Litomyšl

The first notice about the town (or about this area) is from 981 in Kosma Chronicle. In 12th century the Bishop of Olomouc, Henry Zdík, invited to Litomyšl the Premonstratensian Order, the monastery of which was established on spot of today´s castle of the name Olivetská Hora. This Order raised a lot the local industrial and cultural level. The town received in 1259 the town privileges by the King Přemysl Otakar II.

The state castle belongs to one of most important Renaissance monuments in our country. After Hussite movement it was built on this spot a stone castle, replacing previous wooden castle. In 16th century the building let the Noble Vratislav of Pernštejn rebuilt for his wife, Mary Manrique da Lara di Mendoza. The part of castle-space forms an amphitheatre  where the International Music Festival is taken place. Further, we find  here a riding-ground or Castle Brewery. The castle as well the whole area was written down on the List of Cultural and Natural Heritage UNESCO in 1996.

The Smetana square was created along business trail and market place. The houses were  of wooden origin, but owing to frequent fires all wooden houses were rebuilt later to stone buildings. The facades are from 18th and 19th century, in spite of the fact that the grounds are of much older origin. On the square there is placed, since 1924, a statue of local native, Bedřich Smetana, made by sculptor Jan Štursa. In a house „U rytířů“ you find a museum and a gallery. Among the further – not to be neglected – monuments, belongs the church of Raising of St.Cross, Public House (serves to cultural events), The Smetana House or Portmoneum, Josef Vácha´s Museum. In Litomyšl lived not only Bedřich Smetana, local native, but part of their lives spent here the other important  personalities - as Alois Jirásek or Božena Němcová.

Text: Markéta Řandová

Photo: WIkimedia Commons, Podzemnik, č.2, č.3, Michal Louč