Something from History

H u n t i n g   c a s t l e s

By Marketa Kalabova

Last time I wrote about important things which you have to do for being a hunter. Today I would like to tell you something from extant landmarks of hunting. The topic of hunting was used in many arts. We have got a lot of fairy tales, legends or superstitions of hunting. It means hunting broke into the literature. But in plastic arts and painting we can find a lot of interesting landmarks too. Statue, paintings, relieves and last but not least castles are proofs of that.

Castle Hluboka nad Vltavou

The castle was built like a royal castle in 13 Century. A lot of sovereigns lived there during many years. The last ones were Schwarzenbergs, who rebuilt the castle per sample Tudors and Elizabethan architecture. Nowadays many hunts are organised there. In June the castle offers a lot of interesting actions like a wood-cutter competition, exhibition of hunting and rescue dogs, fishing competition with musical accompaniment of folklore. No less important is theatrical summer and musical festival. For its rich history and majesty the castle is one of the most frequented castles in our country.

Castle Opocno

The first writing note about this castle is from 11 century. Castle has been declared National culture monument for its historical and art value. Around the castle there is a very big garden with a lot of domestic and exotic vegetation. One of the most important hunting attractions is park, where you can find white deer and fallow-deer. A big part of exposition in the castle is dedicated to hunting weapons and trophies. There is a very big hunting salon, where you can find the skin of bear Kodiak. Nowadays aristocratic family of Colloredo Mansfeld wants to take back the castle from the country to its ownership.

Castle Rostejn

This castle is not far from our town Jihlava in the middle of forest. It was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. After thunder stock it burnt down, but thanks to a quality restoration the castle is extant in a good form. In castle space there is exhibition of pottery, ceramics, weapons and hunting trophy. In armorial salon there are more than 700 arms from that period. Many celebrations are arranged in this castle too. For example historical banquet, fencing tournaments, jazz festival or night tours with ghosts are very popular.

Castle Bitov

The first note about this castle is from the 11th century. It was built on the rock, where a river runs. Today the caste overhangs Vranov dam. Bítov has a very rich building history and architectural development. At first it was a Romance castle, later a Gothic one and in the 19th century the castle passed reconstructions in Gothic revival. In this castle you can find a lot of collections of weapons, but the most famous is collection of padded dogs.

Castle Lednice

It is one of the most frequented castles in our country. Castle is situated in south Moravia. It is a magnificent building with a nice decoration, which is in classical fairy tale style from the 12th century. At that time it was a gothic fortress, nowadays it has got appearance from the 19th century like a novo gothic castle. Near the castle you can find a big park with trees and flowers from America, Asia, and Africa. From there you can see hundreds of fish in aquarium Malawi. From 1997 the castle has been written into the list of universal and cultural inheritance of UNESCO. During a peak period the tours are coupled with guitar concerts or a performance of historical fencing. In park you can see exhibition of birds of pray or you can go around the castle by horses.

Castle Krasny Dvur

Last one, which I would like to mention, is situated to the Northwest. Its building was built in the 14th century impressed with French architecture and in the end of the 18th century the first English park in our country was built there. Presently there are 18 rooms for seeing and the biggest pearl is baroque set of 24 portraits of dogs. The last interest – this castle was a scene for shooting of some films.

CZECH  TOWNS

T R E B I C

By Katka Konopecka

Trebic is after Jihlava the biggest town in Vysocina area. In my opinion it is the most beautiful town of the all world, but maybe that’s why I was born and grew there. Most of the Jihlava people hate this very interesting and cultural valuable place and they even call it: ,,Trebic is the valley of the hollow heads’’, because Trebic is situated on both sides of the River Jihlava. And where they took the hollow heads ? Ask them! Now, let’s jump into the history of Trebic. Oldrich Brnensky and Litold Znojemsky, the rich lords from Morava, they originated the cloister of the Benedictines in 1101 there. And just this action started the development of Trebic. About the first half of the 13th century, the Romanesque-gothic basilica of the Saint Prokop was connected with the cloister. The portal of entry of the basilica is counted among the most important and the most interesting parts. It springs from the beginning of the 13th century. The portal was lost but fortunately it was reappeared in 1862. Underground part, gothic crypt is the oldest and the most well-preserved part of the all object. It was used as the beer cellar in the 16th century. During the centuries Trebíc got great importance, for example great Charles square with two renaissances houses (The Black House and The Painting House) is a proof. But the thin years were not avoided. They came in 20th century when the communists got to the power. It sounds as a paradox but the unconcern saved more of the historical monuments. We can call the Jewish cemetery and Jewish town.

Jewish Town in Trebic

Jewish cemetery

We get to the cemetery from the Jewish town throw the Iron Gate and we are on the place. At first, we notice the ceremonial hall. It was built in 1903 and it is valuable because there is a very good preserved decorating and interior’s facilities. After it, we will be paralysed by the quantity of tombs. Jewish cemetery in Trebic ranges among the biggest cemetery in the Czech Republic. It isn’t wonder because the area with 1100 graves and 3000 tombstones is 11722 m2. The oldest tomb comes from the first half of the 17thcentury.

Back Synagogue

We find two synagogues in Trebic. Back synagogue (it is also called as New Synagogue) is younger so it was built around 1700. Interior is decorated with stucco, paintings of the ornamentals and Hebrew texts. Back Synagogue stopped to be used as a church after the First World War because in Trebic there were few Jewish people. It was used as storage, at first for the Isaak Herman Subak and Sons Company, after the Second World War it was storage for vegetables, for potatoes. Today, it is used as the Jewish Museum with lots of concerts, some exhibitions, the seminars etc. These monuments (Basilica of Saint Prokop, Jewish town) were noticed on the list UNESCO but there are many others too. The Town tower is famous because it has the biggest clock in Europe. Let us go on it!

Some facts about Town Tower

Town Tower near the church of Saint Martin originated in the 14th century and it had to be part of the defence system of the Trebíc town. At first it stood on its own but it was connected with the church in the 18th century. The tower was also rebuilt and got the appearance of these days. Whole height of the tower is 75 meters; the gallery is in 35 meters. The numbers measure 60 cm and the diameter of the dial is 5,5 meters. Thanks to the view we can see whole town as on the open hand.

Festivals organized in Trebic

Dancing Trebic
Theatre Trebic
The celebration of beer

It is an action for elderly people. It is held during last weekend in May. Many of the pop musicals complete the program which contests of drinking the beer.

Zamosti(= Behindbridge)(?)
When you are young, you respect the musical festival ,,Zámostí’’ which progressives the first weekend in June. You find quantity of the Czech rock, ska bands and musicians there. Sometimes you can meet a foreign group.
Bramborobrani (=Potatotake)
Fairs on the square, dancing of the dance groups in costumes on the stage...Last weekend in August.

K U T N A   H O R A

By Katka Konopecka

Today, Kutna Hora is quite small town like Trebic. But it had great importance in the 13th century, it was the city with lot of privileges (only Prague was more powerful). This success was thanks to the silver mines, which had given wealth to the king since the early years of the 17th century. The habitants of the middle agees Kutna Hora were very proud of their mint (mincovna), where the Czech currency Prague gros was coined. Of course, there were also bad years for Kutna Hora . For example the 20s of the 15thcentury were bad, unsuccessful. The mines (underground) were overdrawn and the miners had to go deeper and deeper. Two great fires didn’t help the situation...German minors were turned out. The bad and troubled years slowly went away and everything was stabilised in the second half of the 15thcentury. But next catastrophe came in the 17th century... with the Swedish. Their attack made sad, destroyed and almost empty place from the picturesque town. When the 18thcentury changed the 17th there were some attempts to renew the output, old glory of the town. Unfortunately, the hopes did not perform and Kutná Hora started to fall into sleep. But rich history let traces there and they started to attract the tourists. This state lasted during the first republic (1918-1938) and the cultural life grew, but not only level of cultural life rose. The new, avant-garde opuses grew there too. They are (for instant): The Tyl Theatre, Cinzovní dum (by architect Richard Podzemny), houses by arch. Krohovsky etc. The most avant-garde and modern is ,,Monument padlým’’ by artist Dvorák. These all works of art complete the historic heart of the town without injuring its atmosphere. Thanks God, 20th century (I mean the 2nd World War and communists) did not destroy Kutna Hora; the monuments stayed intact and in 1995 it was noted on the list UNESCO.

I have written about modern works of art and I have not named the historic monuments which are on the list UNESCO. Here they are:

The Cathedral of St. Barbara (St. Barbara-patron of the miners)

The Cathedral of Saint Barbara was founded in 1388 (gothic style) and the first project man was Jan Parler, son of Petr Parler (he was the first architect of The Cathedral o St. Guy).At the beginning of the 15th century the construction was stopped, it was renewed in 1482. But the output was in dark and the construction was stopped again...The Jesuits got the cathedral in 1626 and they reconstructed it almost whole in baroque style. The Jesuits did not have good luck and they had to let their work›the building stayed 300 years ,, under construction’’. Finally, it was finished in 1884 into present form.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Sedlec

This cathedral is the oldest monastery in our country; the basic stones of the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady in Sedlec are from 995. The monastery was rebuilt into great five-boat cathedral from 1280 to 1320, because Kutná Hora was in good, silver times. The monument was finished by Santini in 1700. So this monument is in gothic-baroque style.

Jihlava was the minor city too and it has not been long time since it renewed ships with next minor towns, with Kutna Hora and Pribram. The students from our school take part in change-stay with the students from these towns with silver history.

