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Writer's pictureMaximus Nostramabus

Telč

Updated: Apr 21, 2022

Charming Renaissance town square - Historic Centre of Telč 621; Puppetry in Slovakia and Czechia

Telč
What and Why

Telč is easily a page that comes straight out of Hans Anderson's fairy tale: It is a charming little town square brimming with Bohemian European flavour accentuated with a royal castle and colourful buildings.

The city began in the late 11th century CE, although it remained obscure until a great fire in 1530 CE which burnt down the entire city. Then came a man called Zachariáš of Hradec who took over as the ruler of Telč at the age of 23 and started rebuilding the city almost from scratch after all the fire damage had left him. He reconstructed the castle in an Italian Renaissance (Italian: Rinascimento) style due to his work relation with the various then Italian states, he insisted on the design to a point that he deemed good enough for him to move into. The houses along the square were also given beautiful and consistent facades, with arcades and gables, all also in the Renaissance style.

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Town Square (Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce)

Town Square

The Town Square (Czech: Náměstí Zachariáše z Hradce) is named after Zachariáš of Hradec and is the main draw of the city. The picturesque houses form a kaleidoscopic of view of the town.

The square has not changed a lot since Zachariáš's time, in spite of numerous renovations and reconstructions. The town features a triangular market square surrounded by Renaissance and Baroque burgher houses. These houses are linked by a continuous arcade. Their facades are characterised by a great diversity as regards the choice of decorative elements. Originally the houses were built in the Gothic style with characteristic dimensions: average width into the square was 8 to 10 m and the depth of about 30 m, and with characteristic arrangement of both the ground and first floors.

People enter from the square through a large gate with a stone jamb or a bent arch into a vaulted entrance hall, which is 2/3 of the house width.

Panoramic view

Each of these houses have a history and characteristics and a full description can be found in the official website of Telč.

Marian column view

One will definitely not miss this peculiar looking grey house, which used to be owned by the town mayor. When he bought it he immediately rebuilt the house and decorated it with sgraffito showing the stories of the Old Testament.

Town houses

Marian column (Mariánský Sloup)

In Czechia or Central Europe, there are many Marian columns (Mariánský Sloup) around, the most famous being that in Prague (Praha) and Olomouc, which to my knowledge is the world's smallest UNESCO WHS.

Marian columns are religious monuments depicting Virgin Mary (Aramaic: מרים, Maryam) on the top, often built in thanksgiving for the ending of a plague. Hence this is also known as the pestilience column. Erecting the Marian column had become a certain fashion in the Catholic countries of Europe especially during the 17th and 18th centuries CE. They have become one of the most visible features of Baroque architecture.

Marian Column

Tower of the Holy Spirit (Kostel Svatého Ducha)

The Late Romanesque Tower of the Holy Spirit (Kostel Svatého Ducha) is the oldest preserved monument in Telč built in the 13th century CE. Now it is an observation tower although it originally served as a guard tower as expected.

Tower of the Holy Spirit

Telč Chateau (Státní Zámek Telč)

Telč Chateau

The castle-residence built by Zachariáš of Hradec, the Telč Chateau (Státní Zámek Telč) is a comparatively modest castle by European standard.

Telč Chateau from outside Town Square (from internet)
Buy and Do

There are quite a number of shops selling marionette (loutka) around the town.

Czech puppets

Czech puppetry and its theatre is a major form of traditional entertainment. Moreover it has also become an important education tool of moral and artistic values, transmitting from generations to generations. Czech puppets are mostly made of wood and animated using various methods, and the marionette is regarded as a traditional Czech art form.

Puppet theatre is an integral part of Slovak and Czech local theatre and literary tradition and there are quite a few theatres in Czechia, in particular Telč and the earlier blogged Crumlaw (Český Krumlov). Crumlaw even has a puppetry museum just outside the town centre to ensure its value to the Czech society is not forgotten. Puppetry is so highly regarded in the International Puppeteers Union (French: Union International de Marrionette) is actually based in Czech.

Czech puppetry is recently enlisted as one of the ICHs.

Getting There and Around

Telč is a tiny town square and it will not take you longer than 10 min to walk from end to end, from the Marian column to the castle. Having said that the place is very pleasant to spend a day there. The entrance fee to the castle is CZK 240 Kč. No parking inside the town square. Boats can be hired to row on the moats surrounding the Town Centre but the river looks very dirty. A good afternoon stroll.

UNESCO Inscriptions
UNESCO sign
The houses in Telc, which stands on a hilltop, were originally built of wood. After a fire in the late 14th century, the town was rebuilt in stone, surrounded by walls and further strengthened by a network of artificial ponds. The town's Gothic castle was reconstructed in High Gothic style in the late 15th century.
Puppet theatre for communities in Slovakia and Czechia is not only a popular form of traditional entertainment but also a way of conveying a vision of the world, and an educational tool with messages on moral values. The puppets, whose characters are real or imaginary, are mostly made of wood and animated using various methods. Initial bearers of the practice were families of travelling puppeteers whose works later absorbed local influences in language and themes using namely comical figures with distinct characteristics. Puppet theatre is an integral part of Slovak and Czech local theatre and literary tradition. It also plays an important role in socialization, helping performers to develop as creative thinkers and learn about cooperation, communication and to strengthen their sense of identity in society. Featuring with other traditional rituals and festive events like feast days, markets and fairs, puppet shows today come in many different forms but still draw from tradition. Practice bearers include performers, playwrights, puppet and costume makers, as well as stage designers. Skills are transmitted by imitation and practice within performer communities, while in Slovakia also transmission takes place in traditional puppetry dynasties, as well as through workshops run by not-for-profit organizations and music and arts schools.
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