Vysočina

Region located between Bohemia and Moravia

PERSONAGES

Jan Blažej Santini Aichel

He was a Czech architect of Italian descent, whose major works represent a curious blend of Gothic and Baroque styles. The influence of Borromini is evident in his predilection for star shapes and complex symbologies. Many of his buildings are airy and elegant. This brilliant architect was invited to Žďár nad Sázavou by the abbot of the Cistercian monastery Václav Vejmluva. Thanks to their collaboration, an enormous complex of Baroque monuments was built in this area between the years 1706-1723.

Gustav Mahler

He was an Austrian composer and conductor of the late Romantic period. In the region is his birthplace in Kaliste near Humpolec and also Dům Gustava Mahlera in Jihlava, where Mahler's family lived. In his honor, the Hudba tisíců music festival is organized every year in Jihlava.

Kdo časně vstává, získá mnoho, kdo dlouho spí, stůně z toho.

Whoever gets up at dawn will have everything, whoever sleeps late will get sick.

WHAT TO EAT

Mrkvance z Polné

Traditional dessert made from leavened dough with carrot filling. We recommend tasting it on the occasion of Mrkvancova pout (Mrkvanec Fair), organized annually every second Sunday in September and is dedicated to the patron saint of the city San Ligurio.

Florentýnky od paní hraběnky

A curiosity, the food that was brought back by the servants who worked in Florence. This dish has become popular and much loved.

Jihlavská kyselka

A simple potato soup revisited, in the Horacko area is sweetened and softened with buttermilk. This soup is a typical specialty of the Vysočina region.

MUST-SEE

Podlipnice Churches

Podlipnice churches are a group of three medieval churches from the 14th century in the landscape below Lipnice Castle, on the border between Havlickuv Brod and Pelhrimov districts. All of them belong to the parish of Lipnice nad Sazavou. The list of churches: St. George's Church in Řečice, St. Margaret's Church in Loukov and St. Martin's Church.

San Giovanni Nepomuceno in Zelená hora

The pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk in Zelená hora near the town of Žďár nad Sázavou is one of the most important monuments of the architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel. This Santini masterpiece was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. The central church and the arcade that surrounds it are designed and built in a uniform way. The construction of the church is based on the geometry of the circle, its composition is based on the symbolism of a five-pointed star, repeating the number five several times as a reference to the five stigmata of Christ and the five stars of John Nepomuk, which, according to the legend, they appeared above the body of the martyred saint.

Milovská educational path

The history of the landscape under the four sticks, also known as the Milovská educational trail, is an educational trail that introduces visitors to glass processing, gives the opportunity to observe the glass masters at work or even try the craft for themselves of glassmakers. It opened to the public in 2012 and has a total of 20 stops.