Litomyšl

Renaissance Litomyšl Chateau and its underground

Do you like exploring Czech castles and châteaux? Visit Litomyšl, a historic town in East Bohemia. The local chateau is a unique Renaissance building particularly thanks to its original sgraffito decorations on the façade and gables. If you want to see the interior of the chateau, you can choose from several guided tours. It is only up to you if you are more interested in the chateau chapel, the representative halls with a theatre, or the guest rooms. The chateau theatre from the 19th century boasts a lot of preserved decorations, including the stage machinery and the lighting technology. When touring the chateau, do not forget to go to the second floor where you can see the artworks of Czech artists such as Josef Čapek or Josef Lada. Those who are a little braver can visit the underground with a secret passageway, the purpose of which is still unclear to this day. There, you can admire the brick vault, as well as the wine gallery and a permanent exhibition.

Explore all the beauty of the chateau hill

Everyone can find something for themselves in the large chateau area. Explore the chateau garden, the cathedral, brewery, stables, the carriage house or the riding school. They are all near the chateau and you can visit them all in a single day. The chateau hill includes a reconstructed brewery from 1630, where famous opera composer Bedřich Smetana was born. There is an exposition that commemorates the composer’s childhood in Litomyšl. There is also the Baroque Piarist Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross that has been reconstructed. It now serves as a concert hall and an exhibition hall. The footbridge that connects the church towers inside the church offers a beautiful view of the organ and the bronze tomb.

A romantic refuge in the monastery gardens

The town with amazing old and contemporary architecture and a peaceful life brings relief and peace to one’s soul. Therefore, Litomyšl was declared to be the first Czech soul spa in 2012. Walk through the Monastery Gardens near the Piarist Church that are open all year round and offer a beautiful view of the historic centre thanks to their elevated location. There are no restrictions in the gardens, you can sit down and relax on a blanket. Quiet classical music will accompany you. When wandering through the chateau gardens, you will definitely notice the fountain with charming sculptures by Olbram Zoubek.

A tribute to Bedřich Smetana

Litomyšl is linked to many famous personalities in Czech music, literature and art. Authors Božena Němcová and Alois Jirásek lived there. However, the most prominent personality is music composer Bedřich Smetana. You can see his name at one of the squares, the theatre building and the most important classical music festival. Smetanovo Square is lined with houses with Baroque, Classicist and Empire style façades. It takes ten minutes to walk from the square to Smetana’s house, which is more than 150 years old. Smetana’s Litomyšl, the second largest music festival in the Czech Republic, is one of the regular classical music festivals. The festival has hosted the greatest musicians and conductors who pay a tribute to both Czech and international classical music. The festival takes place in the beautiful area of the Litomyšl Chateau.

Portmoneum – Josef Váchal’s Museum

Those who like rarities should not miss Portmoneum, a museum of graphic designer and author Josef Váchal, with unique murals. The former home of his friend Josef Portmon is decorated by many murals from Váchal’s distinct mystical world and fantasy. There are images of devils, gnomes and ghosts with classic Christian motifs and references to Hinduism.