Litomyšl

The town of Litomyšl is a historical and cultural centre. It was established along the business trail connecting Bohemia and Moravia at the turn of the 11th century. In 1259, the settlement received town privileges. From the 14th century, the town underwent extensive development on the monasterial hillock and below. Following the arrival of the piarists in 1641, school buildings, colleges and a piarist cathedral were built on the castle hillock.

The town’s focal point is the unique renaissance castle with more than eight thousand sgrafito, which has been listed as a UNESCO heritage site since 1999. On a 500m-long square you can find a gothic town hall and a number of renaissance and baroque buildings, with so-called sub-chambers. Among the most famous is the renaissance U Rytířů House from the 16th century. A stroll along the historical lanes leading to the Monastery gardens with sculptures by Olbram Zoubek is an unforgettable experience. Another point of interest is the museum with wall-paintings by Josef Váchal - Portmoneum. The town is also well known as the birthplace of the composer Bedřich Smetana, whose name is celebrated by the annual opera festival Smetana's Litomyšl.

Litomyšl was declared the Historical Town of 2000 for looking after its heritage sites so well. However, Litomyšl is not just about history, but there are also a number of modern buildings. Plus, it boasts the nickname European Bloom Town and it has also been gradually becoming a congress tourism and youth town.