A Renaissance chateau with a preserved theatre, a medieval city wall and educational trails exploring mining history: in Svitavy District, you can discover very different chapters of cultural history.
Renaissance and Theatre in Litomyšl
Litomyšl Chateau has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999. The Renaissance residence, with its arcades, was influenced by Italian architectural models. Vratislav of Pernštejn had the chateau built by Giovanni Battista and Ulrico Aostalli between 1568 and 1581. Its construction period and design place it in the Renaissance and provide a concrete starting point for exploring this era.
Another historical detail is the late-18th-century theatre preserved in the chateau. It includes original painted decorations, stage sets and stage machinery. If you’re interested in the history of theatre, these preserved elements reveal more than just the space: they also include the stage’s fittings and technology. The brewery next to the chateau is the birthplace of composer Bedřich Smetana—a distinct cultural-historical connection in the chateau’s surroundings.
City Walls, Museum and Walking Tour
In Polička, the medieval city walls define the historic fortifications: they extend for 1,220 metres and include 19 bastions. The length and number of bastions make the scale and layout of the fortifications easy to picture. Another way to explore the city’s history awaits at the Bohuslav Martinů Centre, whose modern exhibitions focus on music and history.
The cultural and historical walking tour of Svitavy takes less than two hours on foot. This gives you a clear idea of how much time to allow if you’d like to include a city walk in your plans. The Esperanto Museum offers a subject of its own: located on the ground floor of the Ottendorfer House, it explores the history, culture, literature and practical use of the constructed language. Particular attention is given to Svitavy and the Pardubice Region. Alongside Esperanto’s development, the focus is also on its use and regional connections.
Svojanov: Interiors, Underground and Views
A guided tour of Svojanov Castle includes the kitchen, pantry and furnished rooms of the 19th-century palace. The underground tour covers a torture chamber and a lapidarium. Visitors can also climb to the viewing platform atop the 26-metre-high Hláska Tower. These stops offer different perspectives on the castle: from the furnished rooms and underground lapidarium to the view from the tower.
Mining and Industrial History
The Mladějov Industrial Railway offers a glimpse into the region’s transport history. The 11-kilometre narrow-gauge railway, with a track gauge of 600 millimetres, was built to transport clay, fireclay and local coal. Alongside chateau rooms and museums, it brings technical infrastructure and the transport of raw materials into focus.
The Hřebeč mining trails also connect history with the landscape. The 70-kilometre trail system is suitable for hikers and cyclists. It explores the history of human activity on the Hřebeč ridge, as well as local natural features and cultural heritage. The system includes 22 interpretive stops, eight starting points and six rest areas. The trails lead to the Strážný vrch viewpoint, shelters on Mladějovský vrch and at U vysílače, and several mines in the area. Mining is not the only focus; its connections with nature and culture are also explored.
The Landscape of Žďárské vrchy
The Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area also extends into Svitavy District. Its features include forests, rocky fields, flowering meadows, ponds and peat bogs. Villages with examples of traditional folk architecture also shape the area. This adds another perspective alongside the castles, museums and traces of mining: the relationship between the landscape and its built cultural heritage.
Discover More Destinations
Policka, Rozstání, Porici U Litomysl, Pusta Kamenice, Moravská Trebová, Oldris, Bela Nad Svitavou, Borova U Policky, Chotenov, Chrastavec, Nedvezi, Nemcice, Janov, Jedlova, Svitavy, Bystré U Poličky, Čistá, Vranová Lhota, Leitomischl, Bohuňovice, Želivsko, Gruna, Banín, Staré Město, Borušov, Brněnec, Budislav, Březiny, Březová Nad Svitavou, Cerekvice Nad Loučnou, Chmelík, Chornice, Desná, Dětřichov U Svitav, Dětřichov U Moravské Třebové, Dlouhá Loučka, Dolní Újezd, Hartmanice U Poličky, Pohledy, Hradec Nad Svitavou, Koclířov, Jarošov, Javorník, Jevíčko, Kamenná Horka, Karle, Korouhev, Kukle, Kunčina, Lavičné, Linhartice, Lubná, Městečko Trnávka, Mikuleč, Mladějov Na Moravě, Sloupnice, Osík, Pomezí, Radiměř, Rohozná U Poličky, Rozhraní, Rudná, Rychnov Na Moravě, Sádek, Bělá U Jevíčka, Svojanov, Telecí, Trpín, Útěchov, Vendolí, Víska U Jevíčka, Vítějeves, Benátky, Bezděčí U Trnávky, Biskupice, Bohuňov, Březinky, Hartinkov, Horní Újezd, Chotovice, Janůvky, Jaroměřice, Koruna, Květná, Makov, Malíkov, Nová Sídla, Nová Ves U Jarošova, Opatov, Opatovec, Příluka, Pustá Rybná, Radkov, Řídký, Sebranice, Sedliště, Sklené, Stašov, Strakov, Suchá Lhota, Široký Důl, Študlov, Tržek, Třebařov, Újezdec, Vidlatá Seč, Vlčkov, Vrážné, Vysoká U Jevíčka, Křenov.
For the broader travel overview: Pardubice.
