Litomyšl
Encyclopedia
Litomyšl (ˈlɪtomɪʃl̩; ) is a town and municipality in the Pardubice Region
of the Czech Republic
. The chateau complex in the town centre is listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
path - an important trading route linking Bohemia
and Moravia
.
The dominant feature of Litomyšl is the monumental Renaissance
castle dating from the years 1568–1581. The buildings of the castle precincts are not only exceptional for their architectural refinement
, but have also inscribed themselves in history as the birthplace of the Czech composer, Bedřich Smetana
. On the elongated square, which is one of the largest in the Czech Republic, stands a town hall of Gothic
origin and a series of Renaissance and baroque houses, many with arcades and vaulted groundfloor rooms. One of the most important of these is the House At the Knights (U Rytířů) with its remarkable façade. In the past the town was also a significant religious centre; it was in Litomyšl in 1344 that the second bishopric to be established in Bohemia was founded, although it ceased to exist during the Hussite Wars
. In the 19th century, the Litomyšl Grammar School was of great importance.
The cultural traditions of the town go much beyond regional and national frontiers. The exquisite interiors of the castle, especially the baroque castle theatre, the amphitheatre
in the castle park and Smetanas’ house, all offer varied programmes of concerts and theatrical performances and thus enrich the life of the town throughout the year. In 1994 the meeting of the seven Central European presidents took place at the castle. The chateau
complex was included on the UNESCO
World Heritage List in 1999.
(1824–1884), composer, August Jilek
(1819–1898), physician and oceanographer, Arne Novák
, critic and historian of literature, Hubert Gordon Schauer, literary critic, and Karel Píč (1920-1995), Esperanto
writer, author of the innovative autobiographical novel "La Litomiŝla Tombejo" (The Litomyšl Cemetery).
Magdalena Dobromila Rettigova, the author of the first cookbook written in Czech, lived here between 1834 and her death in 1845.
There is an extensive permanent exhibition of Olbram Zoubek
's (a famous Czech contemporary sculptor and designer) sculptures and art in Litomyšl Castle Vault Gallery.
with: Łańcut, Poland
Levoča
, Slovakia
Keszthely
, Hungary
Pardubice Region
Pardubice Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located mainly in the eastern part of its historical region of Bohemia, with a small part in northwestern Moravia. It is named after its capital Pardubice. "There are a total of 452 municipalities in the region...
of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. The chateau complex in the town centre is listed as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
History
The eastern Bohemian town of Litomyšl emerged in the 13th century on the site of an older fortified settlement on the TrsteniceTrstenice (Svitavy District)
Trstěnice is a village and municipality in the Svitavy District, in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic located about 8 km southeast of Litomyšl...
path - an important trading route linking Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
.
Main sights
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
castle dating from the years 1568–1581. The buildings of the castle precincts are not only exceptional for their architectural refinement
Refinement
In formal methods, program refinement is the verifiable transformation of an abstract formal specification into a concrete executable program. Stepwise refinement allows this process to be done in stages...
, but have also inscribed themselves in history as the birthplace of the Czech composer, Bedřich Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
. On the elongated square, which is one of the largest in the Czech Republic, stands a town hall of Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
origin and a series of Renaissance and baroque houses, many with arcades and vaulted groundfloor rooms. One of the most important of these is the House At the Knights (U Rytířů) with its remarkable façade. In the past the town was also a significant religious centre; it was in Litomyšl in 1344 that the second bishopric to be established in Bohemia was founded, although it ceased to exist during the Hussite Wars
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1419 to circa 1434. The Hussite Wars were notable for the extensive use of early hand-held gunpowder weapons such as hand cannons...
. In the 19th century, the Litomyšl Grammar School was of great importance.
The cultural traditions of the town go much beyond regional and national frontiers. The exquisite interiors of the castle, especially the baroque castle theatre, the amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
in the castle park and Smetanas’ house, all offer varied programmes of concerts and theatrical performances and thus enrich the life of the town throughout the year. In 1994 the meeting of the seven Central European presidents took place at the castle. The chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
complex was included on the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage List in 1999.
Notable people
Litomyšl is the birthplace of Bedřich SmetanaBedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
(1824–1884), composer, August Jilek
August von Jilek
August von Jilek , otherwise August Jilek or Jileck, was a Czech naval doctor, lecturer and administrator. He was born at Litomyšl in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, where the Jilek surname can be traced back to the 15th century...
(1819–1898), physician and oceanographer, Arne Novák
Arne Novák
Arne Novák, born as Arnošt Novák, was a Czech literary historian and critic, specialist in German and Czech studies.-Life:He was born as a son of the high school teacher Dr...
, critic and historian of literature, Hubert Gordon Schauer, literary critic, and Karel Píč (1920-1995), Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
writer, author of the innovative autobiographical novel "La Litomiŝla Tombejo" (The Litomyšl Cemetery).
Magdalena Dobromila Rettigova, the author of the first cookbook written in Czech, lived here between 1834 and her death in 1845.
There is an extensive permanent exhibition of Olbram Zoubek
Olbram Zoubek
Olbram Zoubek is a famous Czech contemporary sculptor and designer.There is an extensive permanent exhibition of Olbram Zoubek's sculptures and art in Litomyšl Castle Vault Gallery.-External links:* *...
's (a famous Czech contemporary sculptor and designer) sculptures and art in Litomyšl Castle Vault Gallery.
Subdivisions
- Litomyšl-město
- KorniceKorniceKornice is a small village, administratively a part of the town of Litomyšl in the Czech Republic. It is located on the Hlavňov hill . There live about 150 inhabitants.- History :...
- Lány
- Nedošín
- Nová Ves u Litomyšle
- Pazucha
- Pohodlí
- Suchá
- Zahájí
- Záhradí
Broadcasting Station
Near Litomyšl, there is a large broadcasting station for short- and mediumwave. The shortwave transmitter at 49°49'07.00"N; 16°18'27.00"E is the most important shortwave broadcasting facility of Czech using towers with heights up to 105 metres. A bit southeast at 49°48'38"N; 16°18'5"E, there are 2 125 metres tall guyed masts used for mediumwave broadcasting on 1287 kHz with 150 kWTwin towns — Sister cities
Litomyšl is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Łańcut, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Levoča
Levoca
Levoča is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,600. The town has a historic center with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the highest wooden altar in Europe, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings.On 28 June 2009,...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
Keszthely
Keszthely
Keszthely is a Hungarian city of 21,100 inhabitants located on the western shore of Lake Balaton. It's the second largest city by the lake after Siófok....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...