~ Tips for Trips ~
Třešť Surroundings
Telč – one of the most beautiful towns in our country, whose historical centre is registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The oldest historical monument in the town is the Romanesque Tower of the Holy Spirit (49 meters). The château standing in place of the original Gothic castle is a fully preserved Renaissance palace with Renaissance gardens and a park with precious trees. Other interesting buildings include the Late Gothic St. James’s Church and the Baroque Church of the Holiest Name of Jesus with the adjoining Jesuit college. The château also houses the Gallery of Jan Zrzavy.
Roštejn (673 m above sea level) – is a 14th century castle. The septagonal entrance tower (47 metres) provides an exceptional view of the landscape scenery under the Javořice hill. In the Renaissance period the castle’s main palace was rebuilt into a hunting château. The castle contains an exhibition of folk trades and craft and an exhibition of hunting arms and trophies. The castle is situated in the midst of the nature reserve Roštýnská Obora – the largest beech forest in the Vysočina Region.
Křemešník Hill (765 m above sea level) – is a popular Christian pilgrimage place centred around the Baroque Church of the Holiest Trinity. There are Stations of the Cross situated on the hill leading from St. John’s Chapel with a slightly radioactive curative spring. Next to the church is the house of sculptor J. Šejnost – Windy Château. The Pípalka observation tower (52 metres, observation gallery at 40 m) provide a lovely view of the surrounding scenery. Another significant building on the hill is a stylish mountain hotel.
Batelov – a town with a long history dating back to the 13th century. The original fortress was replaced by a Late Renaissance château from the 17th century, with numerous Baroque and Neo-Classicist adaptations. The square is dominated by the Baroque Church of Sts. Peter and Paul built in the period 1755 to 1766. There is a synagogue in the town situated in the former Jewish ghetto. The town was a frequent destination of famous writer and journalist Karel Havlíček Borovský.
Špičák (734 m above sea level) – This rocky peak is surrounded by the nature reserve Large Špičák (46 hectares) with the remains of a mixed mountain primeval forest, which can be accessed from a biking route along the blue-marked hiking route.
Čenkov quarry – only 4 kilometres from the village of Čenkov (4 km), the birthplace of Jiří Švec, colonel of the Czech Legions, lies the flooded Čenkov quarry, probably the most beautiful natural swimming pool in the Jihlava region.
The tradition of building Christmas Nativity Scenes in the town of Třešť started at the beginning of the 19th century. Although originally inspired by paper Nativity Scenes from Třebíč, local artists nevertheless soon started to focus on Nativity Scenes carved of wood. The first hand-carved figures in Třešť came from carvers in Jihlava and its vicinity, mostly from František Klaus from Stonařov and the Boudný family in Brtnice. Joiner and cabinetmaker Matěj Suchý (1820 – 1909) was the first local Třešť carver, soon to be followed by the members of the Brázda family, František Janák and others. The most famous Christmas Nativity Scene in Třešť is the monumental mechanical artwork by Adolf Bumbálek. The vitality of this beautiful and noble tradition can be seen from a relative large community of wood carving enthusiasts such as Josef Bílý, Jan Bukvaj, Ondřej Rešl, Alois Roháček, Metoděj and Marie Roháček and others.The Nativity Scenes by local carvers are displayed in public each Christmas (from 23rd December to 2nd February). The visitors may see more than 20 Christmas Nativity Scenes both in the houses of the local artists and in the permanent exhibition situated in the local branch of the Museum of Vysočina Region in Schumpeter House in the town square.
For more information about the historical and tourist sights from the Třešť surroundings and for a detailed description of the local cycling routes, please visit www.jihlava.cz, www.trebic.cz, or www.trest.cz.
