Tábor - the town of Jan Žižka
It is the second largest city in the South Bohemian region, with a population of 37,000, a river north of České Budějovice and its core a conservation area. We are talking about the town of Tábor, one of the most beautiful towns in southern Bohemia, which attracts a large number of visitors every year.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Tábor - the town of Jan Žižka
History of the town
The town of Tábor was founded in 1420 and is inextricably linked with the figure of Jan Žižka and the Hussites. However, the settlement of this place has an even longer history. Probably already in the 2nd century BC there was a Celtic oppidum and in 1270 there was Přemysl Otakar II. he built a castle and a town, which was soon destroyed. The city got its name from the mountain near Nazareth in present-day Israel.
The town was the power and military center of the Hussite movement, headed by President Jan Žižka. Even during the Hussite wars, it was a free city that did not recognize Sigismund as the Czech king. In 1437, Tábor became a royal city.
During the 15th century, a town hall was established in Tábor, the Church of the Transfiguration was reconstructed and the Jordán pond, the first valley reservoir in Central Europe, was built. In the 16th century, however, most of the burgher houses burned down and the construction of new, renaissance houses decorated with sgraffito began.
During the Habsburg rule, the city did not do so well. Due to the defeat of the estates, it lost some of its privileges and privileges, and the Thirty Years' War was followed by stagnation. The rise did not occur until the 17th century with the arrival of the Augustinians, for whom a monastery was built here.
With the development of industry in the 19th century, the city also developed. A real grammar school was built here, where Czech was taught (for the first time in Bohemia), a higher economic school and in 1878 also a town museum. The city then continued to grow.
Landmarks and important places
The very core of Tábor is a city monument reserve with a medieval atmosphere, which breathes visitors not only from Žižkov Square, but also from the local streets and town houses, which mix Gothic with Renaissance and Baroque. The system of underground passages from the 16th century is open to the public, and a romantic walk through the winding streets of the Old Town is undoubtedly an experience. The Church of the Transfiguration or the Renaissance water tower is definitely worth a visit.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová