Geography

Litomysl

The first settlement in the area of today´s Litomysl developed along a public trade road that passed the border and connected Bohemia with Moravia. The recorded history of the town starts in the late 11 century when either the church or the Benedictine monastery was founded there. The monastery became an important centre of the region and under it, along the river Loucna, a settlement developed that was promoted to town by the king Premysl Otakar I in 1259.

In 1344, a diocese was established in Litomysl – at the same time as the archdiocese in Prague. In 1567, Vratislav of Pernstejn became the ruler of Litomysl demesne that was one of the biggest ones in the kingdom. The archiepiscopal palast was rebuilt to a Renaissance castle, one of the most beatiful ones in central Europe owing to its exquisite graffiti. The exceptional nature of the Litomysl castle was stressed by declaring it a part of the world cultural heritage – a UNESCO sight - in 1999.

The paper of the King Premysl Otakar

I

Litomysl Gradual from 1563

Renaissance Castle (UNESCO)

Piarist College with the Monastery

Former Piarist Grammar School

Piarist Church

Grammar School

National House

 Bedrich Smetana Statue

Former Jewish Synagogue

Interior of Portmoneum