Třebíč is a town in the Vysočina Region on the river Jihlava, the second largest town of the region, known for its inscribed Jewish quarter and the Basilica of St. Procopius on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Třebíč lies in the Vysočina Region, of which it is the second largest town. It is situated in the south-eastern part of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands on both banks of the river Jihlava. The town is a municipality with extended powers and, together with Moravské Budějovice and Náměšť nad Oslavou, forms the Třebíč region, which comprises 167 municipalities. According to the Association of Historical Settlements of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, Třebíč has approximately 36,000 inhabitants.[1]
Location and transport
Třebíč lies 60 kilometres west of Brno and 35 kilometres south-east of Jihlava, the seat of the Vysočina Region. Prague is 180 kilometres from the town and Vienna 120 kilometres. Railway line No. 240 linking Brno and Jihlava runs through Třebíč, as do road I/23 in the direction of Brno – České Budějovice and road II/360 in the direction of Vratěnín – Svitavy. The D1 motorway passes 20 kilometres north-east of Třebíč near Velké Meziříčí. A further access to the town is road I/38 in the direction of Znojmo – Jihlava, with a junction at Moravské Budějovice. According to the association, the northern and western surroundings of the town are among the ecologically cleanest areas of the Czech Republic.[1]
History
The origins of Třebíč date back to 1101, when the Moravian appanage princes Oldřich of Brno and Litold of Znojmo founded a Benedictine monastery on the site. The town's coat of arms, which shows three black cowls on a silver beam on a red shield, is also derived from the Benedictine order. In 1270 Abbot Martin founded the town of Třebíč itself, and in 1335 its town rights were raised on the model of the royal town of Znojmo.[1]
The year 1468 is cited as an important turning point in history, when the town was almost destroyed during the wars between George of Poděbrady and Matthias Corvinus, and its original Gothic appearance disappeared. After repeated fires, Renaissance and Baroque gables were replaced by façades from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The exception is three surviving Renaissance houses on Karlovo náměstí, the most significant of which, according to the association, is Malovaný dům.[1]
In terms of administrative organisation, Třebíč belonged to the Jihlava Region from 1949 to 1960. On 1 July 1960 the Jihlava Region was abolished and its territory divided among the South Moravian, South Bohemian, East Bohemian and Central Bohemian regions, and Třebíč became part of the South Moravian Region. Since 1 January 2000 the town has been part of the newly created Vysočina Region, whose territory roughly coincides with that of the former Jihlava Region.[1]
The source identifies 1989 as a significant milestone in the town's history. The newly elected council dealt with problems connected with the new political situation and changed development priorities, including a reassessment of the relationship to the historical heritage. Gradual revitalisation of the Jewish quarter began; the 1975 redevelopment plan had envisaged extensive demolitions there.[1]
Monuments and the UNESCO inscription
In 2003 the former Jewish quarter in Třebíč, including the Jewish cemetery, and the Basilica of St. Procopius were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. According to the association, this became the twelfth UNESCO inscription in the Czech Republic and the third in the Vysočina Region. Over the long centuries of its existence Třebíč became the economic, administrative, political and cultural centre of south-western Moravia. The surviving monuments show that Jewish and Christian communities were able to live together in Třebíč for a long time, which, according to the association, was one of the reasons for the inscription on the UNESCO list.[1]
Pages that link here
- Basilica of St. Procopius (Třebíč)
- Introduction of a Fuel Price Cap
- Jan Kubiš
- Jemnice
- Jewish Quarter in Třebíč
- Vysočina Region