Czech
Republic
Off the Beaten Track
Kutna Hora
It's hard to imagine today, but in its time this town about 65km
southeast of Prague was Bohemia's most important after Prague. This was due
to the rich veins of silver below the town itself, and the silver
groschen minted here was the hard currency of central Europe at the
time. Today the town is a fraction of its old self, but is still dressed up
in enough magnificent architectural monuments for it to have been added to
UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1996. With a pastel-hued square dotted with
cafés, medieval alleys with facades from Gothic to Cubist, and a cathedral
to rival St Vitus, comparisons with Prague are hard to resist. Kutna Hora is
certainly as densely picturesque as Prague, and blessed with warmer people
and lower prices.
The historical centre is compact enough to see on foot. Those who need
their dose of 'culture' will have no trouble finding their cravings
fulfilled by the fascinating sights on offer. For a truly macabre sight,
there is a cemetery at Sedlec with a Gothic ossuary decorated with the bones
of some 40,000 people. For some beautiful religious architecture minus
bones, visit the Gothic Church of Our Lady, the St James Church, the
17th-century former Jesuit College, which has Baroque sculpture in front of
it, the Cathedral of St Barbara and the Ursuline Convent, which houses an
exhibition of antiques. If you are interested in the town's mining history,
visit the Hradek Mining Museum and the medieval mine shafts.
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Mikulov
Picturesque but totally underrated, Mikulov and its castle sit
precariously on a hill in the centre of the flat wine-growing region of
Palava, a UNESCO-designated biospheric reservation. One of South Moravia's
highlights, Mikulov has some very impressive monuments, but it should come
as no surprise that Mikulov is most popular for its excellent white wines.
It's very close to the border with Austria and is a perfect stop-off to or
from Vienna.
The castle, perched over the west side of the town, has been
painstakingly restored after being burned by the Germans in WWII. The museum
includes local archaeology and natural history, paintings and weapons, but
the best displays are on regional folk traditions and wine making. In the
cellar is the largest wine barrel in central Europe. Mikulov used to have a
strong Jewish community and still has a synagogue, though it was damaged
during WWII and neglected during Communist rule. There's also a 15th-century
Jewish Cemetery. The town's main square has many Renaissance and Baroque
houses and churches to linger over, including the town hall, the graffitoed
Canon's Houses and the Dietrichstein Family Vault. Hiking enthusiasts will
enjoy the good walks in the surrounding hills, with ruined castles and
superb views of the Mikulov area.
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Telč
This charming 13th-century town in South Moravia was originally founded
as a settlement around a Romanesque church. During its rule by the lords of
Hradec, from 1339 until the end of their line in 1604, a castle and ponds
were built, and after a huge fire in 1530 most of the town's houses were
rebuilt in Renaissance style. This architectural unity probably contributed
to UNESCO's decision to add the little town to its world heritage list.
Dominating the centre of town are the Renaissance castle, the towers of
St James Church and the Baroque Holy Name of Jesus Church. Among the
square's charming Renaissance houses, don't miss the town's smallest house
in the south-east corner, an object lesson in the use of space. Heading
north out of the square is a narrow lane to the old town's Small Gate.
Southwards down towards the Great Gate is the imposing Romanesque Church of
the Holy Spirit, dating from the early 13th century.
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Zlata Koruna
At little Zlata Koruna (Gold Crown) above the Vltava you'll find one of
the country's best preserved Gothic structures - a Cistercian Monastery,
founded in 1263 by Premysl Otakar II to demonstrate his power in the region.
The village's main square is actually built inside the monastery. Originally
called the Saintly Crown of Thorns, in later wealthier days the monastery
was renamed the Gold Crown (hence the town's name). In 1420 it was damaged
by the Hussites, and later restored. The Monastery Cathedral, completed at
the end of the 13th century, is clearly Gothic despite its facelift.
For literary types, the mostly Gothic frescoed walled complex also houses
a Museum of South Bohemian Literature, but equally interesting is the oldest
part of the monastery, the vaulted chapterhouse and the Gothic church.
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Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is one of Bohemia's most beautiful towns, with a
well-preserved historical centre that is on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The city's castle is the second largest in the Czech Republic, after Prague
Castle, and it dominates the town from a hill overlooking a horseshoe-shaped
bend of the Vltava river.
The town's traffic-free historic centre is a magic area of narrow cobbled
streets lined with Renaissance and Baroque facades. Half the townspeople
dress in Renaissance costume to welcome the summer solstice with a
procession, street theatre, mock duels and chess matches played with human
pieces.
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Šumava
For large, tranquil forests, largely unpolluted and undamaged by acid
rain, you can't go past the Šumava Mountains, which stretch along the border
with Austria and Germany. The only wildlife left behind by past hunting are
birds, though deer have been re-introduced. Wildflowers abound throughout
the range.
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