Telč

The town of Telč is known mainly for its castle and charming square, but there is much more to see here. Beautiful walks promise paths around three ponds on the outskirts of the city, while sacred silence is offered by the churches of Telč. An excellent tip for a trip is the nearby castle Roštejn or Oslednice, where we find a lookout tower. In any case, Telč definitely deserves its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

History of the town

In the places where the town of Telč is located today, important trade routes led already in the Middle Ages, and on the hill of the Humpolec Road there was later a manor house and a Romanesque rotunda, which became the economic center for the whole area. During the 13th century, the population grew here, so a seat called Old Town was established near the court, which is now part of Telč. However, the origin of Telč itself is still not exactly known.

The well-known era of the lords of Hradec began in 1339, when the then owner of the estate, Jan Lucemburský, handed over this property to Oldřich of Hradec. Telč as a town has been discussed since 1366, however, the charter has not been preserved to this day, so the exact date of the town's founding is unknown.

Zachariáš from Hradec began the Renaissance construction of burgher houses on the square, who also had the local fortress rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. The lords of Hradec then held Telč until 1604 and then it was owned by Vilém Slavata of Chlum and Košumberk. Another owner was the Liechtenstein-Kastelkorn family and after them the Liechtenstein-Podstats, who owned the estate until 1945.

Sights and interesting places

None of the mentioned owners significantly affected the face of the city as a whole, thanks to which Telč has survived to the present day as it probably looked a few centuries ago.

In Telč, it is almost obligatory to walk around the local square, full of burgher houses, which seem to be supposed to form the backdrop to a fairy tale. House no. 122 served as the Fire House, and the Telč House no. 31 won the award for the best reconstructed historical building in 2003. In addition to the houses, the square is also decorated with two beautiful fountains and the Marian Column.

Of the sacral buildings, it is definitely worth mentioning and visiting the church of St. Ducha, located on the highest point of the city complex, or the church of St. Of St. James or the Jesuit Church of the Name of Jesus. Telč also boasts the first church in the Czech lands, which was dedicated to St. Jan Nepomucký.

The absolute dominant feature of Telč is, of course, the local chateau, to which a separate article is dedicated on our website.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová