Article: Five Trips in the Czech Republic
Hluboká nad Vltavou
Romantic Hluboká Château, originally a Gothic castle built in approximately 1250, was remodeled in Baroque style in the 18th century.
Hluboká nad Vltavou (population 4500), 150km south of Prague, is linked to České Budějovice, capital of South Bohemia, by a pleasant 15-kilometer cycle path.
Romantic Hluboká Château, originally a Gothic castle built in approximately 1250, was remodeled in Baroque style in the 18th century. During the 19th century, as the seat of the Schwarzenberg dynasty, the castle was transformed to the Windsor Neo-Gothic style which we see today. This fairytale edifice on a hilltop above the town is visible from miles away.
The château complex includes a glassed-in winter garden, a chapel and riding hall, set in 190 hectares of English parkland. Guided tours of the interior reveal exquisite woodcarving and sumptuous furnishings. The adjacent Aleš South Bohemian Gallery houses valuable collections of Bohemian medieval and 20th-century art, as well as being a venue for classical music concerts.
On the outskirts of the town, Ohrada Zoo nestles in a tranquil riverside setting. Next to it is Ohrada Hunting Lodge, the world’s oldest museum of hunting. The Podskalí outdoor swimming complex has two pools, slides and whirlpools. For more natural surroundings, try swimming in Křivonoska and Bezdrev lakes, which together with numerous ponds in the area, add to the serenity of the surroundings.
From Zámosti Bridge pier, embark on a Vltava cruise or, from Hosin Airport, take a flight for a bird’s eye view of Hluboká Château and the luxuriant South Bohemian countryside.
Třebíč
On the Jihlava River in South-West Moravia, Třebíč has a population of 40,000. In 2003, the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of St. Procopius and the Třebíč Jewish Quarter were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
First records of a settlement date back to 1101 with the foundation of a Benedictine monastery. In the mid- 13th century, the Basilica was completed, now the only surviving building of the Třebíč Monastery. The Basilica and Monastery suffered severe damage during the
Hungarian siege of 1468. Numerous renovations followed before the transformation of the Basilica’s presbytery into a chapel dedicated to St. Procopius. Final restorations of the Basilica were completed in the 20th century.
Zamosti, the former Jewish quarter situated between the Jihlava River and Hradek hill, is the only independent Jewish monument outside Israel to have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It consists of over 120 dwellings. Before World War II, Zamosti was an important Jewish cultural center in Moravia. The Jewish Cemetery contains 3,000 tombstones, amongst which are several rare Baroque and neo-Classical examples.
Zamosti has two synagogues, the Front Synagogue, currently used for Hussite Church services, and the Rear Synagogue which was reconstructed, having been used as a potato warehouse during the Communist era. Much reconstruction is taking place in the whole area, with the historic Jewish quarter gradually being restored.
Karlovo náměstí is the historic center of Třebíč. With an area of 22,000m˛, this is one of the largest town squares in central Europe. The inclusion on the World Heritage List is hoped to bring increased tourism, prosperity and industry to this historic Czech town.
Tábor
Tábor was founded in 1420 by followers of Catholic reformer, Jan Hus, who was burned as a heretic in 1415. Hus had preached in this area and his followers, led by Jan Žižka of Trocnov, named the town after Biblical Mount Tábor.
Tábor (population 37,000), is a conurbation that incorporates Sezimovo Ústí and Planá nad Lužnicí on the main route to âeské Budûjovice, 90 km south of Prague. The Old Town consists of cobblestoned alleys lined with colorful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The statue of Hussite leader, Jan Žižka, has pride of place on the Square named after him.
The Gothic Town Hall houses the Hussite Museum, exhibiting historic items such as farm carts which doubled as battle wagons. Parts of the original town fortifications are intact, including Bechyně Gate (Bechyňská brána) and Kotnov Tower. A section of the extensive 15th-century underground labyrinth (built for food storage and shelter) is accessible via the Hussite Museum.
Tábor was founded in 1420 by followers of Catholic reformer, Jan Hus, who was burned as a heretic in 1415.
Hus had preached in this area and his followers, led by Jan Žižka of Trocnov, named the town after Biblical Mount Tábor. Hussite leader, Žižka, was a tactical genius and is considered the greatest warrior in Czech history.
In 1437, Tábor became a Royal town, but refused to recognize the Czech King’s sovereignty until 1452, when forced to surrender to the Governor of Bohemia’s troops.
In 1492, the Jordan lake – the first artificial lake in central Europe – was constructed as Tábor’s water supply.
The 19th century saw the establishment of the first exclusively Czech language grammar school in the Habsburg Monarchy, as well as the foundation of the first Czech Higher School of Agriculture.
Another Tábor is to be found in South Dakota, U.S., where Czechs have settled since 1869. Annual “Czech Days” are held in June, with as many as 10,000 people attending a festival of Czech food, music and dance.
Vancura Park Village contains a Czech Museum and village, complete with chapel, jail, school and chalupa.
Olomouc
Situated 280km south-east of Prague on the Morava River, Olomouc has the second most significant collection of historical monuments in the country. Once the capital of Moravia, the town was a Bishopric seat as early as 1063. The name, Olomouc, is thought to have originated from Mons Julii and the town to have been founded on the site of a Roman fort. Excavations have revealed the remains of a Roman military camp.
The Baroque Holy Trinity Column on the main square is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St. Wenceslas Cathedral, built in 1109, was later reconstructed in the Neo- Gothic style. In 1306, Wenceslas III, the last King of the Přemyslid dynasty, was murdered here. The Neo-Baroque chapel of St. Jan Sarkander is on the site of the former prison where Catholic Priest, Jan Sarkander (1576-1620) was imprisoned, tortured and died for refusing to break the Seal of Confession. His gravestone and the torture rack have been preserved. Sarkander was canonized by Pope John Paul II during his 1995 visit to Olomouc.
A source of civic pride are the six Baroque fountains, wisely preserved by local authorities as a reserve water supply, even after piped water was laid on. Modern Olomouc has a population of 100,000 and is the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic. Palacký University, founded in 1573, is the second oldest Czech university.
A major boom is being experienced, with cultural venues such as the Moravian Theater, museums, art galleries and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra attracting an increasing number of visitors.
Litomyšl
Named “Historical Town of the Year 2000”, this East Bohemian village arose in the 13th century on the site of an earlier fortified settlement protecting the Trstenice trade route between Bohemia and Moravia. The dominating Renaissance castle was constructed between 1568 and 1581 on the Pernšteyn estate and decorated with 8,000 original sgraffiti by Italian masters. Features of the interior are a 200-year-old Baroque theater, collections of Empire furniture, priceless paintings and porcelain.
Litomyšl Castle was included on the UNESCO List of Cultural Monuments as “an outstanding and immaculately preserved example of the arcade castle”, a type of architecture originating in Italy. In the castle cellar is an exhibition of sculptures by Olbram Zoubek, who spent 20 years restoring the castle sgraffiti during the Communist regime, when he was prohibited from exhibiting his work.
More of his works are to be seen in the Cloister Gardens.
Historically important are the Red Tower (a remnant of the Gothic fortifications) and the Gothic Town Hall on the elongated square with its Renaissance and Baroque houses. The 16th-century Dům U Rytířů (Knights’ House) with its magnificent façade now serves as an art gallery.
The Portmoneum museum exhibits wall paintings and furniture carved by graphic artist, painter, writer and printer, Josef Váchal.
Bedřich Smetana, the son of a local brewer, was born in an apartment of the brewery in the Castle grounds. In 1905 the Smetanuv Dům theater and concert hall opened and, in 1924, was declared a National Monument to mark the centenary of the illustrious composer’s birth. Litomyšl Castle with its amphitheater annually hosts the prestigious Smetana Open Air Opera Festival. This year it is scheduled for June 15 to July 1.
(Fotos courtesy of Czech Tourism Agency)