C E S K Y   K R U M L O V

By Katka Konopecka

We have written about the biggest city in the Czech Republic. Now, we want to acquaint you with the cities, which are noticed in the list of UNESCO. So let us go to Cesky Krumlov. We find Cesky Krumlov on the west-south of our country, on the Vltava River, near our mountains Sumava. In my opinion Cesky Krumlov is advantageous place for the tourists because everybody can choose if they want to see more monuments or more nature. The Vltava River divides the old historic heart of town on the city proper on the one side and castle Latran on the second. In the old town, there is gothic town hall, which was rebuilt in the renaissance style. Ceský Krumlov is one of a few towns in Czech Republic, where we can see the houses of townspeople, which hem the square by the arcades. The brewery and the hall of Jesuits pertain among the most important renaissance buildings. The city was fortified and the fortification stayed only somewhere. The example of the fortification is the Budejovicka gate, which originates from 16th century. When you come to Cesky Krumlov, you notice the great château, which is the second most extensive edifice in Czech Republic, after Prague castle. In the interior of the castle, there are the frescoes from 18th century which interest the visitors. In Cesky Krumlov, there is a rarity. It is the theatre with turning auditorium, to which we will dedicate now. (traverse table in Ceský Krumlov) The theatre with turning auditorium is found in the baroque garden, which is noted in the list UNESCO together with Cesky Krumlov. The actors from South Bohemia Theatre play there in the summer. The beautiful setting of the garden of the chateau multiplies their performance. This interesting theatre was built accordingly to the project by Joan Brehms. The first sixty spectators there saw the play Lucerna (= Lantern) as early as in 1958, when the traverse table was spun. It was propelled by people power. Today, more than 650 persons can see one play and the motors care about turning of the auditorium. This theatre attracts many people; both from abroad and from us. But the critics say the theatre destroy neighbourhood of baroque garden and conservationists decided that last season (summer 2006) was last. They want to build new theatre with turning auditorium in Ceske Budejovice. This new traverse table is going to grow in forest park Stromovka and the construction is going to be proceeded according to plans by Joan Brehms, how said chief magistrate of Ceske Budejovice, mister Tetter. About 800 people can seat into the auditorium of the new theatre. The scene is going to be larger and the actors are not going to reduce the park of castle, so they are going to have larger possibility for staging. The traverse table in Cesky Krumlov is going to be pulled down. And the garden will be clean, without any other building. In my opinion the garden will be empty and uninteresting. But it is only my opinion.

O S T R A V A

By Katka Konopecka

Ostrava is the third biggest city in the Czech Republic. It is situated near our boundary with Poland, on the Odra River. It was the most important centre of black coal mining and metallurgy in Czechoslovakia. Today the coal is almost mined, the metallurgy stagnates. But the polluted air and destroyed nature stayed there. Ostrava was founded in 1267 and in 1767 hard coal was found there, so people started with mining immediately. Thanks to the coal, Ostrava has passed great development since 1945 to present time. This city does not look as the others. Among office blocks, museums, theatres and town hall there are putout towers and factory chimneys. When we want to have some entrainment, we direct to Stodolni Street. Stodolní Street is very famous place in Ostrava. It is the centre of night life. We can choose there from many bars, restaurants and discos. Ostrava is important centre of the sports and arts for east parts of our country. But it is not everything, what I would like to say to you about this place. Many Czech famous people were born there and now I will continue with one of them. I am going to talk about songwriter, singer and translator, Jaromir Nohavica.

Jaromir Nohavica

Jaromir Nohavica was born 7th June 1953 in Ostrava. He attended the secondary librarian school in Brno and then he went to the Polytechnic University in Ostrava after his graduation. He did not finish this university education and he started to work, sometimes as a librarian, sometimes as a worker. He has made his living as the artist on the free leg since 1981. He has never studied music and he taught himself to play the guitar, the accordion, the violin and the flute. Jaromír Nohavica began his career as songwriter with the local bands, he collaborated with Czech radio in Ostrava and he wrote for famous Ostrava pop stars, for example for Marie Rottrova. His first concert was on the Folk merry-go-round in 1982. His glory rose, but censorship (communists) of the time hate Nohavica texts and that is why his first CD was got out in 1988, under the name Darmodej (Wastrel). Next CDs follow after revolution in 1989, for example it is Osmá barva(Eight colour), V tom roce pitomem (In the stupid year), Divne stoleti (Strange century) and the newest Doma (At home). He made one CD for children called Tri cunici s rikadly a pohadkami (Three piglets with rhymes and tales) too. He moves between folklore and folk music, so he is right person of his region. He is different from songwriters of 60th years, because he pumped themes from the east, he used elements from Russian romantic literature. In short Nohavica was, is and will be a type of singer, who tax accent on the poetry and literature.

