Telč & Trebon - The Charming Duo of Bohemia

Following our visit to Třebíč, we drove west and crossed the historical border between the Czech regions of Moravia and Bohemia. For those of us who are English speakers, the term Bohemia seems to evoke an image of Romanticism and artistic freedom. Bohemianism has nothing to do with the historic Kingdom of Bohemia or the modern Czech Republic. It was entirely a creation of the French in the mid-19th century, and their non-conformist lifestyle was mistakenly attributed to the Bohemian land due to its “exoticness.” Today, the historical region of Bohemia accounts for roughly two-thirds of modern Czech territory. Interestingly, it does not align with the modern administrative division. Instead, the identity of Bohemia stands to contrast with the Moravians.

Impressive row of Renaissance/Baroque facade.

What are the main differences between Bohemia and Moravia? Well, it is commonly said that Moravian people are more down-to-earth and emotional. The rivalry between the two regions is perhaps more emotionally charged and rooted in the perceived dominance of the Bohemian region in modern Czech society. After our visit, I think the Czech Republic has plenty of interesting sights and cultural activities to warrant a full two-week visit.

Telč - Your Ultimate Postcard-Perfect Town

The town of Telč occupies a strategic location as the crossroad of major trade routes between Moravia, Bohemia, and Austria. Telč has a population of approximately 6,000, but the town's historical core has been unchanged since the turn of the 19th century. In the past two centuries, no new construction has been allowed. Of all 40 houses in the town center, no building is younger than 300 years old. In this Instagram age that we live in, we are often captivated by a single image of a place. The Bohemian town of Telč seems to embody the power of a single image in the modern era of tourism. We were among thousands of visitors drawn there by the compelling image in the guidebook and its status as one of the Czech Republic's twelve UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Telč is undoubtedly the most photogenic town in the provincial Czech Republic and has been made ready for tourist selfies. The pocket-size town is centered around a comparatively oversized Market Square. Compared to other town squares in the country, Telč’s Market Square is unique in the uniformity of the architectural facade around the square. All the buildings fronting the square measure between 25 and 33 meters in width and are joined with a continuous arcade. The styles of the fanciful facade range from Renaissance to Baroque, and it is somewhat reminiscent of the uniform but varied facade you would see in Amsterdam, albeit with a couple of touches that are more colorful and flamboyant.

Like Třebíč, some of the most impressive houses here sport the exquisite sgraffito mural. The most beautiful among them has got to be House #61. This Gothic-Renaissance house features elaborated paintings of the Old Testament and a Venetian-inspired step gable. The guidebook says the owner built this house to impress, and I have to agree that it is perhaps the most impressive Renaissance/Baroque house I have seen to date. Despite the rigid uniformity of the architectural floor plans, architectural diversity is amazing. It just shows that the balance between individual artistic expression and strict zoning is key to a great urban environment. With a Baroque plague column and a beautiful fountain, it is a lovely public place to spend an afternoon people-watching.

During our visit at the height of tourist season, there was a modest number of tourists, including a busload of Asian tourists. However, with the new influx of tourists, the businesses around Market Square have not been tainted by the over-tourism… yet. It retains much of its workaday business, such as hardware stores and bookstores. As a sign of its popularity with the locals, the square was used partially for parking by the local residents. I could imagine that when tourism takes over Telč, resident parking will be a thing of the past. As much as I would like to see no parking on the square, I do love that Telč retains its authenticity despite its increasing popularity. Time could only tell what holds in the town’s future.

The Renaissance style palace of Telč Chateau.

After lunch at the charming courtyard patio of Restaurace Pod Věží, we made our way to the Telč Chateau. Aside from Market Square, the chateau is arguably the other major sight that might interest visitors. Originally constructed as a Gothic-style fortress, the castle was later remodeled into a princely residence in full Italian Renaissance style under the ownership of Zachariáš of Hradec. This chateau is unique because the architecture and interior escaped the wrath of ‘renovations’ in the subsequent centuries and retained most of its Renaissance features, such as paintings and original frescos. Unfortunately, we did miss out on the tour for the day. The chateau courtyard is open to visitors free of charge, but the interior was only accessible through a guided tour.

And just next to the chateau is the Church of Saint James. The church’s tower offers, by far, the best view of Telč. In addition to Market Square and the Renaissance Garden of the Chateau, the most amazing vista is toward the surrounding Czech countryside and lake. Only after getting up high did we realize what a beautiful and unique landscape Telč is situated in. This town is not only a perfect stopover town for your Czech road trip but also a worthy place to spend a night. I could only imagine the beautiful sunset in this beautiful place.

Třeboň

Another charming Czech town is an hour’s drive west of Telč: Třeboň. Unlike Telč, Třeboň felt much lived in and felt visitor-friendly but not overrun with tourists. In comparison, Telč, Třeboň seems like a much more work-a-day town and off the beaten track among foreign travelers. And I suspect most American visitors are like us…. followers of Rick Steve’s footsteps. Luckily, we were greeted with a beautiful blue sky when we arrived. After a dreary past 48 hours, the sunshine was such a great reprieve, and the good weather may have added a few extra points to our fond memory of this place.

Like other historical Czech towns, Třeboň has a handy free parking lot just out of the town gate. It is a comparatively larger town but still encircled by its modest medieval fortification and dry moat. Reaching Masaryk Square, the town’s main square, took no time. Despite its relatively small size, it has all the hallmarks of your quintessential Czech squares: fountain, plague column, town hall tower, and fanciful Renaissance and Baroque facade. Though smaller, the square is more than compensated by its convivial atmosphere. The square is lined with pleasant restaurants and cafes. Because of its relatively narrow width, no car is allowed, and one could potentially be heard from one side of the square to another.

The most dominant landmark is the city’s town hall. The tower is not impressive in size or style at exactly one hundred feet. After a long day of travel, we were cool with the short climb. But because of the compactness of the historical core, the view from the top of the tower was surprisingly rewarding. In addition to the fairytale gables and fortifications, the beauty of the surrounding landscape and lakes is just stunning. In Rick’s guidebook, he described the view as if “you could reach out and touch the circular old town.” I could hardly think of a better description.

Though almost all buildings around the square are beautiful and well-preserved, our attention is inadvertently drawn to a building just across from the town hall. Hotel Bily Konicek (White Horse Inn) is one of the oldest surviving Renaissance buildings in the country. The building is unique in appearance and resembles a mini-fortress. The building was constructed in 1544 as a hunting lodge for the Rosenbergs, the main noble family of southern Bohemia. The building became a pub as early as 1750, and it still functions as a restaurant and hotel today.

Interestingly, what put Třeboň on the map historically is its thriving fishing industry. A landlocked nation, the Czech Republic historically relies on aqua-cultural, the steady supply of seafood. A few centuries ago, Třeboň was a simple village in the marshland. Through the technical expertise and design ingenuity of Renaissance engineer Jakub Krčín, the once troublesome area is transformed into a series of fish ponds, channels, and dykes. The earthwork is designed for fish raising, and the system functions as effective flood control. In 2002, a historic flood that decimated many modern dams along the Vltava River was kept at bay at Třeboň thanks to the works of Krčín.

To our surprise, and suspect for most, the main fish stock of Třeboň is carp, an invasive species that is so hated back in the United States that people at home did not even bother eating them. All around town, restaurants proudly feature carp on their menu. Among the most celebrated restaurants in town is Šupina a Šupinka (Scales and Little Scales), known around the area for its signature ‘carp chip’ and the best seafood in the country. But despite my best effort to have a meal here, the timing of our visit didn’t work out, and I honestly wish we spent a night here.

Svinenská Gate, one of the four surviving Renaissance-era town gate.

I did not learn more about Czech’s lo’ love affair with carp until much later. A carp is the most traditional and beloved entree for Christmas. A few days before each Christmas, fishmongers across the country started selling live carp from the giant plastic barrels in the market. The Czech tradition of keeping live carp in the family bathtub for a few days made it all the more interesting. The Christmas carps inevitably become temporary family pets until being slaughtered for Christmas dinner. Living with a couple of craps in the bathroom would have been a unique holiday tradition growing up. Although having carp for Christmas is quite common in central and eastern Europe, the tradition is the most popular among Czechs, given the advancement in aquaculture. The preference for carp has waned quite a bit since the fall of the Iron Curtain as Czechs began to travel more and develop a taste for foreign fish. However, the sentimental attachment to carp remains strong, especially around Christmas celebrations.

Steps from Masaryk Square is the Třeboň Chateau. Decent size but rather anonymous in its outward appearance, the castle appeared more like a big manor house. The Chateau sports a simple sgraffito on the exterior to simulate the rustication of a grander stone building. The building was constructed as just one of the palaces throughout southern Bohemia for the Rosenberg family based in Český Krumlov. But what makes this chateau famous is that much of Rosenberg’s wealth, including fine Renaissance furniture, art, and archive, is located here after the family was forced to sell their estate in Český Krumlov in 1601 to Rudolf II, the Holy Roman Emperor. Peter Vok Rosenberg relocated to Třeboň and died here ten years later childless, thus ending the 300-year run for this illustrious Bohemian family. The chateau today is open for tour by guided tour only, which we didn’t have the chance to partake in, unfortunately.

For domestic visitors, Třeboň’s other draw is peat spa therapy. Due to the constant drainage and maintenance of the nearby fish ponds, smelly peat mud is always plentiful. But unlike normal spa treatment, the peat spa here is supposed to be an actual medical treatment with clinical efficiency and spartan decor to match. Indeed, almost all ‘spas’ are catered for patients with doctor’s notice, and most have multi-day spa packages intended for those on wellness vacation. As a result, it was surprisingly difficult to secure a reservation, which was partly why I did not opt to stay here overnight. But I am certain that your local hotel may be able to score you a coveted spa reservation. Perhaps there will be a spa with a user-friendly reservation platform someday.

As Rick’s guidebook indicates, Třeboň deserves more than a couple of hours of your visit. Aside from the tour of the chateau interior, it would have been a joy to take a bike ride along with the vast network of the engineered landscape that makes Třeboň prosperous. If it was not for our pre-paid lodging reservation in Český Krumlov, we may have stayed here for an entire day.

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Telč & Trebon - The Charming Duo of Bohemia

Telč - Your Ultimate Postcard-Perfect Town

Třeboň

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