During a stay in Trest, you can explore the landscape, architecture and nativity scene culture as distinct highlights. Třešť Castle Park surrounds the castle building; the synagogue brings together architectural history and exhibitions, while St. Martin’s Church and the Stations of the Cross form their own connection. For planning your visit, the park’s limited public opening hours and the seasonal dates of the Betlémská cesta and Dřevořezání are particularly relevant.
Castle Park and Stations of the Cross
Třešť Castle Park is a naturalistic landscape park dating from the 18th century, surrounding the castle building on all sides. As a landscape and castle setting, the grounds differ from the exhibitions and historic rooms of the synagogue. The public can visit the park even without being hotel guests, but public access is limited to certain times. If you are planning a visit, check the current opening hours in advance.
St. Martin’s Church is the oldest monument in Třešť and also the starting point of the Stations of the Cross. This route has 14 stations and leads to Šibeniční vrch. Unlike the grounds around the castle, the Stations of the Cross offer a route defined by its stations, with a named starting point and destination. This gives you two different ways to explore: the landscape park around the castle building and a route with a set sequence of stations.
Synagogue: Architectural History and Exhibitions
A fire destroyed the former Třešť synagogue in 1825; a new Empire-style building was erected afterward. The synagogue brings together different architectural features: a vaulted hall with stucco decoration and a Neoclassical façade with an arcade. Three permanent exhibitions are housed in the surviving rooms: “Franz Kafka a Třešť,” “Zaváté stopy” and “Po stopách zmizelých sousedů.”
“Zaváté stopy” is on the ground floor and explores the history of Třešť’s Jewish community. The first floor has an exhibition about the life of Franz Kafka. The synagogue thus combines the building’s architectural history with exhibitions about the Jewish community and Kafka. If you are planning a visit, check the current access arrangements in advance.
Museums with Different Areas of Focus
The Třešť branch of the Muzeum Vysočiny Jihlava has a permanent exhibition about J. A. Schumpeter. The Muzeum Tesla’s first public exhibition is a historical landmark: it was titled “Tesla, dědictví Č.S. elektroprůmyslu.” The title refers to the legacy of the Czechoslovak electrical industry. While the Schumpeter exhibition focuses on an individual, the title of the first Tesla exhibition draws attention to industrial history.
The Muzeum Tesla can arrange special guided tours for groups by prior telephone agreement. If your group is interested, making the arrangement by phone is part of the planning.
Nativity Scene Trail and July Event
The Betlémská cesta can be followed each year from December 26 to February 2. It brings to life the nativity scene-making tradition, which is more than 200 years old and has been kept alive by Třešť families. The period extends beyond the turn of the year, so plan your visit around these seasonal dates. Since 2015, the Betlémská cesta has been included on the Czech list of intangible cultural heritage of traditional folk culture.
The traditional July event Dřevořezání offers another way to experience the nativity scene-making tradition. Woodcarvers from across the Czech Republic create new figures for a shared nativity scene. While the Betlémská cesta brings the tradition to life on specific dates, Dřevořezání focuses on making the figures. Check the exact event dates before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Věžnička, Švábov, Dvorce, Kozlov, Dušejov, Rozseč, Hodice, Rantířov
For the overview of the wider area: Jihlava District.