The packet of his newest CD

And to conclude there is a text of song by Nohavica:

When I was drafted as a soldier

When I was drafted as a soldier
They made me leave my old hometown
They shaved my head I looked so stupid
Like the fellas all around ‘round ‘round ‘round Like the fellas all around

They locked me up right in the barracks
And they started teaching me
The skill to kill for my great country
The way a soldier has to be be be be
The way a soldier has to be

After taps up on my bunk bed
I cuddled closer to the wall
I thought about my little sweetheart
And quietly I had to bawl, bawl, bawl, bawl.
And quietly I had to bawl

When she came to pay visit
I was bed bound with the flu
Someone kept on walking on us
So there was nothing we could do do do do
So there was nothing we could do

Don’t you fall my gentle teardrops
She really can’t be blamed for much
A pretty girl needs a true love
And a soft, endearing touch, touch, touch,
touch And a soft, endearing touch

The major wears a lot more medals
She met him at the entrance gate
He said his pad rather empty
And so he took her to his place, place, place,
place And so he took her to his place

Why should you care about a soldier
When his girl dumps him cold
Fare thee well my Frankie Šrámek
This story’s really getting old, old, old,
old Perhaps it’s meant to be untold

B R N O

By Katka Konopecka and Aneta Matejickova

Brno is the second biggest city in the Czech Republic. We can find it in Moravia, on the junction of the Svratka River and the Svitava River. It is very cultural town, there are many theatres and cinemas. Brno has a very interesting history and from foretime there are many monuments as ecclesiastic and profane. Example of profane building but not so old is the functionalism suburban Tugendhat, which is registered in UNESCO list. One of the next buildings is an old castle Spilberk, where there are well-known underground corridors. Near the Square of Liberty there is Dietrschsteinsk palace and now it serves as the museum. Town hall of Brno is often visited by travellers. In the enter corridor, there are two things: a model of Brno dragon and the Wheel bet. Some legends

The legend about Wheel bet

One man, Cartwright from the Lednice town, betted, that he did a wheel and rolled it to Brno in the course of one day. He won, but people began to funk him, because they thought, than he was in connection with the devil, so that he managed it during one day. He died poor and in oblivion.

The legend about Brno Dragon

In Brno several versions exist, how it was with the dragon. One of them says: A dragon lived near Brno. Near the Svratka River, there he had his cave. He annoyed people and he ate everything, what he saw. Counsellors promised one hundred canaries for killing the dragon, but the scare of dragon was so big, that nobody killed him. But once, a journeyman came to Brno and he heard story about this bad and cruel dragon. He said that he would knock him down. He bought lime and fool fell. Journeyman went to the dragon lair and he covered lime with fell. Dragon devoured it and he went to drink water from the Svratka River. He started to swell; he swelled, swelled and he exploded. Everybody from Brno heave a sigh of relief and the journeyman got the money and left the city. He continued in his journey around the world.

P R A G U E

By Katka Konopecka and Aneta Matejickova

Prague is our capital and the biggest city. It arose on both banks of the river Vltava in the second half on the ninth century. Prague has got many monuments for example: The National Gallery, The National Museum, The Lesser Town and Prague castle, where the most interesting sovereign, Charles IV was crowned in September 1347.

Prague in ages of Charles IV

Charles IV founded in Prague the first university in the middle of the Europe. It consists of four faculties: The medical, the law, the theology and the free arts. Charles wanted to extend Prague and make from it one of the nicest city in the whole world. He donated new rock bridge to Prague people and founded Prague’s new town. Because he was very kind, he let build so called Hungry wall and so he could get work for poor people. In Charles times Prague was the biggest city in the middle of the Europe.

The Monuments in Prague

Astronomical clock

Astronomical clock is the biggest attraction in Prague. It is situated in the Old Town square. It is made up of three parts. In the upper part there are two windows, which can open, when the clock strikes. It is a signal for apostles to appear in succession. There we can see a figure of death, a Turk, a miser and the prodigal. The second part shows a movement of heavenly bodies and the time .The last part is a calendar, which was painted by Josef Manes.
The most famous legend about the clock tells the story about master clockmaker Hanus, who had his eyeballs burned out with the hot poker by the city councillors. They wanted to prevent him from creating another similar or better clock somewhere else. Hanus then climbed the tower and damaged the clock so badly that it didn’t run for many years.

Charles bridge

The Lesser Town and The Old Town are connected with the Charles Bridge. It is decorated with 30 statues and sculptures group. Today you can find many tents with souvenirs too.
By the legend, the builders gave into the mortar raw eggs and ones the people from far village brought them boiled eggs.

Prague castle

Prague castle was the seat of the kings and in these days it isn’t otherwise. Today it is the seat of our president.
In the area of castle there are two churches. One is Saint Vitus cathedral, which is built in gothic style. There are kept the Czech Coronation Jewels. The second church is a Romanesque basilica of Saint George.