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Třebíč, Vranov nad Dyjí, Bítov Heritage Cities and Iconic Chateaux

www.visittrebic.eu Accessibility: 163 km from Prague

by train from Prague 3 h 30 min by bus from Prague 2 h 35 min by car from Prague 1 h 55 min

Target group: Pleasure seekers: active seniors, families with children

The medieval town of Třebíč with its breath-taking UNESCO-protected Romanesque-Gothic basilica and unique Jewish quarter and cemetery is a gateway to another world, a world of culture which faced destruction but has survived to this day. The ancient castles of Vranov nad Dyjí and Bítov are remarkable landmarks of the Dyje (Thaya) River Valley which conceal extraordinary treasures.

Třebíč Revealed Mysteries of a Remarkable Nation Třebíč is an extraordinary town. For centuries two cultures, Christian and Jewish, have co-existed in peace. This is unparalleled elsewhere. That is why the monastery complex and Christian St. Procopius Basilica, a building from the turn of the Romanesque and Gothic eras with preserved Gothic paintings, a unique crypt with a roof supported by fifty columns and a unique Romanesque rosette, together with the extensive Jewish quarter and cemetery have been taken under the protective wing of UNESCO. The Jewish quarter in Třebíč is the only completely preserved Jewish settlement in Central Europe. Narrow winding lanes contain 123 originally Jewish houses, two synagogues, a rabbinate, Jewish town hall, hospital and poorhouse. The local Jewish cemetery is one of the largest in Central Europe. Up to 3,000 tombstones, the oldest from 1631, can be found over an area of almost 12,000 m2. A remarkable feature is the connection of the Rear Synagogue with the adjoining House of Seligmann Bauer, which offers a glimpse into the living space of a Jewish family and a Jewish shop. The paintings in the interior of the Front Synagogue are also stunning. Třebíč is alive and vibrant. You will find restaurants, cafés, confectioners’ and wine bars offering traditional Jewish catering, while you can also see Jewish weddings, revitalized tours of Jewish monuments, demonstrations of worship, etc. The climax is the Revived Jewish Quarter Festival, when klezmer music can be heard around the quarter, the streets are filled with characters in costume, and concerts make way for exhibitions, lectures or screenings, and the Festival of Jewish Culture.

www.zamek-vranov.cz www.hrad-bitov.cz Vranov nad Dyjí Accessibility: 201 km from Prague

by train from Prague — by bus from Prague 3 h 35 min by car from Prague 2 h 24 min

Target group: Pleasure seekers: active seniors, families with children

Vranov nad Dyjí and Bítov Castles Romance of Eagle Nests On the rocks around the Vranov Reservoir, two ancient castles stand out. Above the valley of the river which flows from the reservoir, rises one of the most remarkable buildings of the Central-European Baroque style, Vranov nad Dyjí Chateau. The scenery is breath-taking. The original 10th-century Romanesque castle was redeveloped in the Gothic style, while its current appearance is from the Baroque era. A walk through the castle is like a journey through time. Viennese court architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach designed the awe-inspiring oval Hall of Predecessors with unique paintings for the Althann family. Its sacral counterweight is the Chateau Chapel of the Holy Trinity. You will be fascinated by the richly furnished interiors, collections of stoneware products from the local workshop and gardens on the steep slopes above the river. The extensive Bítov Castle is a romantic landmark at the beginning of the reservoir. Wooden buildings were replaced with stone in the 13th century, while the current Gothic Revival appearance dates from the 19th century. There is a rare collection of almost 1,300 firearms and cold weapons from the 17th century. Another big attraction is the largest collection of stuffed dogs in the world, pets of the castle’s last owner, which numbers 50 specimens, including the now extinct Stable Pinscher. There is also a castle brewery and a newly built zoo, based on the zoo built by the Daun family as the first private and, for a long period, the largest zoo in Europe.

www.visittrebic.eu www.zamek-vranov.cz www.hrad-bitov.cz Valdštejnský Chateau: www.zamek-trebic.cz Vysočina Museum Třebíč: www.muzeumtr.cz