cz
The M Gallery
The gallery regularly host exhibitions of various artists. It
is located in a historical burgher’s house, built under the
influence of Italian Renaissance architecture, and decorated
with envelope sgraffito. In the past, the Royal Burgrave had
his seat in the house; coats of arms of two aristocratic owners
from the 16th century have survived in the entrance lobby.
Contact Information: Masarykovo náměstí 17, 393 01 Pelhřimov,
tel. +420 565 324 927, +420 565 321 548, e-mail: kultura@kzpe.
cz, www.pelhrimovsko.cz
Museum of Monsters
t
Th
h D
b ýd
hi h
century.
The museum iis run b
by th
the
Dobrý
den A
Agency, which
is the author of Czech supplements to the Guinness Book
o
of Records. The museum houses over one hundred curious
e
exhibits: the result of the art, perseverance, and original ideas
o
of Czech and foreign record holders – for example, the smallest
ffunctional motorcycle in the Czech Republic, the largest carved
wooden spoon, a school bag for 35 people, a 12-kg lollypop,
w
a coat hanger 451 cm long, miniature carving in the head of a
pin, a ceramic jug only 2.5 mm tall, etc. The photo exhibition
p
depicts unique moments from the annual International Festival
d
of Curiosities and Records and other untraditional projects
o
organised by the Agency.
o
Contact Information: Jihlavská brána, Palackého 29, 393 01
C
Pelhřimov, tel. +420 565 321 327, +420 777 601 304, e-mail:
P
[email protected], www.dobryden.cz
a
The exhibition is located in the cellar of the historical burgher’s
house that is the seat of the M Gallery. Exhibits of supra-natural
beings from Czech fairy-tales – the loud forest monster hejkal,
the Melusine, water sprite, house gnome, and others – made
mostly out of wax and featured in life size.
Contact Information: Masarykovo náměstí 17, 393 01
Pelhřimov, tel. +420 565 321 548, e-mail: [email protected],
www.pelhrimovsko.cz/strasidla
The Hall of the Lipský Family, a.k.a. the First Czech MUSEum
By developing the Hall of the Lipskýs, Pelhřimov paid homage
to its famous natives. The members of the Lipský family who
are most known to the public are the director Oldřich Lipský
and his brother, Lubomír, an actor, but other members of this
42
The House of Good Days
T
The Golden Czech Hands Exhibition shows visitors primarily
unique objects made of matches – guitars, violins, mandolins,
paintings, Corinthian vases, mirror frames, etc. They are the
work of one author, Mr. Tomáš Korda, who put over 63,000
hours of work into them over 40 years, consuming more than
half a million matches and quarter of a million match heads.
The musical instruments are functional.
Contact Information: Nábřeží rekordů a kuriozit 811, 393 01
Pehřimov, tel. +420 777 601 304, +420 565 321 228, e-mail:
[email protected], www.dobryden.cz
The
T
Walk through the Czech Book of Records Nature Trail
The
T
nearly two-kilometre trail connects both of the abovementioned
m
exhibition sites of the Dobrý den Agency. Along the
way,
w
visitors can see a gigantic mailbox, a nearly seven-meter
safety
s
pin, and the largest stainless-steel funnel. Information
panels
p
present a number of record-holders and three sound
boards
b
give information about more than 300 records from the
Czech
C
Book of Records. www.dobryden.cz
TIP:
With the so-called Pelhřimov Pass, tourists can visit eight
sights. It is valid for one year and with it each facility can
be visited once.
POINT OF INTEREST
Trail Presenting Architectural Styles
The trail introduces the walker to the historical architectural
sights in town. It offers two circuits: one through the inner
town and one through the suburbs. You will get to know
a total of 43 historical buildings as well as the architectural
styles in which they were built. The trail starts at the Tourist
Information Centre in Masaryk Square, where a map of the
trail is available as well as accompanying materials. All
houses are marked with a blue sign with a description.
The “Municipal Gardens” Nature Trail
TIP FOR TRIP
Křemešník
The establishment of a pilgrimage site at the top of Křemešník
Hill (765 meters above sea level) is associated with a miraculous
spring of slightly radioactive water, which passes through silverbearing ores. The Baroque Pilgrimage Church of the Holy Trinity,
from the early 17th century, has been supplemented with ambits
with chapels adorned with sculptures by František Bílek. The path
to the top of Křemešník is lined by fourteen stations on the Way
of the Cross. Of interest is the so-called Wind Chateau near the
pilgrimage church. It was built in 1932 by the Czech medal-maker
Jiří Šejnost. Seven stone ravens on the tower and the carved
inscription “Love frees from the condemnation of wrath” refer to
a children’s tale. For more information see www.pelhrimovsko.cz.
A three-kilometre nature trail with ten stops leads to the nature
The Pelhřimov Municipal Gardens are a natural place for walks,
and visitors can also get to know the diversity and value of
the well-preserved landscape in Vysočina. The trail comprises
twelve information signs on a 2.5 kilometre circuit. The trail
includes the Czech and Latin names of 30 of the most widely
known and most precious species of trees and shrubs planted
in the gardens.
reserve and
res
grounds.
gro
the
pilgrimage
Pípalka Lookout Tower is at the
Píp
top of Křemešník Hill. It can be
reached by many foot and bike
rea
paths. The tower is 52 meters tall
pa
and its strong telescope affords
an
distant views; orientation in
dis
the surrounding landscape is
facilitated by descriptions in the
fac
oor of the observation deck;
flo
tel: +420 721 853 071
tel
43
Počátky
where Karel Havlíček Borovský made a stop on his involuntary
trip to Brixen. Another plaque is placed on the spa building,
to commemorate the stay of the poet Julius Zeyer, the Čapek
brothers, the singer Karel Burian, and other important figures.
www.pocatky.cz
The Počátky Tourist Information Centre
Horní ulice 87
394 64 Počátky
Tel.: +420 561 034 921
[email protected]
HISTORY
The town of Počátky lies in romantic countryside to the west
of the highest point in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands,
Javořice Hill. Its name, meaning “Beginnings” in Czech, is
derived from the beginnings, the springs, of local creeks and
rivers. The name Počátky first appears in a registry of Bishop
Tobiáš of Bechyně, from 1285 – 1290. In 1389, it was purchased
by Jindřich of Hradec and it was held by his descendants until
the family died out at the beginning of the 17th century.
During the Hussite revolution, burghers remained faithful
to Menhart of Hradec, who defended his estate against the
Taborite bands. In 1423, he marched to the nearby Horní
Dubenky against a Taborite troop headed for Počátky. There
was a battle, to which is connected the folk name of Bor Lake:
“Krvavec” (the Bloody Lake). For their faithfulness, the people
of Počátky received the right to build a wall around the town.
After the Hussite wars, Počátky was an important regional
production and trade centre, but fires and wars often hindered
its development. Right at the outset of the Thirty Years War,
the Počátky area was pillaged and plundered. In the 17th
century, the estate went to the Šternberk family, and their coat
of arms became a part of the town’s new coat of arms. After a
fire in 1821, the character of the buildings changed and nearly
all of the fortifications disappeared. In the 1920s, the town
was known as a charming summer destination, with several
resorts nearby. The St. Catherine Spa was the most popular.
Počátky is also the home of the paternal house of the 17thcentury Moravian historian Tomáš Pešina of Čechorod, in which
the composer Vítězslav Novák spent 10 of his childhood years,
and finally the birth house of the poet Otokar Březina, which
commemorates the poet.
There is a Baroque sculptural group featuring John Nepomuck,
with a fountain.
In the municipal cemetery are the tombs of the parents of Otokar
Březina and Vítězslav Novák, and the first wife of the poet Josef
Václav Slédek – Emilie – is also buried there.
The Baroque St Anne Chapel is ffrom
T
rom 1694, rebuilt 1821 - 1824.
The nearby spa boasts a Baroque St. Catherine’s Chapel, attributed
T
to the famous Dienzehofers.
SIGHTS
The originally gothic Church of St. John the Baptist was later
rebuilt in the Baroque style.
A commemorative plaque can be seen at the old post office,
44
The Počátky Municipal Museum and Otokar Březina’s Birth House
area, and crafts and social life in the 19th century. The museum
includes the birth house of the poet Otokar Březina (Březinova
224).
Contact Information: Palackého 27, 394 64 Počátky, tel. +420
561 034 927, e-mail: [email protected], www.pocatky.cz
POINT OF INTEREST
A Nature Trail in the Footsteps of Old Drapery Masters of
Počátky
The four-kilometre trail, which has four stops, focuses on
local geographic and historical points of interest. Drapery
reached its peak in the 18th century; the former washing
facility was planted with an alley of linden trees. St.
Ludmila’s source has been a pilgrimage site since time
immemorial. In May, the Day of Nature is held on the trail,
drawing thousands of visitors every year. A printed guide
is available for the trail.
TIP FOR TRIP
T
The
Otokar Březina Trail
T 55-kilometre long trail passes through locations connected
The
with the poet Otokar Březina. The poet, Václav Jebavý, by
w
his real name, spent his entire life in the Highlands. The trail
h
begins in Březina’s birthplace, Počátky; passes through Telč,
b
where the poet spent his student years; then Nová Říše, where
w
he taught for 13 years and wrote practically all his collections
h
of poems; and heads via Želetava to Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou,
o
where he spent the last 30 years of his life.
w
The
Th municipal museum with
ethnographic
collections
eth
founded
in 1892 is among
fou
the oldest in the region; it
offers
an interesting view of
off
the interior design of a 16thcentury
burgher’s
house,
cen
which
is apparent especially
wh
in the cellar. The permanent
exhibition
documents
the
ex
oldest
history of the Počátky
old
45
Polná
www.mesto-polna.cz
Information Centre
Husovo náměstí 39
588 13 Polná
Tel.: +420 567 559 211
HISTORY
the entire town: beautiful Renaissance and Baroque burghers’
houses disappeared for good, and many families moved away.
After the fire, the appearance and the economic nature of the
town changed completely. Today, Polná is a pleasant little town
with pretty surroundings, its famous „Mrkvancová Festival”,
rich cultural life, and sights that are certainly worth seeing.
SIGHTS
The historical centre of town, which has three squares, a
Baroque church, and valuable burghers’ houses, was declared
an urban heritage zone in 1990.
T
The
castle palace was converted into a chateau in 1584 by the
LLords of Hradec. In the second half of the 17th century, the
Dietrichstein family adapted it, but when it burned down in
D
1794, they lost interest in it. They only had a temporary roof
1
put on and even tore down a part of it. Since 1922, the chateau
p
has been owned by the Town of Polná, and the most extensive
h
rrenovations took place between 1995 and 2004. The chateau
ccomplex comprises a set of buildings of various architectural
sstyles – we can see a Gothic castle palace, with a three-storey
ttower under the castle, a Renaissance chateau wing, and
B
Baroque farm buildings. The chateau houses a museum, and
tthe right wing of the chateau hosts museum exhibitions. There
iis a fountain from 1693 in the courtyard. The chateau grounds
a
are the home of a Primary School for the Arts, the Cultural
C
Centre, and the Chateau Restaurant with accommodation.
The original settlement was probably established in the
mid 1100s, as a rest stop on one of the older branches of
the Haberská Trail. The oldest written record of Polná is in
the property deed of Jan I. of Polmna from 1242, which was
confirmed by the King of Bohemia Wenceslas I. It was probably
granted the status of a town at the end of the 13th century.
Extensive town rights were granted to Polná by Viktorin of
Kunštát in 1479. J. A. Comenius placed Houfnagli’s engraving
of Polná from 1617 at the head of his map of Moravia, together
with the engravings of Brno, Olomouc, and Znojmo.
Due to its strategic value, the Polná estate was always held by
important aristocratic families. At the end of the 16th century,
Polná was held by the financially skilled Žejdlics of Schenfeld.
The estate was confiscated from them for their involvement in
resistance against the emperor, and after the Battle of White
Mountain, the confiscated estate was purchased by Cardinal
František of Ditrichštejn in 1623. The estate was held by the
Ditrichštejns and their ancestors for nearly 300 years.
In the 19th century, especially during National Revival, Polná
was the cultural and social centre of the general area. In this
era, the town prospered primarily due to drapery. The revival
life in Polná made an impression on author Božena Němcová
during her stay in 1840-1842. The town boasts the fact that, at
the beginning of the 1840s, it was here that Božena Němcová
first held a book written in Czech, as an adult.
There was a significant Jewish community in Polná, which
had constituted an organic part of the town since at least the
seventeenth century.
August 1863 was tragic for Polná. A huge fire destroyed nearly
46
The decanal Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, built
in 1700 - 1707 according to the design of the Italian architect
Dominic de Angeli, is comparable to episcopal churches, in
terms of its furnishings and decorations. The interior is richly
decorated with stucco by Florentine artists, and Sieber’s organ
is the largest surviving domestically made Baroque instrument
in the country. Underneath the church are the crypts of the old
church. The church tower it 64 meters tall.
St. Catherine’s Church was founded in the 14th century
by the Lords of Pirkštejn. There are remnants of early 15th
century frescoes in the church. Around the church is a forest
cemetery with the Art Nouveau tomb of the local patron, Karel
Varhánek.
St. Barbara’s Church stands in the main cemetery. It was built
between 1720 and 1725 on the ground plan of a Greek cross.
It is decorated with ceiling frescoes.
Th Sculpture of the Holy
The
Trinity in Huss’ Square is the
Tri
work of the Polná master
wo
Václav Morávek – a student
Vá
of the Prague sculptor F. M.
Brokoff.
Bro
St. Anne’s Church and Hospital
were founded by Jan Sezima of
we
Rochov and his wife, Catherine
Ro
of Močovice, in 1447. The neoGothic rebuilding was done at
Go
the end of the 19th century.
A memorial
i l plaque
l
on house
h
No.
N 47
4 in Huss’ Square notes that
Božena Němcová lived there from 1840 to 1842. The writer
Bohumil Hrabal lived with his parents in the burghers’ brewery
building in 1917-1919.
The Old Polná School, with a baroque gable, is a part of a unique
museum exhibition documenting the history of schooling from
the mid 1700s to the end of the 19th century.
The Jewish Settlement Memorial is commemorated in the
ghetto established in 1681. There are 32 mostly one-level
houses, a synagogue, the rabbi’s office, and the rabbi’s house with
arcades. In 2000, a Jewish museum was opened there. The
Jewish cemetery is 700 meters northwest of Huss’ Square and
features noteworthy Baroque, Classicist, as well as modern
tombstones.
The Gothic Lower Gate is a remnant of the town’s fortifications,
decorated by stonemasons.
The Municipal Museum
Established in 1895, it occupies one of the wings of the chateau
complex,
complex which was originally a 13th century castle
castle. The socalled Kunštát Hall, with preserved remnants of Renaissance
painting, houses an exhibition introducing the history of the
castle and town; a general shop is installed on the ground
floor and old crafts are introduced; and in the lapidarium is
an exhibition showing the uses of stone. The exhibition of
historical clocks features over 140 unique products, and the
historical
pharmacy from the last century “At the Black Eagle”
h
features
furnishings used as recently as thirty-five years ago.
f
The
courtyard is a popular venue for concerts.
T
Contact
Information: Zámek 485, 588 13 Polná, tel. +420 567
C
212
2 336, www.mesto-polna.cz
The
Old Polná School Exhibit
T
An
A exhibit of the Vysočina Museum of Jihlava, documenting
the
history of schooling from the mid 1700s to the end of
t
47
the 19th century, is housed by a heritage protected building
with a Baroque gable. The complete furnishings of the
school classroom come from 1866; in addition to the historical
furnishings, there are writing supplies and school aides on
display. Visitors can also see the biological study and the
teacher’s apartment.
Address: Poděbradova 77, 588 13 Polná, tel. +420 567 212 336,
www.mesto-polna.cz
Regional Jewish Museum
This museum is in the 1684 synagogue, whose demanding
POINT OF INTEREST
renovation was completed in September 2000. Through
photographs and documents, it commemorates the rich history
of the local Jewish community. One of the expositions presents
the Hilsner Affair – the persecution of the Jews provoked at
the end of the 19th century by a contrived accusation against
the Jewish youth Leopold Hilsner, of having ritually murdered
a local girl.
Contact Information: Karlovo náměstí 540, 588 13 Polná,
tel. +420 567 559 211, Tourist Information Centre, e-mail:
[email protected],
www.mesto-polna.cz,
guide
services tel.: +420 567 212 373, +420 721 296 086.
The Jewish Cemetery
The cemetery is located about 700 northwest of Huss’ Square,
past Pod Kalvárií Street. From the 16th century onwards, the
cemetery was expanded several times. There are noteworthy
Baroque, Classicist, as well as new tombstones. The oldest ones
come from the end of the 17th century. The cemetery is being
continuously repaired.
48
The Carrot Bun Festival is celebrated in Polná on the
occasion of feast day of St. Liguori, the town’s patron, and
its tradition reaches back to 1652. Prince Ferdinand Josef of
Ditrichštejn brought the saint’s remains from Rome, donated
them to the city, and stored them in the Polná church, where
they are still housed in a glass coffin. How carrots became a
part of the pilgrimage is not precisely known. According to
one of the interpretations, the increased growing and use
of carrots was introduced by the Žejdlics of Schenfeld, as a
nutritional supplement for the people on their estate.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Pojman’s Trail
A five-kilometre nature trail leads from Huss’ Square in Polná
through the Bor Valley, featuring three stops. It is named after
the mayor and factory owner Václav Pojman, the town’s patron
between 1909 and 1912. Tourists especially appreciate the
marvellous natural scenery.
Josef Klement’s Nature Trail
The six-kilometre circuit trail with eight stops bears the name
of J. Klement, who was active for a long time in Polna’s
associations. He is also commemorated in one of the houses in
the former Jewish quarter. In the historical core of the town,
the trail leads past the decanal Church of the Assumption of
Virgin Mary, dating from the beginning of the 18th century,
tthe deacon’s office, and the chaplain’s house from the same
era; in one of the burgher’s houses, the several years’ stay
e
of Božena Němcová is commemorated. In addition to major
o
architectural sights, the trail provides information about Peklo
a
LLake, the largest water body in Polná, and the state-protected
ssight Kleštěr, where a toll was collected on an ancient overland
rroute. The contrived trial referred to as “The Hilsner Affair”,
which evoked extensive anti-Jewish feeling, is commemorated
w
iin the Březina forest.
HISTORY
Přibyslav
www.pribyslav.cz
The Přibyslav Information Centre
Bechyňovo náměstí 45
588 22 Přibyslav
Tel.: +420 569 484 361
The first trustworthy records of Přibyslav come from the middle
of the 13th century. The town was established at the same
time as the castle, whose task was to guard the overland
trails that passed not far from town. The town’s early history
is connected with silver extraction. During the Hussite wars
(1420 – 1434) it was reduced, and it was later interrupted
altogether for long decades. Attempts at its renewal in the
16th to the 18th centuries did not yield the desired results. The
main sources of livelihood for the locals were agriculture, the
cottage production of linen fabric and crafts, and trade.
In October 1424, Jan Žižka of Trocnov died near Přibyslav, near
the village of Schönfeld (today Žižkovo Pole), while leading his
troops on their campaign against Catholic nobles in Moravia.
After their leader’s death, his warriors conquered Přibyslav
Castle and converted the town into a military base for their
raids. In the centuries to follow, Přibyslav was struck by war
several more times, and many of its historical buildings were
also destroyed by large fires. The worst fire was noted by the
local chroniclers in 1767, when nearly the entire town burned
down and only a few burghers’ houses were left untouched.
The most famous natives of Přibyslav include the widely-known
Czech publisher Jan Otto (1841 – 1916) and Ing. Stanislav
Bechyně, Drsc. (1887 – 1973). Ing. Bechyně was the author of
designs for many unique buildings made of reinforced steel,
primarily arched bridges. The Přibyslav square now bears his
name.
SIGHTS
T
The
historical centre of town is an urban heritage zone. The
oldest building, which forms an essential landmark of the town,
o
is the Gothic tower from 1497. Adjacent to the tower is the
Baroque Church of St. John the Baptist, built between 1750
B
and 1753, on the site of the original church burned during the
a
Hussite wars. Near the town tower is also the former women’s
H
hospital, from 1692. It was built by Ferdinand of Dietrichstein
h
ffor poor and elderly women and it served its purpose for 250
years.
Přibyslav Chateau was built by Zachariáš of Hradec in 1560, on
the site of the former farmyard that used to belong to Přibyslav
Castle and was burned down in the conquest of the town in
1424. The original four-wing layout with a small rectangular
square, opened with Renaissance arcades was expanded in the
second half of the 18th century, and a second courtyard was
added. The repair after the 1847 fire gave the building’s façade
a late Classicist form. Renaissance envelope sgraffito has been
renewed on the walls of the chateau, and the building houses
a Museum of Fire Fighting.
A 90-meter mining adit has
survived at the foot of rocky
sur
slopes, sloping down to the
slo
River Sázava, below the local
Riv
parish house. It comes from
pa
the time when silver and later
also gold ores were extracted
als
near the town.
ne
The legendary military leader
Th
Jan Žižka is commemorated
by an equestrian sculpture by
Bohumil Kafka in the Přibyslav
Bo
Park, and a by cairn close to the
Pa
nearby village of Žižkovo Pole.
ne
49
owned
ow
by the Association of
Firemen
Fir
of Bohemia, Moravia,
and
an Silesia.
Municipal Museum
The museum exhibits are housed in the building known
as Kurfürst’s House, in the square. The museum features
memorabilia of significant natives of the town, an ethnographic
exhibition, a presentation of the history of medieval mining,
and underground, a collection of minerals found in the area.
Upon agreement with the museum management, a visit to
the nearby Church of St. John the Baptist is possible, and for
experts, a visit to the 90-meter-long medieval adit can be
arranged.
Contact information: Bechyňovo náměstí 45, 588 22 Přibyslav,
tel. +420 569 484 361, e-mail: [email protected], www.pribyslav.cz
The Fire Fighters’ Movement Centre
The museum is housed in the chateau, rebuilt from a Gothic
castle under the influence of Italian Renaissance architecture.
In the 18th century, the chateau was expanded and later
received Classicist adaptations. In the square, a renaissance
arcaded walkway has survived, comprised of a Tuscan-type
peristyle. The idea of setting up a museum of fire fighting
came about in 1975. The exhibition stretching over 3,000
sq m presents fire-fighting equipment and modern fire
protection and safety systems. In addition to the collection
and the specialised library, the chateau offers a ceremonial
and lecture hall and several classrooms. The museum is
Contact
Co
information: Husova
300,
30 582 22 Přibyslav, tel. +420
569
56 430 050, e-mail: jpatek@
chh.cz,
chh
www.dh.cz, www.chh.cz
The Roman Podrázský Nature Trail
This eight-kilometre trail with twelve stops presents the natural,
cultural, and historical riches of the town and its surroundings.
Within the town limits, it features architectural sights (Kurfüst’s
House, Old Hospital, and Chateau), the sculptural work of the
academic sculptor Roman Podrázský, a local native; in the
municipal park, it presents the bird species that live there. The
oldest surviving sight is the old adit where attempts at silver
extraction were probably made, and the adit may have served
as an escape route from the medieval town.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Žižka’s Cairn
The
Th memorial near the village
of Žižkovo Pole, near Přibyslav
(3 km north of town) was built
in 1874. The nearly fifteenmeter
me
monument marks the
place
pla
where, according to
legend,
leg
the Hussite military
leader
lea
Jan Žižka of Trocnov
died
die on 11 October 1424. The
cairn
cai is surrounded by a park.
The
Th chalice at its top is 190
centimetres
cen
tall.
The Ruins of Ronov Castle
T
The remains of a medieval castle (4 km east of Přibyslav) stand on a
T
rrocky promontory washed by the Losenický Creek. The castle was
first noted in 1329. It was built in order to protect the trails passing
through the valley of the River Sázava, from Žďár nad Sázavou to
th
Německý Brod (now Havlíčkův Brod). The castle’s name is derived
N
from the coat of arms of its founders – crossed branch ladders
fr
(called Rone in German). Ronov was plundered during the Hussite
(c
wars in 1424, with only the torso of the tower and remnants of
w
walls surviving.
w
50
HISTORY
According to legend, Světlá was founded and named by King
Charles IV. He got lost in the local deep forests during a hunt,
and only after a long ramble, a lighter forest led him to a valley
where his company found him. To commemorate the event, he
had a portion of the forest cut and a settlement established,
which he called Světlá. The actual establishment of Světlá is
connected with colonisation in the second half of the 12th
century.
The town is known for its glass industry, and garnets and
precious stones were cut there for nearly 200 years. This
tradition was started by the Kolowrat family in the mid 1700s.
Their predecessors, the Trčka family, rebuilt the medieval
fortress on the left bank of the River Sázava into a chateau.
A hundred years later, in 1855, Světlá obtained the status of a
town. Another major industry is the extraction and processing
of granite. The largest quarry in the area is Horka. Granite
from this quarry has been used for tiles in major buildings,
which is why Světlá nad Sázavou is referred to as the city of
glass and stone. The symbol of these industries is depicted in a
monument that has stood in the town square since 1992.
Světlá nad Sázavou
www.svetlans.cz
Nám. Trčků z Lípy 16
582 91 Světlá nad Sázavou
Tel.: +420 569 496 676
E- mail: [email protected]
movement, A. B. Svojsík, and the young poet J. Wolker, who
camped there in 1916. The lakes above the park can be used
for swimming in summer.
The original single-nave decanal St. Wenceslas’ Church was
expanded in 1722 by Countess Černín, who added the side naves
and the choir loft. The church tower features a characteristic
wooden level with hoarding. The valuable components of
the interior decorations include Brandl’s paintings, which
were purchased and donated to the church by Count Leopold
Kolovrat-Krakovský. At Christmas time, visitors can view a
Baroque nativity scene.
The Town Hall dates to the late 1700s/early 1800s; it was rebuilt
to its present form in 1926. It is among the most beautiful
buildings in Světlá.
SIGHTS
One of the most beautiful buildings in town is the chateau on
the left bank of the River Sázava. Originally, a fortress stood
there, which was converted to a chateau in 1567 by Burian Trčka
of Lípa. Further expansion was commenced after the Thirty
Years War by the Vernier family, and completed by the Černíns.
Count František of Zicha had the western Empire wing added to
the chateau, closing off the rectangular courtyard. The beautiful
stucco ceiling with multicoloured coat-of-arms decorations in the
Knights’ Hall dates to the same era. The last, Neo-Renaissance
rebuilding of the chateau took place in the middle of the 19th
century. The chateau is a single-level building with four wings,
forming a courtyard with a fountain. The chateau houses an
integrated secondary school. The main entrance to the chateau
is in the middle of the Western Wing, and the second, vaulted,
entrance in the Eastern wing is for accessing the chateau park,
which was established in 1871, stretching over 16 hectares and
featuring an attractive cascade of ponds and a brook valley,
which make it one of the most beautiful parks in the area. In
the spirit of romanticism, it was enriched with small structures
and features, which have survived to-date: gazebos, stone vases
and
stone
a
d fountains,
ou ta s, sto
e steps leading
ead g to a lake, and stone benches
and
an bridges. At its southern
end
en is a stone memorial from
1947,
dedicated to the founder
19
of the scouting
The original building of the municipal hospital by the bridge
over the River Sázava was built in 1578 by Burian Trčka of Lípa.
In the 19th century, it also housed a part of the school. In
1881, the dilapidated building was torn down and re-built.
The commemorative plaque placed on the building notes that
the composer Alois Jelen was born there in 1801.
Medieval Underground System
A system of nearly 200 meters of passages. No records have
survived attesting to their purpose, but they are thought to
have been created by a gradual expansion of cellars.
h
cellars By the
nature of the driving work, experts date the underground
n
ssystem to the 15th century. Research has not confirmed the
ffolk tales about the interconnection of the passages with other
ccellars of medieval houses and the chateau.
51
Ticket sales and tour organisation: Tourist Information Centre,
Náměstí Trčků z Lípy 16, tel. +420 569 496 676, e-mail: info@
svetlans.cz, www.svetlans.cz
Na Půdě Gallery
Na Půdě Gallery was opened in April 2004 in Světlá. It focuses
primarily on exhibitions of the visual arts.
Contact information: Tourist Information Centre, nám. Trčků
z Lípy 16, 582 91 Světlá nad Sázavou, tel. +420 569 496 676,
e-mail: [email protected], www.svetlans.cz
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Michal’s Farmstead Open-Air Museum
Michal’s Farmstead in Pohleď was declared a cultural monument in
2003. The open-air museum introduces to its visitors the life, work,
The “Museum of the Světlá Region” Memorial Hall
The Museum has been opened on the historical premises
of Světlá Chateau.
The permanent exhibition gives an
overview of the history of the town, the local estate, and the
greater area
area. It also houses items commemorating the most
significant figures from the region. The tour also includes a
visit to interesting short-term exhibitions supplementing the
permanent exhibition.
Contact Information: The Geographical Society of the Světlá
Region, nám. Trčků z Lípy 18, 582 91 Světlá nad Sázavou, tel.
+420 737 500 551
Chateau Park
Following the 1990s renovation, the park serves as a recreational
town. The island in one of the chateau lakes is the
area for the town
site of the Pink Gazebo; the arched Devil’s Bridge (Čertův most)
from 1884 was renovated, and the park’s romantic atmosphere
is underscored by footbridges, ponds with water lilies, and
an alpine garden. Also of note is the old orangery with an
artificial sandstone cave (grotto) featuring a waterfall, which
can be found in the northern part of the chateau complex.
52
a customs of a farmer on a medium
and
medium-sized
sized farm
farm, from the end of
tthe Thirty Years War until the abolition of forced labour in 1848. The
M
Michal family held the farmstead from 1591 until 1997. Visitors can
ssee a residential room with a stove and simple furnishings, a pantry,
sscullery, a silo, wagon and tool sheds, barn with a threshing floor,
a
and a granny cottage. The atmosphere of the open-air museum is
m
made complete by the presence of domestic animals – several sheep,
g
goats, and a cow.
C
Contact information: Pohleď 16, 582 91 Světlá nad Sázavou, tel.:
+420 569 452 532, +420 776 771 203
Melechov Fortress
The remains of a medieval fortress can be found among trees at the
foot of the western slopes of Melechov Hill (709 m above sea level),
above the municipality of Kouty. The small castle had a rectangular
residential building and a small moat. In the 15th century, Hussite
assemblies took place there; in 1420, the Hussites encountered a
strong troop from Sigismund’s army there.
A military cemetery from the Napoleonic wars is situated on the
edge of the municipality of Dolní Březinky. Buried there are soldiers
who died of typhoid fever in the military hospital set up in Světlá
Chateau in 1809-1814. Since 1841, a granite obelisk has stood there,
with inscriptions in Czech and German; the cemetery was declared a
cultural monument in 1995.
HISTORY
The entire region was settled in the 13th century, when an estate was
established around Rychmburk Castle. The name of the medieval
settlement is derived from the winding river. The oldest written
reports date to around 1350; by the end of the 15th century, Svratka
had held all of the rights of a town. In the early 17th century, the
town transferred to the property of King Ferdinand I and lost its
privileges for a long two hundred years. During the Thirty Years
War, the entire region suffered from invasions of foreign armies and
then from forced re-Catholicisation. In 1706, the estate passed to the
Kinsky family – Filip Kinsky started to grow flax in the Highlands and
established several industrial companies. In the same era, several iron
and glassworks were established in the area. A hundred years later,
industry began to develop in Svratka, building on traditional trades:
pottery-making, tinsmithing, match-stick making, and weaving.
Svratka
www.svratka.cz
Svratka Town Hall
Palackého 30
592 02 Svratka
Tel.: +420 566 662 330
The single-level parish house dates back to 1790.
Račana is the oldest part of town, on Řivnáč Brook, with wellpreserved original architecture.
In 1867, Svratka gained the status of a town. New houses, shops,
and workshops were being built, and the theatre company began
its activities. The early 20th century was an era of especially rapid
development. In the 1920s, many artists came to the region: the
painters Antonín Slavíček, Otakar Nejedlý, Rudolf Kremlička,
František Kavan, Antonín Kalvoda, and others. This artistic tradition
carried on without interruption, not even by the difficult war era.
On its premises, the municipal authority carefully cares for a valuable
collection of paintings by painters who had close relations with the
town.
SIGHTS
The spacious rectangular square is the town’s centre. Since time
immemorial, St. Procopius’ Chapel and a wooden fountain stood in
its centre. All cultural events were held in the so-called Lords’ House.
In 1843, the wooden fountain was replaced with a stone fountain,
and the chapel was torn down in 1867. In its place was erected a
statue of St. Wenceslas, in honour of the elevation of Svratka’s
status to that of a town. The sculpture’s author is the Prague sculptor
Ludvík Wurzl. Until 1905, cattle markets were held in the square;
today, it is a quiet zone. Near the fountain grows the last of the
chestnut trees planted in 1867, when Svratka obtained the status of
a town. In 1934, a memorial to war victims was set up.
The Church of St. John the Baptist was probably established in
the 13th century. It was burnt during the Hussite wars and later
The Fountain with a Mushroom Picker is the work of a local native,
native
the academic sculptor Antonín Odehnal, from 1938.
Restaurant U Šillerů used to be a popular gathering spot for the
artists seeking inspiration in the region. A list of their names can be
seen in the restaurant.
The Town Museum
The museum focuses on presenting the way of life in the town in the
era of the First Republic and is located in the renovated premises of
the former firehouse. Individual “houses” represent, for example,
the workshops of a tinsmith, potter, shoemaker, ski-maker, and
furrier, a school, savings bank, general shop, and tobacco shop.
Some exhibits come from the collections of the original museum,
from the middle of the last century; however, most of the items in
tthe collection were amassed from 2000 to 2004.
Contact information: U zbrojnice 347, 592 02 Svratka, tel. +420 777
C
224 205, e-mail: [email protected], www.svratka.cz
2
TIP FOR TRIP
renovated in the Gothic style.
style The church obtained its present
appearance during the 1789 rebuild. The church belfry comes from
around 1600, housing the “Mary” bell, cast in 1480.
T Žákova hora –Tisůvka Nature Trail
The
A circuit route passing over the central ridge of the Žďárské vrchy
rrange starts in the municipality of Cikháj. It informs visitors about
natural points of interest, the historical development of the
n
llandscape, and places of partisan resistance during the Second
World War, and visitors can also test their physical fitness. The trail
W
iis approximately 10 km long, there are 12 stations on it, and one of
ttwo circuits may be chosen. Approximately 700 meters from the top
of the hill known as Žákova hora (810 m above sea level) is one of
the sources of the River Svratka, called the “Silver Source”.
53
Telč
www.telc.eu, www.telc-etc.cz ,
www.telcsko.cz
Information Centre of the Town Hall of Telč
Městského úřadu Telč
Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce 10
588 56 Telč
Tel.: +420 567 112 407
Fax: +420 567 112 403
The square is made complete by a Marian column and two
fountains. The 1620 Marian column is adorned with sculptures
of saints, the lower fountain with the statue of St. Margaret, and
the fountain in the upper part of the square with a sculpture of
Silenus.
HISTORY
The town of Telč is one of the most picturesque in the country.
The precise date of the town’s establishment is not known. The
oldest reliable information about Telč dates to 1333 – 1335,
when the entire region belonged to the King of Bohemia. A
royal intendant had his seat at the farmstead of the local lords,
which included a tower and a little church. After 1339, Telč was
held by the aristocratic family of the Lords of Hradec, who had
a significant impact on the town’s appearance. The original
water fortress with a Gothic castle was gradually converted to a
charming Renaissance town. Zachariáš of Hradec (1526 – 1589)
had the old castle rebuilt into a grandiose Renaissance residence,
with the assistance of Italian craftsmen. At the same time as the
chateau underwent this, the Gothic houses in the square were
also rebuilt to the form that has survived to date. The first half
of the 17th century was marked by the Thirty Years War, and in
1645, the town was briefly seized and looted. In 1655, the Jesuit
order arrived in town, whose building activities significantly
contributed to the town’s present appearance. At the end of
the 19th century, the town grew rapidly; but, within its historical
gates, it retained the charming feel of the Renaissance era. That
was why, in 1992, its historical core was put on the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage List.
SIGHTS
The triangular square
square, lined with arcaded burghers’ houses
houses, is
unique in its integrity. The arcades were added to the houses in
the 15th century, based on a uniform plan. The facades of several
houses were adorned with Renaissance sgraffito, and the gables
of most of the houses underwent Baroque adaptations.
54
Both of the medieval town gates have survived – the Lower, or
Small Gate, was rebuilt into its present day form in 1579. The
Upper, or Great Gate, originally comprised two towers; the
outer tower was retained during the 1629 rebuilding.
One of the parts of the historical centre of the town is the
Renaissance chateau, rebuilt from the original Gothic castle in
the mid 1500s. The chateau grounds were given their final form
by the Italian architect Baldassare Maggi. It is one of the bestpreserved Renaissance architectural complexes in the country.
The Town Hall was created by merging two Gothic houses. Its
Renaissance rebuilding dates to 1574. Formerly, the Town Hall
also housed the town prison.
The Gothic Church of the Holy Spirit, originally Romanesque,
was rebuilt in the 15th century. Until 1579, it served as the
chapel of the municipal hospital, in the mid 1800s it housed the
municipal theatre, and presently it belongs to the Evangelical
Church of Czech Brethren.
The Tower of the Holy Spirit is the oldest Romanesque sight to
have survived in the town. It once served as a guard tower.
St. James’ Parish Church was
established
est
at the same time
as the town. Its present twonave
na
form dates to the mid
1400s.
14
Two precious bells have
survived
sur
in its 60-meter tower:
James
Jam and Mary. The original
Baroque
Ba
organ from 1725 has
also
als survived. At the end of the
cross
cro hall are plaques dedicated
to the victims of the First and
Second
Sec
World Wars.
The
Th originally Jesuit Church
of the Name of Jesus was
completed
c
in 1667. It was built iin the Baroque style, and its
decorations
d
are the work of important sculptors, carvers, and
painters.
p
After the arrival of the Jesuits, the former malt house was rebuilt
to the Residence of Holy Angels where boys were educated
in choir music and singing. After the abolition of the order, the
dormitory became a residence for clerks employed by the lords
of the town. Presently, it is the seat of a Ministry of Education
Educational and Conference Centre.
The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the Old Town
is one of the oldest buildings in town. Legend has it that it was
founded in 1099. In the past, it was the destination of numerous
pilgrimages from the general area. The church interior features
high-quality carvings from the second half of the 17th century. A
bell from 1515 hangs in the tower.
Contact information: náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce, 588 56 Telč,
tel./fax +420 567 243 821, tour reservation: +420 567 243 943,
e-mail: [email protected], www.zamek-telc.cz
T Vysočina Museum of Jihlava, Telč Branch
The
The Telč Museum, established in 1897, is located in the southwestern wing of the chateau. Its permanent exhibition features
documents from the history of the town and its surroundings
from the early medieval era up to the present. On display are
festive regional costumes and embroidery, and an interior of a
farmhouse room features examples of painted folk furniture and
painting on glass. One of the most precious exhibits is a model
of the town from 1895 and an extensive, mechanically moving
nativity scene, made by Mr. and Mrs. Vostrý in the mid 1800s.
Contact information: Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce 1, 588 56 Telč,
t
tel.
+420 567 243 918, e-mail: [email protected], http://
m
muzeum.ji.cz
L
Lookout
Tower of the Holy Spirit
The Chateau
The Renaissance chateau came into existence through the 16thcentury rebuilding of a defensive Gothic castle. Of especial value
are its interiors. The basic tour features a visit to the original
Gothic part and magnificent halls (Blue, Golden, Knights’) with
well-preserved wooden cassette ceilings, valuable furnishings,
and rich collections of weapons and paintings. The second tour
passes through the residential grounds used by the last owners of
the chateau, the Podstatsky-Lichtenstein family, until 1945. Their
furnishings provide important testimony about the appearance
of the aristocratic interiors of the time.
The chateau premises also house a branch of the Vysočina Museum
and the Chateau Gallery with the„ Story of Veselíčko Chateau“
Exposition – a collection of original furnishings and paintings that
were hidden in the Telč depository for over 50 years.
The chateau courtyards and historical halls are popular venues for
musical concerts. The chateau is surrounded with a natural park
boasting a Classicist hothouse.
The prismatic late-Romanesque
late Romanesque tower is 49 meters tall and
houses a permanent exhibition of paintings by Jan Křen and an
archaeological exhibition of finds discovered during the tower’s
renovation.
Contact information: Information Centre, Náměstí Zachariáše z
Hradce 10, 588 56 Telč, tel. +420 567 112 407 – 8, e-mail: info@
telc-etc.cz, www.telc.eu
Lookout Tower of St. James’ Church
The original medieval church was adapted to its present form
in the 15th century. Its 60 meter tower houses two precious
bells: James and Mary. Information about visits is available by
telephone at +420 604 985 398.
55
Firehouse Town Gallery
The building was restored to its original condition, from 1870,
when it was built on the site of former butcher shops, for the
newly founded volunteer fire corps. Occasional exhibitions are
held in the gallery.
The tower can be reached from town via the yellow tourist trail. It is
operated by the Czech Tourists’ Club, tel. +420 776 753 889.
T
Th
á Říš
i M
The N
Nová
Říše P
Premonstratensian
Monastery
T
The
female convent originally here was established in 1211. The
m
monastery buildings acquired their present form during renovations
in the mid 16th century and early 19th century. The most important
p
parts
include the monastery library, which has ceiling frescoes and
h
houses over 15,000 volumes. St. Peter’s and Paul’s Monastery Church
Contact information: Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce, 588 56 Telč,
tel.: +420 567 112 410 (gallery), 567 112 407-8 (Information
Centre), e-mail: [email protected], www.telc.eu
is decorated with frescoes by Jan Lukáš Kracker and features artistically
valuable furnishings – the choir benches and the carved pulpit date to
the late 1600s and early 1700s.
Telč House
The cellar of a historical house features ceramic figurines from
historical stories and gnomes depicted in their particular styles
by the artists Anna Hanzlová Sr., her daughter Anna, and Julek
Žembera. Some parts of the house date back to the Romanesque
era, and a small door affords a view to the Telč underground
system. Also on display are items found in the house during
renovations.
Contact information: Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce 31, 588 56 Telč,
tel.: +420 567 213 379, +420 777 333 274, e-mail: [email protected], www.telcsky-dum.cz
C
Contact
information: Premonstratensian Cannonry in Nová Říše, U
Kláštera 1, 588 65 Nová Říše, tel./ fax: +420 567 318 110, e-mail:
K
[email protected], www.klaster.novarise.cz.
o
R
Roštejn
Castle
TThe originally Gothic defensive castle was converted into a Renaissance
hunting lodge in the 16th century. The castle houses exhibits of the
h
Vysočina Museum of Jihlava (porcelain, pottery, pewter, period furniture,
V
aand a folk nativity scene), and presents the history of hunting weapons,
the tradition of stone masonry in Vysočina, and natural features of the
th
Jihlava Hills. Its landmark is the 45-meter heptagonal tower. The castle
Ji
is surrounded by an enclosure – the home of a herd of 100 mouflon and
some forty wild boars.
so
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Oslednice Lookout Tower
The steel structure on Oslednice Hill (557 m above sea level), not far
from Telč, stands on the site of the original wooden lookout tower that
was erected at the end of the 19th century. The lookout deck 31 m
above ground level can be reached by a spiral staircase with 175 steps.
56
Contact informatoin: Doupě 1, 588 56 Telč, tel. +420 567 243 738,
e-mail: [email protected], [email protected], http://rostejn.wz.cz
For a selection of further tips for trips see: www.telc.eu/page.
php?mx=51_trasy-a-programy&lx=en&ft=
HISTORY
Třebíč
www.trebic.cz, www.mkstrebic.cz,
www.visittrebic.eu
Information and Tourist Centre in the
Painted House
Karlovo náměstí 53
674 01 Třebíč
Tel.: +420 568 847 070, +420 568 610 021,
+420 775 707 503
Over the long centuries of its existence, the city has become a
major centre of Vysočina. It grew out of the foundations of the
medieval settlement connected with the establishment of the
Benedictine monastery in 1101, by princes from the Moravian
branch of the ruling Přemyslid dynasty. The monastery was
among the richest in the entire kingdom, and was a centre of
learning. The advantageous position of the monastery amidst
the royal towns of Brno, Jihlava, and Znojmo, served as an
impetus for founding a town on both banks of the River Jihlava.
The oldest written document comes from 1277; in 1335, Třebíč
was granted the status of a town. Evidence to the significance
of the town at the time of its establishment is the sizeable
square, in which a number of valuable burghers’ houses have
survived. In the first half of the 13th century, the world-famous
Romanesque-Gothic St. Procopius’ Basilica was built. In 2003, the
Basilica and the Jewish Quarter were inscribed on the UNESCO
World Cultural Heritage List.
Back Synagogue
Subakova 1/44
674 01 Třebíč
Tel.: +420 568 823 005, +420 568 610 023,
+420 777 746 986
Basilica
Zámek 1
674 01 Třebíč
Tel.: +420 568 610 022, +420 777 746 982
with hunting gear. The house is the venue of a number of
cultural activities and the home of the information centre. The
figural sgraffito on Rábl’s House depicts human virtues, hunting
Over the centuries, years of flourishing alternated with years of
stagnation and decline. The town lost it Gothic form in 1468,
when it was nearly completely destroyed during the CzechHungarian war. Renaissance Třebíč has not survived, either,
due to fires: the gables of burgher’s houses were replaced with
Baroque and historicising façades. In the mid 1600s, the estate
passed to the Lords of Wallenstein. With them, long disputes
were conducted in the 18th century, to protect at least some of
the old town rights. Many significant changes were brought
to the life of Třebíč in the 19th century. The town expanded,
the influence of its inhabitants grew, the railway connected it
with other parts of the region, and industry and cultural life
developed. The picturesque surroundings of the town and its
noteworthy sights give the town a unique attractiveness.
SIGHTS
The size of Charles’ Square (22,000 square meters) is testament
to the significance of the town at the time of its founding. Of
the greatest value are two Renaissance houses decorated with
sgraffito – Františkovský (Painted) and Rábl’s (Black) houses.
Františkovský was built at the end of the 16th century by the
Venetian trader Francesco Calligardi. Its sgraffito decorations
were renewed in 1903 – under the ledge is a number of scenes
with a hunter and a lion, the space between windows is filled
with Biblical figures, the bay depicts men in 16th century folk
costumes, and the sides at the front of the house depict figures
scenes, and
d Roman
R
military
ilit
leaders.
l d
The
Th portal
t l carved
d outt off fine
sandstone is also superior. The statues of Cyril and Methodius,
in the middle of the square, are the work of the sculptor B.
Seeling, from 1885.
St. Martin’s Church was probably established in the second
half of the 13th century. The original wooden church was rebuilt
several times, most recently in 1716. The massive town tower,
today connected to it, originally constituted a part of the town’s
fortifications. It is a major landmark of the town and its massive
clock is also of interest.
Wallenstein Chateau, today the seat of the Vysočina Museum
of Třebíč, was developed from the 16th century onwards, on the
57
remnants of an extensive Benedictine monastery. The Romanesque
T Orthodox Church of St. Wenceslas and Ludmila was built
The
iin 1939 – 1940. Its dome is plated with sheets of genuine gold.
T
The Evangelical Church was built in the Art Nouveau style in
1
1910.
T
The Chapel of the Elevation of the Holy Cross was built by
tthe Třebíč builder Jan Fulík in 1644 and 1645. The chapel is built
w
with a cross ground-plan and a curved portal.
St
St. Procopius’ Basilica
Basilica, built alongside the monastery in 1250
1250,
is one of the most significant architectural monuments of its kind
in Central Europe. Every part of the basilica, the extensive crypt
as well as the precious entrance portal, magnify the monumental
beauty of the whole. Together with the Jewish Quarter, it was
inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in July
2003.
The uniquely preserved Jewish Quarter is the largest complex
of Jewish monuments in the Czech Republic. The first Jews were
documented in Třebíč in 1338 and 1410. By the 18th century,
the Jewish Quarter had acquired a purely urban character; over
time, two synagogues, a rabbinical office, school, hospital, and
an extensive cemetery outside of the town were built. Today,
the former Jewish Quarter features 123 houses – only five houses
of the original historical Jewish ghetto have been torn down.
Both synagogues have been renovated, and gradually, the entire
quarter is coming to life with small shops, cafés, and stylish
restaurants. Even today, the atmosphere of the era of their fame
Th
The dominant building of the
sou
south-western part of town is
the brick windmill built in
183
1836. The mill crushed oak bark
for producing tan for the local
tan
tanners.
Ele
Elements of the Rondo-cubist
sty
style were applied in the 1920s
by the famous Czech architect
Jos
Josef Gočár, in building the
Tus
Tuscullum Factory.
The Savings Bank Building was buil
built in the functionalist style in
1932 and 1933. The author of the design is the architect Bohuslav
Fuchs. The Municipal River Spa was built at the same time and
also on the basis of his design. The wooden one-level structure
with dressing rooms is still used, and admired by experts.
In 1924, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death
o
of Jan Žižka, a cairn was built of granite boulders at Hrádek. It
st
stands near the remains of a medieval bastion, on the site where
– as legend has it – the military leader had pitched his tent.
is still being evoked by the narrow streets, houses growing as if on
top of each other, steps carved in rock, small squares, and all sorts
of small details. The Front Synagogue, built in the mid 1600s,
is used for sacral purposes by the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
The Back Synagogue, with valuable wall paintings, serves as an
exhibition and concert venue. An interpretive trail leads through
the Jewish Quarter, and guide services are provided. Evidence of
the centuries of the existence of a Jewish community here is the
Jewish Cemetery, with nearly 3,000 stone tombstones.
The Capuchin monastery with the Church of the Transfiguration
of the Lord was built between 1686 and 1693 on the site of the
original Brethren community and school
58
St. Procopius’ Basilica
The Romanesque – Gothic basilica, originally consecrated to the
Virgin Mary, was built for the Benedictine monastery in 1250 and
is a marvel of medieval architecture. In the middle of the 15th
century, it suffered significantly when Třebíč was surrounded
by the armies of Matthias Corvinus; and for the two centuries
that followed, it was used for secular purposes, as a horse stable,
silo, and brewery. After an overall renovation between 1725
and 1731, it was consecrated to St. Procopius and again used
was
w the seat of the administration of the independent Jewish
community.
From the late medieval era, a hospital was a part of
c
the
t Jewish community – the two-level hospital building was built
in 1851. The former house for the poor documents the charitable
sense
of the Jewish community. Subak’s tannery at the eastern
s
end
e of the Jewish Quarter was in operation until 1931.
Contact
Information: Information and Tourist Centre in the Back
C
Synagogue,
Subakova 1/44, 674 01 Třebíč, tel. +420 568 610 023,
S
e-mail:
[email protected].
e
Back
Synagogue
B
forr sacral purposes. The most
valuable parts include the
va
extensive three-nave crypt with
ext
pillars, the choir vaulted with a
pil
double eight-piece stone vault,
do
the round rosette window in
the eastern part of the apse, and tthe northern entrance portal.
The present appearance of the basilica’s interior is the work of
Kamil Hilbert from 1924 – 1935. The basilica can be visited with
a professional guide.
Contact Information: Information and Tourist Centre in the
Basilica, Zámek 1, 674 01 Třebíč, tel.: +420 568 610 022, +420
777 746 982, e-mail: [email protected], www.mkstrebic.
cz, www.visittrebic.cz
Interpretive Trail through the Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter has been inscribed on the UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage List, and is the only Jewish monument outside
of Israel to have been so. Individual houses feature noteworthy
architectural details – vaults, stone jambs of portals, iron-clad
doors, shaped wrought bars, etc. Typical of Jewish development
are the narrow winding streets with arches separating blocks of
densely grouped two-storey houses, and arched public passages
on the ground floors of houses
that connect one street to
tha
another. Its 16 stops feature,
an
in addition to both synagogues
and the Jewish Cemetery, the
an
most important sights: the
mo
rabbinical office is characterised
rab
by a massive buttress at the
front; the Jewish school where
fro
boys learned about the basics of
bo
Judaism until the 1920s; and the
Jud
former Jewish municipal house
for
with valuable vaults, presently
wit
used as an exhibition hall. The
use
late 19th century Jewish Town
lat
Hall with a Renaissance core
Ha
The synagogue was built in 1669, and in 1705-7, it was rebuilt in the
Baroque style. Its interiors boast stucco and painted decorations,
using ornamental and plant motifs and Hebrew liturgical texts.
The synagogue is used as an exhibition and concert hall. The
female gallery features an extensive exhibition of the history of
the Jewish Quarter. The exhibits on display here document the
day-to-day lives of the locals as well as their religious habits and
ceremonies. A 1:100 model of the Jewish ghetto depicts its form
in 1850.
Contact Information: Information and Tourist Centre in the Back
Synagogue, Subakova 1/44, 674 01 Třebíč, tel: +420 568 823 005,
+420 568 610 023, e-mail: [email protected], www.
visittrebic.cz
59
Front Synagogue
exhibition is devoted to Třebíč modlavites. Permanent exhibitions
are supplemented throughout the year with temporary exhibitions
a
iin the former chateau stables, saddle-room, and chapel and Small
Gallery. The stone hall with rich decorations featuring coats of
G
arms is used for concerts of classical music, lectures, and cultural
a
events.
e
Contact Information: Zámek 1, 674 01 Třebíč, tel., fax: +420 568
C
840 518, e-mail: [email protected], www.zamek-trebic.
8
ccz
The Town Tower
T
The synagogue was built in 1639 – 1642. After several fires and
subsequent renovations, it acquired its present neo-Gothic form
in 1856 – 1857. During the Second World War, it was used as a
warehouse and seriously damaged. In 1952, it was adapted for
the sacral purposes of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church. It is a
simple rectangular building with a hipped roof and Gothicising
windows with pointed arches.
The Jewish Cemetery
The cemetery was founded on a slope above Týnský Brook in
the 1620s. The extensive cemetery, with nearly three thousand
stone tombstones, the oldest one of which dates to 1631, is one
of the most valuable and best-maintained Jewish cemeteries in
Moravia. The cemetery includes a ceremonial hall from 1903 with
a uniquely preserved interior, where burial ceremonies in line
with ancient Jewish traditions can be performed. The cemetery
is freely accessible, and a tour with a guide can be arranged with
Mr. Zdeněk Malášek, Hrádek 14, tel. +420 568 827 111.
For further information and guide services, please contact:
Information and Tourist Centre in the Back Synagogue, Subakova
1/44, 674 01 Třebíč, tel: +420 568 823 005, +420 568 610 023,
e-mail: [email protected], www.visittrebic.cz
The Vysočina Museum of Třebíč
The museum’s history is related to the organisation of an
ethnographic exhibition in Prague in 1895, for which items were
collected throughout the country, including in the Třebíč area.
The museum occupies the former Wallenstein Chateau, rebuilt
in the 16th century from a medieval Benedictine monastery. The
museum exhibits document the natural beauties of the city’s
surroundings, the historical development of settlement and
trades in the Třebíč region, the development of pipe-making,
and the tradition of crèche-making. On part of the mineralogical
60
The massive tower of the St. Martin’s Church, 72 meters tall,
comes from the middle of the 13th century. The deck, 35 meters
above ground, offers a view of the entire town. According to
the information available, the dimensions of the tower clock (the
face is 550 cm in diameter, and the figures are 60 cm tall) make it
the largest on the European continent.
Contact Information: Information and Tourist Centre, Karlovo
náměstí 53, 674 01 Třebíč, tel. +420 568 847 070, e-mail: info@
mkstrebic.cz, www.visittrebic.cz
HISTORY
The establishment of Třešť was probably connected with the
discovery of silver in the Jihlava area and its extraction by the
king. The little town with a triangular square in the centre was
founded on the left bank of Třeštice Brook. Two trading routes
intersected by the brook, and on its right bank was the original
village with St. Martin’s Parish Church, established in the 13th
century. The first written mention of Třešť comes from 1349. At
that time, it constituted a small estate with a church and a fortress
and belonged to Záviš of Třešť. In the 16th century, a chateau was
built on the site of the former fortress, and a Lutheran church
was founded in the square – today’s St. Catherine’s Church. At
the same time, the town acquired its coat of arms with a unicorn,
symbolising good luck.
From the middle ages, the existence of a Jewish community was
documented in Třešť. An Empire-style synagogue built in 1825
has survived. As a student, Franz Kafka went to Třešť to spend
his vacations; the origins of his story “The Village Doctor” are
attributed to this environment.
Třešť
www.trest.cz
Information Centre
Rooseweltova 462/6
589 01 Třešť
Tel.: +420 567 234 567
obliterated by subsequent rebuilding. In the 16th century, a
four-wing building with corner towers and arcades was built.
Following building adaptations in the middle of the 17th century,
the chateau was adapted for residential purposes in 1860. It used
to house the municipal museum, but today, the building is owned
by the Czech Academy of Sciences and serves as a hotel and a
venue for conferences and symposia. The chateau is surrounded
by a fifteen-hectare English garden.
The Church of St. Catherine of Sienna was founded as a
At the beginning of the 19th century, industry developed in Třešť.
A fabric-making factory and a match factory were established,
and in 1868 a small-series production of clock boxes and carved
furniture was started.
In the museum, visitors can see evidence of the folk tradition of
crèche-making, which developed in Třešť from the 18th century
on. Originally, the figures were only painted and coloured, and
in the 19th century, the more demanding carving technique was
adopted.
SIGHTS
St. Martin’s Parish Church is the oldest sight in town. It was
established in the 13th century, completed in the 15th century,
and then adapted in the Baroque style. The local master
mason Jakub Lysý was significantly involved in the 18th century
renovation. Of the church’s interiors, the Gothic and Renaissance
tombstones and stone pulpit are noteworthy. A Way of the Cross
leads from the church to the so-called Gallows Hill. It was built by
Franz Kilian and consecrated in 1878.
The chateau underwent complicated building developments. It
stands on the site of a medieval fortress that was entirely
German Lutheran church in the 16th century. In the 18th century,
a choir was added. The interior comes from the 19th century.
There are two late Renaissance tombstones on the exterior wall.
The
T
town boasts the Birth House of J. A. Schumpeter (1883
– 1950), a significant 20th
century
cen
lawyer and economist.
He worked at a number
of
universities
throughout
the world, became the first
Austrian
Au
Minister of Finance,
and
an a number of his economic
theories
the
are recognised to date.
One
O off the
h exhibitions
hibi i
off the
h museum that occupies the building
is
i devoted to his life and work. On display are also furnishings
from
f
Třešť Chateau, and another exhibition presents the local
history
h
of crèche-making. The building also houses the Tourist
Information
I
Centre.
The neo-Renaissance Chapel of the Schumpeter-Kilián Family,
from 1888, is the dominant feature of the municipal cemetery
and
an reflects the significance
and
an wealth of both families.
The
Th Empire-style Synagogue
was
wa built after the 1824 fire
that
tha destroyed the entire Jewish
ghetto.
gh
The synagogue was
61
rebuilt thanks to a collection and consecrated a year later. It faces
the street with a front with five arcades – a unique architectural
feature in the lands of the Bohemian crown. The synagogue serves
as an exhibition and concert hall. The exhibition “Tracks Erased
by Wind” is devoted to the history of the local Jewish community
and Franz Kafka (1883 – 1924). Guided tours through the
syn
synagogue are arranged by the
Inf
Information Centre. Also the
Jew
Jewish Cemetery documents
the Jewish settlement, with
its stone tombstones from the
ea
early 18th century; it is situated
on the slopes of the hill called
Ko
Korečník, on the south-western
edge of town.
The former prison yard features a memorial to the victims of 1945 and a
memorial to Jewish citizens tortured to death in concentration camps.
In 2003, an extensive renovation of
the square was completed, during
which an original sundial was
installed. It is the largest sundial
in the country, with 663 square
meters and the hand is 8.21 m
long. The figures are placed in the
nd to adjust to winter and summer
pavement and can be moved around
time.
The Crèches of Třešť
Crèche-making has a tradition of more than two hundred years
in town. A permanent museum exhibition in the house of J. A.
Schumpeter gives a comprehensive overview. A paper crèche
shows the work of authors from the second half of the 19th
century; in the large wooden crèche, the visitor can see figures
by authors from the last century. Some fifty wooden crèches
until 2 February. The houses of the families where crèches are
on display are marked with a green mark. A new tradition is the
so-called Woodcutting – a gathering of cutters from all over the
country and abroad, during which a new crèche is created; new
figures are added every year.
Contact Information: Society of Friends of Crèches, Rooseveltova
462/6, 589 01 Třešť, tel. +420 567 224 537 or the Tourist Information
Centre, tel. +420 567 234 567, e-mail: [email protected], www.trest.cz
Roštejn Castle
The originally Gothic defensive
Th
castle was converted to a
cas
Renaissance hunting retreat
Re
in the 16th century. The castle
burned down in 1915 after
bu
it was struck by fire; in the
1960s, it was gradually restored
19
and opened to the public in
an
1969. The castle presents the
19
collections of the Vysočina
col
Museum of Jihlava: on display
Mu
are porcelain, pottery, pewter,
and period furniture; and the
an
history of hunting weapons and
his
th
the
he tradition of stone-masonry in V
Vysočina are presented. The
unique botanical hall, whose walls are covered with pictures
u
of herbs and farm plants, features a herbarium collection from
o
the Jihlavské vrchy area. The castle’s landmark is its 45 meter
heptagonal tower. The castle courtyard annually hosts a number
of cultural events (Historical Festival, Fencing Festival, Jazz at
the Castle), in July and August night-time viewings are available
upon request, and weddings and social events are organised in
the historical halls. The castle is surrounded with an enclosure
which was first mentioned by historical materials in 1592. It is the
home of a herd of some hundred mouflon and forty wild boar.
Contact Information: Doupě 1, 588 56 Telč, tel. +420 567 243 738,
e-mail: [email protected], http://rostejn.wz.cz, http://muzeum.
ji.cz
TIPS FOR TRIPS
T
The
surrounding countryside boasts excellent destinations for
walks and hikes:
w
ŠŠpičák (4 km) – a nature reserve stretches around the hill (734
m above sea level) featuring 45 hectares of virgin forest, with
rremnants of a mixed forest comprised of ash, beech, elm, and fir.
T source of the river Moravská Dyje is found near the village of
The
SStájiště (6 km), below Hřeben Hill (671 m).
T
Three
smaller Bukovské Ponds (5 km) are significant in terms of
their contribution to the landscape and as a biological locale.
th
were put up in the town’s
we
households, from smaller ones
ho
to crèches six meters long. The
gures, 10-12 cm tall, were
fig
carved from linen or alder
car
wood and either painted or
wo
varnished. Presently, some ten
var
amateur artists carve figures. Every Christmas,
sixteen crèches are
C
open for viewing directly in people’s homes – from Christmas Day
62
Near the village of Čenkov (4 km), the birthplace of a colonel of
the Czechoslovak Legions, Josef Jiří Švec, is a flooded quarry –
one of the cleanest recreational swimming facilities in the Jihlava
area.
A tourist trail leads from the chateau park to the Kroutil forest
manager’s lodge. It leads through a hundred-year-old chestnut
alley and a quiet zone with fish-rearing ponds called Březíčko.
HISTORY
Velká Bíteš
www.vbites.cz
Information Centre and Cultural Club
of the Town of Velká Bíteš
595 01 Velká Bíteš
Tel.: +420 566 532 025
Fax: +420 566 534 001
[email protected]
The original settlement was established in a shallow basin
at the crossroads of trading routes, before 1200. The first
trustworthy document attesting to its existence is a parchment
of King Wenceslas written in Latin and dated 1240, which is
among the oldest written documents preserved in Moravia.
The settlement developed into a town in the 14th century,
and this position was confirmed in 1408 by Lord Lacko of
Kravaře, the Margrave and Burgrave of King Wenceslas IV. In
the middle ages, Bíteš earned several privileges and became
the financial and administrative centre of a large estate. In
maps, it is shown as a fortified town with a church fortress.
Sources from the era placed it among the first ten towns in
South-Western Moravia.
The centre of town is the historical core, which has been
declared an urban protected zone with a uniquely preserved
urban concept. Since the middle ages, the centre of town has
been the spacious square lined with burghers’ houses; two
streets generate from it, leading to the church that dominates
this grouping. The entire space is surrounded with walls, with
a separate fortification for the church. The square is situated
in the East-West direction on the old Brno – Jihlava road. It
served as a marketplace. The tradition of large markets was
upheld here until 1938.
The houses have not survived in their original form due to
frequent fires in the past and war. New houses have been
erected on the multi-story foundations of the destroyed houses
that held the right to brew beer.
Go
othic rebuild that took
Gothic
pla
place
at the end of the 15th
cen
century,
creating a twona
nave
space with three pillars,
rib
ribbed
ceiling terminating
wi
with
a choir loft, and towers
ma
made
of quarried stone. The
ma
massive
fortifications of the
ch
church
come from the same
era reinforced with a twoera,
level
lev entrance tower and five
bastions
ba
with gun-holes. The
entire
en
church fortress complex
is indeed a unique architectural m
monument. Also unique are
its four original bells; the “large” one is the subject of legend.
A cemetery from 1771 adjoins the church.
In the square are two stone fountains from 1826, a statue
of St. John Nepomuck from 1714, and a bronze bust of T.
G. Masaryk from 1991 – it is after him that the square was
named.
SIGHTS
The town fortifications probably developed in the 15th
century. They comprised perimeter walls and three gates, with
protective moats and drawbridges. Two gates were situated
on opposite sides of the square and one by the church. Only
small remnants of the walls have survived, but street names
like “Under the Walls” and “On the Ramparts” remind us of
their former existence.
A landmark of the town is the Church of St. John the Baptist
situated in the northern, elevated part of Velká Bíteš. The
building has not survived in its original, late Romanesque form:
only some of its exterior walls have been integrated in the
63
The Town Hall has been documented since the 15th century.
In its underground premises, the space that formerly served for
the exercise of the execution and torture rights has survived:
it was once used as a prison and torture chamber. In 1886,
the Renaissance building was torn down and a new, modern
building was erected on top of the original foundations.
Across the way from the Town Hall is house No. 5, the home
of the Municipal Museum. The house boasts a rich history
and is one of the most significant in Velká Bíteš. Four hundred
eastern edge of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.
Letná
A former Sokol exercise facility and popular destination for
outings. A walk through an alley of ashes and maples leads
to the Front Mill, near which is an abandoned quarry where
crystal slate was extracted. The valley of the Bítýška to the
Middle Mill, with a view of the quiet valley of the Klečanský
Brook, will take you back to town.
years ago, there used to be a church of Bohemian Brethren on
the site, built by the Žerotín gentry. The building transferred
to the ownership of the town not quite a hundred years later,
which is documented by a parchment of majestic dimensions,
stored in the local archive. In part, the late 16th century
appearance of the house has survived.
Municipal Museum
The museum is located in the back tract of the historical house,
on the site of a former church of the Union of Brethren, built in
the 16th century by the Žerotín gentry. A part of the regional
historical and geographical exhibition is replaced every year.
Contact Information: Masarykovo nám. 5, 595 01 Velká Bíteš,
tel./fax: +420 566 532 383, +420 739 181 345, e-mail: muzeum.
[email protected], www.vbites.cz/muzeum
Church of St. John the Baptist – lookout tower, Kostelní 71,
595 01 Velká Bíteš, visit upon arrangement with the parish
authority, tel. +420 565 555 128, +420 604 676 196.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
Holy Mountain (Svatá hora)
A hilltop with a small memorial and sculpture, 8 km to the
north of Velká Bíteš. It can be reached from several sides:
from Ořechov, Skřinářov, and Kadolec. A legend says that, as a
child, St. Zdislava (1215-1252), a daughter from an aristocratic
family inhabiting the nearby Křižanov Castle, was miraculously
saved on Holy Mountain. The hilltop affords a marvellous view
of the system of lakes below Ronov, where the source of the
Bítýška lies; other ponds around Osové, where the White Brook
(Bílý potok) has its source; and the extensive panorama of the
64
Jinošov Springs
A walk along forests springs in the Jinošov area, 6 km south of
town, will take you to 8 to 10 springs with poetic names, on
the 12 to 15 km of the trail.
HISTORY
Velké Meziříčí
www.mestovm.cz
Town Hall Information Centre
Radnická 29/1
594 13 Velké Meziříčí
Tel.: +420 566 501 107
Fax: +420 566 521 657
In the centre of the square, you can find St. Nicholas’ Church.
O
Originally
a one-nave parish church, it was rebuilt from 1410
t 1412 into a spacious Gothic two-nave church; later, the
to
a
arrangement
was changed to an asymmetrical three-nave
c
confi
guration, in order to facilitate its vaulting.
The town lies at the confluence of the Rivers Oslava and Balinka,
in the place where two major trade routes intersected. The town
experienced the era of its greatest flourishing in the 16th century:
trades developed, burghers built majestic houses, the town hall
was
wa rebuilt, and the Gothic St.
Nicholas’
Nic
Church was rebuilt.
Th historical centre of town has
The
be declared an urban heritage
been
zo
zone.
The town’s landmark is the
cha
chateau,
rebuilt from the original
cas
castle.
It houses the museum,
wh
which
has historical and natural
col
collections.
The Jewish quarter
wit its synagogue bears witness
with
to the local Jewish community.
An interesting modern technical
fea
feature
is the motorway bridge
tha spans the valley, 72 meters
that
ab
above
ground.
A significant building is the Town Hall, originally Gothic, but
rebuilt in 1528 – 29 in the Renaissance style, which has survived
to date.
SIGHTS
The most significant buildings include the chateau. The
Other
O h jewels
j
l in
i town include
i l d Obecník
Ob
ík – the
h former
f
municipal
i i l
brewery, decorated with sgraffito from the 16th century, and
the
t former Lutheran gymnasium, built in 1578. This three-wing,
one-level
o
building in the style of the Italian Renaissance is a
likeness
li
of the Verona Palazzo Pompei, by the architect Michel
san
s Michelei. Today, it houses the Municipal Library.
An
A independent Jewish community was first noted in the town
in 1518. In that era, the so-called Old Synagogue was built.
The
T
Jewish community developed rapidly, especially after the
originally
oriiginally gothic castle, rebuilt
as a Renaissance chateau, was
expanded
ex
in the Baroque era,
and
an then adapted in the neoGothic
Go
style. Of the various
architectural
arc
styles, the Gothic
and Renaissance loggia and the Renaissance
R
entry gate have
survived. The chateau interiors are decorated with stucco and
paintings and appointed with period furnishings. Today, the
chateau houses the museum.
The historical centre of town has been declared an urban
heritage zone.
65
T Chateau and Museum
The
TThe chateau has housed the museum since 1948. In addition to
historical and natural collections, visitors can see a collection pertaining
h
to the military operations of the Austro-Hungarian army in 1909, and
aalso a batiste handkerchief of František Harrach, the adjutant of the
heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, with the archduke’s
h
blood. The exhibition specialising on roads gives an introduction
b
to road and bridge construction, through photographs and design
documentation.
d
Contact Information: the Velké Meziříčí Museum, Zámecké schody
C
1200/4, 594 01 Velké Meziříčí, tel. +420 566 522 773, e-mail:
1
[email protected], www.muzeumvm.cz
m
T Synagogue Gallery
The
TThe former Gothic-Renaissance Old Synagogue serves as the museum’s
eexhibition space. Permanent exhibition: Magen David – The history of
Jews in Velké Meziříčí
Je
Contact Information: Novosady 1146, 594 01 Velké Meziříčí, tel.
C
+420 566 524 621
+
Thirty Years War. Between 1867 and 1870, the New Synagogue
was built. Also standing as a reminder of the Jewish settlement
is a cemetery with Baroque tombstones.
An interesting point is the Vysočina Motorway Bridge, built
in 1972 – 79. The tallest bridge on the D1 Motorway spans the
valley 72 meters above ground and is 426 meters long.
Also worth a visit is the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Moráň
Cemetery with tombs of important figures (Vladimír Čech, Titus
Krška) and the Church of the Holy Cross built by the Lords of
T
The Lookout Tower of St. Nicholas’ Church
S Nicholas’ Church and its 64 meter tower are the landmarks of the
St.
squ
square.
The tower clock is
the largest illuminated clock
in tthe Czech Republic. A visit
to the observation deck, 40
me
meters
above ground, to take
lo at the town is possible
a look
upo arrangement with the
upon
par
parish
authority, tel. +420
56 522 101.
566
NATURE
A natural area that is interesting for trips is the Balinské Valley,
which has been declared a peaceful area and a nature trail.
w
SSimilarly interesting is the Nesměřské Valley of the River Oslava.
There are many tourist trails around the town that can be used
T
ffor cross-country skiing. They all start in the town square.
Lomnice and rebuilt by Zikmund Heldt of Kement, who is buried
there. The Renaissance tombstone of his tomb is one of the
most beautiful there. Not far away is the lower wall gate, the
only one surviving from the original fortifications.
66
HISTORY
Žďár nad Sázavou
www.zdarns.cz
The Santini Tour Travel Agency
nám. Republiky 24
591 01 Žďár nad Sázavou
Tel.: +420 566 628 539
Fax: +420 566 625 808
The town lies in the middle of the protected landscape area
Žďárské vrchy (Žďár Hills). Its history is tied to the development
of the Cistercian monastery established in 1252.
Cardinal Frantisek of Ditrichstein promoted the small village
of Žďár to a town in 1607. The former monastery developed
the present form during large reconstructions in the time of
Abbot Vaclav Vejmluva in the first half of the 18th century. The
reconstructions were designed by architect Jan Blažej Santini
Aichl. The monastery was dissolved by the Emperor Joseph II
in 1784.
The town’s life markedly boomed during the second half on
the 19th century. First larger, mainly shoes factories were
founded and the town was provided with a railway service.
First significant changes of urban development took place.
After the World War II number of inhabitants rapidly increased
in connection with the engineering company’s establishment.
New housing estates were built and the historic centre of the
town was nearly totally rebuilt in the seventies.
The Information and Tourist Centre at
the Žďár nad Sázvou Chateau
Zámek 11
591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou 2
Tel.: +420 566 629 152
Fax: +420 566 629 331
www.zamekzdar.cz
A landmark of the town’s centre is St. Procopius’ Church and
the former Renaissance town hall. The originally Renaissance
town hall underwent an Empire-style rebuilding in the
mid 1700s; it has been recently restored and converted into
ceremonial premises for the city.
SIGHTS
T
The St. Procopius’ Parish Church was originally a Gothic building.
T
The most valuable item there is the Madonna and Child from
tthe mid 1400s. New Stations of the Cross were placed in the
cchurch during the complete reconstructions in the 1970‘s.
T
The plague column by the Tyrolean sculptor Jakub Steinhübl is
ffrom 1706. It culminates with the symbol of the Holy Trinity.
S
St. Barbara’s Chapel is located a few metres to the east of the
p
parish church. It is a simple baroque chapel built in 1729
The most significant sight is the Pilgrimage Church of St. John
Nepomuck on Zelená Hora (the Green Hill) designated as a
UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994.
The chateau is an extensive complex of the numerous buildings
of the former Cistercian monastery. Leading to it, across the
River Sázava, is a triple-arched Baroque bridge built around
1760, and adorned with eight statues of saints.
T
The late-Gothic fortress is situated near to the parish church
above the Sázava River and is one of the oldest buildings in the
town. Referred to as early as 1300, it has been renovated in a
Late Gothic style, with a Baroque roof and houses the Regional
Museum.
The abandoned Baroque Lower Cemetery, also built by Santini,
has a monumental feel. In its centre stands a statue of an
Angel of the Last Judgement.
67
The works of the participants of international sculpting
symposia are dispersed throughout the city, forming a gallery
of over 80 wooden sculptures.
Baroque architectural landmarks, the work of the architect Santini.
The Prelature houses the Museum of Books
Contact information: The Information and Tourist Centre at the Žďár
nad Sázavou Chateau,
Zámek 11, 591 02 Žďár nad Sázavou 2, tel. +420 566 629 152, fax:
+420 566 629 331, e-mail: [email protected], www.zamekzdar.cz
The Pilgrimage Church of St. John Nepomuck on Zelená Hora
(the Green Hill)
The church was built between 1719
719 and 1722 on the basis of a
design by the architect Jan Blažej Santini, in the “Baroque-Gothic”
style. For the original nature of Bohemian Baroque-Gothic, and the
masterful composition of the building, based on the symbolism of St.
John’s five-point star, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural
Heritage List in 1994. Inside the church, the symbolism of the magic
number five is apparent, primarily in the five altars and five halls, and
five stars and five angels on the main altar. The courtyard of the
pilgrimage sight is lined by ambits with five gates and chapels. The
gates placed in the middle of each arm have dome-like roves and are
adorned with sculptures.
Contact information: Zelená Hora – Historical Area, 591 02 Žďár nad
Sázavou 2, tel.: +420 566 622 855, 724 663 716, e-mail: zel.hora@
telc.npu.cz, www.zelena-hora.eu
The chateau
The chateau complex is composed of an extensive array of buildings
that were part of the former Cistercian Monastery. The chateau
acquired its present form after 1784, when the monastery burned
down and Emperor Joseph II decided to abolish it and convert it to a
chateau. In the historical parts of the chateau, visitors can tour the
Convent Church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary and admire its
richly decorated interiors. There are exhibits dedicated to the region‘s
68
B
Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (former Convent
c
church)
From 1710 to 1722 the original Gothic church from the second half
of the 13th century was rebuilt in the spirit of Baroque Gothic by J.
B. Santini. This incorporation of a Baroque formation into a Gothic
space is another example of Santini´s mastery. It offers visitors an
exceptionally rich decorated interior. There are fragments of Late
gothic mural paintings in the presbytery in the northern chapel.
The Well Chapel
The ten-sided well chapel located
in the former heavenly garden of
the monastery was also adapted
by Santini. Since the end of the
13th century, it has sheltered a
35-meter deep well. There is a
forged iron construction which
extends from the curb where
used to be a stone statue of the
Virgin Mary of the Well at the
top.
Santini´s exposition
The exposition in the stalls of
cconvent building represents
the most famous period of the
th
Žďár monastery history through the personalities who created it. The
Czech baroque period is the most famous era of the monastery. At
that time, the monastery property was administered by the Abbot
Václav Vejmluva who invited a brilliant architect of the Czech
baroque Gothic Jan Blažej Santini Aichl to Žďár in 1706. Beside the
above mentioned names of Vaclav Vejmluva and the architect Jan
Blažej Stantini Aichl, you can acquaint yourself also with the work of
the sculptor Řehoř Thény.
Museum of Books
The museum’s collections depict the development of the European
book culture and printing press (it constitutes a part of the Library of
the National Museum in Prague). They are housed in the prelature of
the former Cistercian monastery. There is a mural named „Heavenly
blessedness of the Benedictines and Cistercians“ over the whole
vaulting. It was painted by K. F. Töpper in 1734.
Contact information : Muzeum knihy, Zámek, 591 01 Žďár nad
Sázavou, tel. +420 566 625 370, e-mail: muzeumknihyzdar@seznam.
cz, www.zamekzdar.cz
Ba
Baroque stables
These stables (in fact, a ridingTh
hall) belonged to the academy
ha
of science and horsemanship
founded for the aristocratic
fou
youth. There were stables for
you
nearly 80 horses. The vaulting
ne
decoration resembles a star
dec
net. At present
present, it houses ceremonial ha
hall.
net
Gallery of the Kinsky´s Noble family
This gallery has been part of the area since 2003 and is located in
former stables. Exhibition called God, Honour and Country dealing
with history of the Kinsky´s Noble family.
The Regional Museum
The museum resides in a historical building – a converted early 14th
century medieval fortress. Exhibitions are held there throughout the
year.
Contact Information: Regionální muzeum, Tvrz 8, 591 01 Žďár nad
Sázavou, tel. +420 566 625 645, e-mail: [email protected],
www.zdarns.cz
TIPS FOR TRIPS
The Rosička Lookout Tower
The lookout tower is not far from the municipality of Sázava, near
Žďár nad Sázavou, at the top of Rosička Hill (645 m above sea level).
The tower, which is open to the public, is 42 meters high, and the
observation deck is 24 meters above ground. A long-distance bike
trail passes by the observation tower, and the route to the tower is
aalso marked for hikers.
Contact information: tel. +420 566 666 213, www.obecsazava.cz
C
The Jaroslav Svoboda AGS Glassworks
The glassworks produce hand-moulded glassworks glass. It was
established in 1990 by the glass designer Jaroslav Svoboda, who has
won a number of international awards and is known from many
independent exhibitions at home and abroad. The glassworks
has its own sales gallery and excursions are possible upon prior
arrangement.
Contact information: Sklářská huť Jaroslav Svoboda AGS, Karlov 31,
tel. +420 566 659 152, e-mail: [email protected], www.agssvoboda.cz
In the Footsteps of Santini
Santini’s architecture had a profound impact on the appearance of
the Žďár region in the 18th century. The buildings listed here are the
theme of Bike Trail No. 5061, which is 75 km long:
The Romanesque Church of St. Peter and Paul in Horní Bobrová was
expanded by Santini between 1714 and 1722 by adding a new nave,
whose front, based on convex and concave curves, is the landmark
of the square.
St. Wenceslas’ Church in Zvole was built between 1712 and 1717 on
the basis of Santini’s plan. Its ground plan is in the shape of a Greek
cross, its dome is in the shape of St. Wenceslas’ crown, and it boasts
two towers. The hexagonal mortuary at the cemetery adjoining the
church is also Santini’s work.
The Obyčtov Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary was only built
after the architect’s death. The complex granded composition of the
mass of the nave, presbytery, sacristy, and corner chapel symbolise
the shape of a turtle, as an expression of Marian virtues. Of especial
value are the decorations by Řehoř Thény.
Together with sacral buildings, Santini also designed secular buildings
for the Žďár Abbey, for example he rebuilt the Renaissance fortress
in Ostrov nad Oslavou into a farmyard. At its front used to stand an
interesting building of the gentry’s inn, whose one-level wing was
adjoined by two smaller ones on either side, with square layouts, and
turned on an angle.
69
is surrounded with protected linden trees.
Ždírec nad Doubravou
www.zdirec.cz, www.podoubravi.cz
The Ždírec nad Doubravou Information
Centre
Ždírec nad Doubravou
Brodská 120
582 63 Ždírec nad Doubravou
Tel.: +420 569 694 620
[email protected]
HISTORY
The town lies at the foot of the Žďárské vrchy and Železné hory
ranges. This region was only colonised in the late 14th century,
when the local dense forests were gradually cut down and the
first settlement was established at the crossroads of overland
routes.
The method of cutting back forest with fire, in Czech žďáření,
probably gave the settlement its name. Over the centuries, the
estate was held by local knights as well as major houses of the
nobility. Until the end of the Second World War, the municipality
was a small, insignificant seat. Its inhabitants found a livelihood
in small agriculture and weaving.
At the very end of the Second World War, Ždírec was struck by
the greatest tragedy in its history: on 9 May 1945, the village was
bombed by Red Army aircraft. Some twenty inhabitants died,
and most houses in the village were either destroyed or damaged.
Many inhabitants saw no future in the destroyed village, and
many families moved away.
In spite of that, the original weaving shops in Ždírec were
significantly expanded after the war, the sawmill was enlarged
and upgraded (the sawmill of the Forest Cooperative of
Municipalities is the largest sawmill in the country), and machineworks were founded. New job prospects contributed to an influx
of inhabitants from the formerly poor highland cottages in
neighbouring villages, who started to build new family houses in
Ždírec. Gradually, a new Ždírec was thus built from the ground
up.
Ždírec has developed rapidly in the last decade. The increasing
importance of the settlement in the region was crowned when
the status of a town was bestowed on it on 19 January 2000.
SIGHTS
The former gentry´s Inn – from the beginning of the 18th century
The bell tower in the village green in Stružinec, dating back to 1858,
70
The single-nave Gothic St. Wenceslas’ Church in Nový Studenec was
built around 1350.
The wooden timber bell tower in Horní Studenec houses a bell from
1583.
The Renaissance chateau in Nový Studenec, from 1612, stands on the
site of a fortress mentioned in 1314.
TIPS FOR TRIPS
A Set of Folk Buildings and Crafts in Veselý Kopec
An extensive exhibition of folk architecture – the individual buildings are
dispersed
dis
over several settlements in
Vysočina
Vys
(Veselý Kopec, Svobodné
Hamry,
Ha
Možděnice) and in the town
of Hlinsko. Visitors can get to know
the way of life, accommodation,
and work of folk craftsmen in their
orig
original
environment.
Co
Contact
Information: Příčná 350,
593 01 Hlinsko – Betlém, tel.: +420
469 333 175
m
175, +420 469 326 415
415, ee-mail:
[email protected], www.
vesely-kopec.eu
The “Řeka” (River) Lake – a recreational lake three kilometres away, ideal
for water-sport enthusiasts
Podoubravská Bike Trail No. 5127 Hluboká - Ždírec nad Doubravou Studenec - Maleč - Jeřišno - Běstvina - Pařížov - Vilémov - Golčův Jeníkov,
52 km, 15 stops, medium level of difficulty
NATURE
Ždírec nad Doubravou is the gateway to the protected landscape
areas of Žďárské vrchy and Železné hory. The articulated landscape
with natural and historical points of interest offers excellent
conditions for pleasant hiking, or bike or ski trips.
The source of the River Doubrava is above Doubravník Lake, in the
Ranský Massif. In the village of Bílek, 5 km away, the river formed
a canyon-like valley. The steep rock formations make for romantic
nooks, with a number of steep hillsides, caves, and waterfalls.
The highest hill of the Železné hory range, Vestec, can be accessed
from the village of Slavíkov,
which is about 9 km away.
The Ranský Massif is interwoven
by a number of paths and
fforest roads, and it is also a
mushroom-picker’s
m
paradise.
The picturesque corners of
T
tthe southern slope of Ranský
Babylon hide the Ranská Ponds –
B
a system of flooded depressions
on the site of long-abandoned
o
ore mines.
o
HISTORY
Žirovnice
www.zirovnice.cz
Information Centre – Žirovnice Chateau
Branka 1
394 68 Žirovnice
Tel.: +420 565 494 095
chateau
lost the nature of a fortress. The Šternberk’s also
c
had
the originally Gothic church rebuilt in the Baroque style,
h
and
they contributed to the renovation of rural churches and
a
chapels,
witness to which is their symbol – an eight-point star
c
– on those buildings.
In 1854, Žirovnice was elevated to the status of a town, and
ten
years later it became famous, due to button production.
t
The
manufacture of mother-of-pearl buttons was introduced
T
by
b Josef Žampach, and the contemporary industrial production
continues
in the tradition. In 1910, the entire estate was
c
purchased
by the town from the Šternberks. In 1964, however,
p
the
t chateau burned out. The overall renovation of the building
The town of Žirovnice is a sought
sought-after
after recreational destination
destination.
The first written reference to Žirovnice comes from 1358, but
archaeological finds of graphite pottery show that the region
had been settled by the mid 13th century.
The history of the town is tied to the history of the chateau,
which stands on the site of the original stone castle. Over the
centuries, it was held by a number of aristocratic families. The
Vencelíks of Vrchoviště had the entire castle rebuilt at the end
of the 15th century, and decorated it with frescoes that today
constitute unique historical cultural assets. The town’s coat of
arms – a silver unicorn on a blue background – has been taken
over from the coat of arms of the Vencelík family.
In the mid 1500s, the Žirovnice estate was obtained by the Lords
of Hradec. They invited experts who endeavoured to find lime
deposits on their properties. Their efforts were, however, in
vain, as were all attempts at silver mining. The main source of
livelihood for the locals was agriculture, and trades developed,
especially pottery, brewery, and brick-making, as well as various
kinds of textile production.
was completed in 1992.
During the Thirty Years War, the entire region was oppressed by
the imperial as well as Swedish armies, the town was plundered,
and the chateau, too, sustained significant damage.
From the end of the 17th century, the Žirovnice estate was
held by the Šternberk family, who decided to renovate the
dilapidated chateau. They tore down the remnants of the
damaged second level, built a new western wing, and the
Presently, a regional exhibition is
housed
by the chateau, as
ho
well
we as a museum of buttonmaking
and a gallery. The
ma
chateau
courtyard, as well
cha
as its interiors, is used as the
venue
for various cultural
ve
events.
eve
71
T
The
Chateau
An early Gothic castle, expanded in the late Gothic era and
A
rrebuilt into a Renaissance chateau, with subsequent Baroque
adaptations. Its interiors and former chapel boast a set of
a
llate-Gothic frescoes. The chateau houses the collections
of the municipal museum and gallery. Newly accessible is
o
also the chateau tower, offering a view of the town and its
a
ssurroundings.
Permanent exhibition: button-making and use of mother-ofP
pearl, historical sewing machines, the Jan Havlík Gallery.
p
Contact Information: Branka 1, 394 68 Žirovnice, tel. +420 565
C
494 095, e-mail: [email protected]
4
Exhibition of Rural Traditions and Crafts
E
The chateau grange – a silo – was built in the early 18th
T
ccentury. It has undergone a number of building adaptations,
but its purpose did not change for a great, long time, although
b
tthe storage of grain was replaced by the storage of various
unneeded items until its 2007 renovation. The original Baroque
u
p
pillars have been preserved in the three renovated levels, which
ttoday house an exhibition of rural traditions and crafts.
Contact Information: The Chateau Grange - Branka 1, 394 68
C
Žirovnice, tel. +420 565 494 095, e-mail: [email protected]
Ž
JJan Havlík’s Gallery
One wing of the chateau is devoted to contemporary modern
O
art. Four halls house an exhibition of fine art: oils by the
a
academic painter Jan Havlík; objects made of soft linden
a
ttree wood, by the academic sculptor Karel Hlava; prints and
paintings by Pavel Roučka; and book illustrations by the
p
academic painter František Severa.
a
TIP FOR TRIP
M
Memorial
to a Czech Thinker
TThe Czech Christian philosopher and writer Tomáš Štítný of Štítné
was born in the village of Štítné, probably in 1333. Through his
w
work, written in Czech, he strove to make the Bible available to
w
people of all social levels. The memorial is located on the site of
p
what was once a squire’s fortress.
w
72
© Kartografie PRAHA, a.s.
73
A large variety of accommodation facilities in the towns and villages of Vysočina Region, from hotels,
guesthouses, hostels to lodges and campsites are in special catalogues “Accommodation” and Holiday
in the country”.
For further tips for trips in Vysočina Region, see our website at www.region-vysocina.cz.
For sightseeing in Vysočina, the “Castles, chateaus and monasteries” catalogue is available to you.
Materials in printed form can be requested from Vysočina Tourism, Žižkova 16, P.O. BOX 85, 586 01
Jihlava or by e-mail at [email protected].
www.region-vysocina.cz
74
Photo:
Daniel Balogh, Jitka Mattyašovská, Jan Adam, František
Pleva, Jan Jež, Jaroslav Horák, Milan Slavinger, Hana
Palečková, Lucie Oháňková, Zdeněk Hoskovec, Radim
Brancovský, Zdeněk Hopian, Tomáš Hoskovec, Jarmila
Wimmerová, Jan Sucharda, Marta Vomelová, Anna
Bocká, Jaroslav Vála, Eva Blechová, Silva Smutná, Stanislav
Mattyašovský, Radek Lán, Renata Šimánková, Pavel Janíček,
Tamara Tošnerová, J. Kamínek
Towns archives: Brtnice, Bystřice nad Pernštejnem,
Černovice, Humpolec, Chotěboř, Jihlava, Kamenice nad
Lipou, Nové Město na Moravě, Svratka, Telč, Třebíč, Třešť,
Velká Bíteš, Žďár nad Sázavou
Archives: Oblastní galerie Vysočiny Jihlava, Georgii Agricola
Jihlava, Agentura Dobrý den Pelhřimov
Published by:
Kraj Vysočina
www.region-vysocina.cz
Design, print:
Yashica s.r.o.
www.yashica.cz
75
This project is co-financed by the European Union.
Krajský úřad kraje Vysočina
Žižkova 57, 587 33 Jihlava, Česká republika
Tel.: 564 602 533, Fax: 564 602 423
Internet: www.region-vysocina.cz

Historical Towns

Transcription

Similar documents

Town Center at Sterling

Westfield University Town Center - UTC Ice Rink

Citizen Service Request Dashboard Written

Win with Hednesford Lotto! The Freedom of Hednesford October

Plus | Brooklyn Balı Amsterdam hina Whistler Australia

la macarena - Programa de Transformación Productiva

Young Ameritowne Parent Letter

FOR SALE Co Kildare

Chateaux Le Marais - Private Islands Online