Žďár nad Sázavou
It is a district town, which stretches in the middle of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands near the border of Bohemia and Moravia and belongs to a certain part of the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area. The town, known as Žďár nad Sázavou, therefore boasts a magical surroundings with a number of picturesque natural scenery that attract many tourists and excursionists every year. In addition, Žďár nad Sázavou is one of the cleanest and most well-maintained towns in our country and we find a number of important monuments.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Žďár nad Sázavou
History of the town
Written sources mention Žďár nad Sázavou since 1293, but already in 1252 there was a settlement near the Cistercian monastery, which was founded by Boček of Obřany. However, due to the strategic aspect, it was moved from its original location to the left bank of the Sázava, ie to the area where the historic city center is currently located. During the Hussite wars, the monastery and the town were burned down and its importance generally declined.
At the end of the 16th century, Žďár was the manor estate of the Olomouc bishops, which naturally did not appeal to both the inhabitants of the town and the superiors of the monastery. Later, the estate became the personal property of the Bishop of Olomouc František of Dietrichštejn, thanks to whom Žďár nad Sázavou was promoted to a town.
After the Cistercians returned to the monastery, they were exposed to Swedish attacks during the Thirty Years' War. The Swedes plundered the town in 1647, and Žďár recovered from this wound for decades to come.
The local monastery was later Joseph II. abolished and the Moravian Religious Fund became the owner of the local estate, after which the owners changed quite often.
After 1848, Žďár was the seat of the district court. The development of industry did not take place here until the end of the 19th century, which was also helped by the introduction of a railway connection between 1898 and 1905. The railway connected Prague with Brno. In 1949, the villages of Žďár and Žďár Zámek were merged and the new town was named Žďár nad Sázavou.
Sights and interesting places
One of the most visited places in the whole city is undoubtedly the local castle, respectively. the area of the chateau, in which you can see the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Well Chapel, the Santini Exposition, the Baroque Stables or the Kinský Gallery.
One of the most important places in this area is the pilgrimage church of St. Jan Nepomucký on Zelená hora.
In Žďár nad Sázavou we can still find the former Cistercian monastery or the chapel of St. Barbory. The local stone bridge is also an important monument.
The local area directly encourages trips on foot and by bike, so it is interwoven with a number of trails, such as Santini or Posázavská route.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová