Joanna Lobo :
It is possible to fall in love at first sight. I did, 6,000 kms away from home. It was in a southern Moravian town, a few hours away from Prague, Czech Republic’s vibrant capital. At first glance, Telc looked like any other small European town with babbling brooks, overgrown woods, cobblestoned pathways, and wooden houses. Then, I turned a corner on to the old town square and felt my knees go weak.
The square, Námestí Zachariáše z Hradce, is a Unesco World Heritage site; this year marks the 25th year of the town’s inclusion in the list. It is often called one of the prettiest in the country, but pictures don’t do it justice. It looks like it came straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson story. Located in the middle of the town, on all sides of the square are wooden Renaissance and Baroque burgher buildings, painted in pastel shades of yellow, pink, green and blue.
The history of Telc dates back to the 13th century, when it was built as a medieval royal fortress by the lords of Hradec. The houses, church and town hall were damaged in a fire in the 1500s. Zachariaš of Hradec, after whom the square is named, rebuilt the place by bringing in outside help. Italian architects arrived and the Gothic castle, chateau and town underwent a magnificent makeover. The houses were given Renaissance gables and vaulted arcades in the front, creating the covered walkway.
The decorations of the house facades were left to the owners, each of whom tried to outdo their neighbour. The houses are numbered and it is not unusual to find people craning their necks upward to take in the fresco paintings or sgraffito (a decor technique in which a surface layer is scratched to reveal a contrasting layer below). House No 2 is a former Jesuit hostel, No 10 is the town hall, and No 3 is a study centre. In 1532, No 61 was bought by Michael, a baker and the chairman of the town council who rebuilt it. Today, it boasts of sgraffito decorations of the leaders of Old Testament. House No 15 is a corner house with oriel windows and a façade that shows the scenes of The Crucifixion, Saul and David, and Faith and Justice.
A walk around the square is enough to acquaint myself with a brief history of the town, aided by a map and little information booths that dot the area. I discover the Church of the Nativity and Assumption, called the Church of the Mother of God, a Baroque style structure with a tower that holds the oldest Telc bell made in 1515 by Jan of Mezirici. The centre has two fountains and a Marian column. The Marian (or Plague) column is something common to many little towns, built to give thanks for the ending of a plague. This one is intricate and has the saints on the bottom, and, atop a column of clouds on a globe, the Virgin Mary.
It is around the square that tourists and townsfolk congregate, drinking cheap alcohol and watching street musicians fill the silence with the sweet melodies of the saxophone and trumpet.
The northern end of the square is the chateau. Still magnificent and beautifully preserved, it can be viewed up close as part of two daily tours. In half a day, I learn about the different halls: the Golden Hall, which has carvings and paintings on the ceiling; the Knights’ Hall with its armoury and weapons, and the African Hall with its wall-mounted trophy busts. Another part of the tour gives a glimpse into the rooms of the chateau. I spy waffle-shaped ceilings, a statue of Adam and Eve and oil paintings of the castle’s inhabitants. The Chapel of St George, which has a detailed depiction of St George fighting a dragon, holds the remains of a nobleman, the town’s most famous resident.
Away from the square, the town is quite small. It was originally created as a moated fortress, and, so, is surrounded by a ring of interconnected lakes. A walk to the north, takes me past a small gate and into a spacious park surrounded by a pond. There, it’s like an animal farm, minus the revolt. There are horses, ducks, and dogs out for walks. It’s the picture of idyll. I feed the ducks, who follow me around for more snacks, and breathe in the silence of the forest.
The town shuts by 6 pm, so it’s best to find a place and settle in for the night. My pick is the Herna (Non Stop Bar), which is filled with locals. There, I drink Czech beer and try to make sense of local music videos. A closer look inside the bar reveals a room full of slot machines, for those who want to try their luck.
I tell myself I am quite lucky as it is. Although the castle has no prince, and Rapunzel isn’t leaning out of the church tower, there’s enough mystique and magic to satiate my romantic soul.
Getting there
There are direct buses from Prague (Florenc bus terminal) to Telc and back; takes about two hours. A cheaper option is a Student Agency bus from Prague to Jihlava and a local bus from there on; takes about 2.5 hours.
Where to stay
Pension Stedler or House No 8 on the square, in front of the plague column.
(Joanna Lobo is a freelance writer based in Mumbai)
It is possible to fall in love at first sight. I did, 6,000 kms away from home. It was in a southern Moravian town, a few hours away from Prague, Czech Republic’s vibrant capital. At first glance, Telc looked like any other small European town with babbling brooks, overgrown woods, cobblestoned pathways, and wooden houses. Then, I turned a corner on to the old town square and felt my knees go weak.
The square, Námestí Zachariáše z Hradce, is a Unesco World Heritage site; this year marks the 25th year of the town’s inclusion in the list. It is often called one of the prettiest in the country, but pictures don’t do it justice. It looks like it came straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson story. Located in the middle of the town, on all sides of the square are wooden Renaissance and Baroque burgher buildings, painted in pastel shades of yellow, pink, green and blue.
The history of Telc dates back to the 13th century, when it was built as a medieval royal fortress by the lords of Hradec. The houses, church and town hall were damaged in a fire in the 1500s. Zachariaš of Hradec, after whom the square is named, rebuilt the place by bringing in outside help. Italian architects arrived and the Gothic castle, chateau and town underwent a magnificent makeover. The houses were given Renaissance gables and vaulted arcades in the front, creating the covered walkway.
The decorations of the house facades were left to the owners, each of whom tried to outdo their neighbour. The houses are numbered and it is not unusual to find people craning their necks upward to take in the fresco paintings or sgraffito (a decor technique in which a surface layer is scratched to reveal a contrasting layer below). House No 2 is a former Jesuit hostel, No 10 is the town hall, and No 3 is a study centre. In 1532, No 61 was bought by Michael, a baker and the chairman of the town council who rebuilt it. Today, it boasts of sgraffito decorations of the leaders of Old Testament. House No 15 is a corner house with oriel windows and a façade that shows the scenes of The Crucifixion, Saul and David, and Faith and Justice.
A walk around the square is enough to acquaint myself with a brief history of the town, aided by a map and little information booths that dot the area. I discover the Church of the Nativity and Assumption, called the Church of the Mother of God, a Baroque style structure with a tower that holds the oldest Telc bell made in 1515 by Jan of Mezirici. The centre has two fountains and a Marian column. The Marian (or Plague) column is something common to many little towns, built to give thanks for the ending of a plague. This one is intricate and has the saints on the bottom, and, atop a column of clouds on a globe, the Virgin Mary.
It is around the square that tourists and townsfolk congregate, drinking cheap alcohol and watching street musicians fill the silence with the sweet melodies of the saxophone and trumpet.
The northern end of the square is the chateau. Still magnificent and beautifully preserved, it can be viewed up close as part of two daily tours. In half a day, I learn about the different halls: the Golden Hall, which has carvings and paintings on the ceiling; the Knights’ Hall with its armoury and weapons, and the African Hall with its wall-mounted trophy busts. Another part of the tour gives a glimpse into the rooms of the chateau. I spy waffle-shaped ceilings, a statue of Adam and Eve and oil paintings of the castle’s inhabitants. The Chapel of St George, which has a detailed depiction of St George fighting a dragon, holds the remains of a nobleman, the town’s most famous resident.
Away from the square, the town is quite small. It was originally created as a moated fortress, and, so, is surrounded by a ring of interconnected lakes. A walk to the north, takes me past a small gate and into a spacious park surrounded by a pond. There, it’s like an animal farm, minus the revolt. There are horses, ducks, and dogs out for walks. It’s the picture of idyll. I feed the ducks, who follow me around for more snacks, and breathe in the silence of the forest.
The town shuts by 6 pm, so it’s best to find a place and settle in for the night. My pick is the Herna (Non Stop Bar), which is filled with locals. There, I drink Czech beer and try to make sense of local music videos. A closer look inside the bar reveals a room full of slot machines, for those who want to try their luck.
I tell myself I am quite lucky as it is. Although the castle has no prince, and Rapunzel isn’t leaning out of the church tower, there’s enough mystique and magic to satiate my romantic soul.
Getting there
There are direct buses from Prague (Florenc bus terminal) to Telc and back; takes about two hours. A cheaper option is a Student Agency bus from Prague to Jihlava and a local bus from there on; takes about 2.5 hours.
Where to stay
Pension Stedler or House No 8 on the square, in front of the plague column.
(Joanna Lobo is a freelance writer based in Mumbai)
