A short walk around the attractive royal town of Čáslav – 2 km
- Čáslav is a small town 10 km to the south east of Kutná Hora in central Bohemia. It is easily missed in favor of the larger and more famous Kutná Hora, but Čáslav has its own unique and long history. It is definitely worth stopping for a short stroll around the attractive town center and fishpond.
- Čáslav has an unusual mix of architecture in a small area: including the Romanesque tower of St Michael’s church dates from the 12th century, while the town walls and cylindrical Otakar tower are 14th century Gothic constructions, testimony to the importance of this royal town in the high Middle Ages. There are Baroque and Rennaissance buildings
- The town was founded by Přemyslid king Otakar II in 1263, but the location had been important to the Přemyslid dynasty for some time before that. The low hill of Hrádek, on the opposite side of the pond from the current town, was (re)fortified by the Slavic tribes in the early middle ages and was part of the ring of fortresses the Přemyslids used to protect their home territory of Central Bohemia. The whole area has been continuously settled for over seven thousand from the late Stone Age, as indicated by the rich archeological findings now housed in the excellent town museum.
- Čáslav has a close association with the two most famous uprisings in Bohemia – the 15th century Hussite wars and the 17th century revolt of the Protestant Estates against the Catholic monarchy. The battle of Čáslav, which took place in September 1618, was the first major skirmish of the 30 Years War. Two centuries earlier the famous Čáslav meeting took place in June 1421 as an attempt to reconcile the Hussite and Royalist parties, at which a certain Jan Žižka was elected to the provisional government of Bohemia.
- Nearly five centuries later, in 1910, the probable remains of this famous Hussite general were discovered in a niche behind the alter in the church of St Peter & Paul in Čáslav. The indications were that the bones were hastily hidden after having been secretly moved to Čáslav in 1458, during the reign of Jiři of Poděbrady, who feared at the time that a crusade would be launched against the mostly Protestant Bohemia by the Pope.
- A walk around the town center and then beside the scenic fishpond (with views towards the Hrádek hill) , with a stop at the museum, can measure between 2 km and 4 km depending on the route chosen. There is a town education trail (with green-white striped markings) but no information boards. A plan of the route can be obtained in the tourist office. The paths are all easy and suitable for walking with a stroller. There are several refreshment options on the main town square, including the well regarded restaurant in the hotel Grand.
Directions
- Start the walk in the main town square (there are paid parking spots). If travelling by train to the main station at Čáslav follow the GREEN hiking trail to the town square , which is reached in 700m
- After visiting the town museum, located on Husova street, visit the church of St Peter & Paul and then take the steps down to the fish pond
- Walk along the pond, below the old town fortifications and re-enter the town past the Otakar town to return back to the main square
