Litomyšl – town of visual arts and architecture

The lovers of fine arts and architecture may enjoy a lot of other experiences in Litomyšl besides Smetana's creative Litomyšl:

 

Jiří David DNA The Waterfall 

Miroslav Kubík Gallery, Smetanovo náměstí 71   

 

Magdalena Jetelová Chairs 

Giant chairs by Magdalena Jetelová, a famous symbol of Communist omnipotence

Monastery Gardens in Litomyšl

 

 

Federico Díaz Twinstar 

A modern statue made of aramid textile fibres with a luminous running text at the site of the native house of the world renowned astronomer Zdeňek Kopal. 

Litomyšl, Havlíčkova street

 

 

Jasan Zoubek Šik 

The works of the Zoubek son and father are nearby and offer an interesting confrontation. 

Monastery Gardens Litomyšl

 

 

Václav Cigler, Karel Malich Embellishment of the Bohemian Brethren Church 

The new church of the Bohemian Brethren Church designed by the architect Zdeňek Fránek is decorated by an external cross made of glued glass by Václav Cigler, the internal embellishment have been made by Karel Malich.

 

 

Olbram Zoubek Statues and reliefs

The life-long collection of statues from all creative periods of Olbram Zoubek in the mystical environment of the vaults under Litomyšl chateau, supplemented with the artists' comments recorded in the audit guides. 

Litomyšl chateau vaults

 

 

Portmoneum - Josef Váchal

The room in the house owned by the publisher Josefa Portman in Terézy Novákové street was decorated with fanciful scenes in 1920 by painter Josef Váchal. The current museum also houses Váchal's carved and painted furniture.

 

Statues in the open air

Jan Štursa: Bedřich Smetana, 1924, Smetanovo square

Vincenc Makovský: Alois Jirásek, 1952-1959, Jiráskova ulice

Alois Metelák: Jan Amos Komenský Monument, 1921, Komenského square

 

Litomyšl could always be proud of the works of the best contemporary builders. 

The chateau was built by Giovanni Battista Aostallis and Ulrico Aostallis, the brewery was reconstructed by František Maxmilián Kaňka, who also completed the Piaristic Church after Giovanni Battista Alliprandi with embellishment by Matyáš Bernard Braun. 

At the turn of the 20th century, this continued with the valuable building of the post office (1858), district court in what is now Ropkova street (1865-67), hospital (František Čermák, Gustav Paul, 1872-74), Smetana's house (Jan Šula, Viktorin Šulc, Josef Velflík, 1905), girls' school (D. Hnídek, builder J. Kreml, 1906), new grammar school building (prof. Ausobský, builder F. Rudolf, 1922-23) and technical college (J. Tymich, builderl F. Čtrnáctý, 1929). 

Litomyšl has never been too industrial and, fortunately, it has never been affected by a wave of massive construction of housing estates in the after-war times. 

After 1989 it could therefore follow up on the tradition of quality architecture and leading Czech architectural offices build in Litomyšl.

 

 

When walking around you can see, for example, the following buildings:

 

 

Václav Babka, Zdeněk Sendler, Radko Květ

reconstruction of the Monastery Gardens (1999-2000)

 

Josef Pleskot, AP atelier 

residential building A2 and A3 (2001-2002), reconstruction of a former chateau brewery, reconstruction of Komenského square, Loučné riverbank, passage through a post office

 

Viktor Rudiš, Martin Rudiš

residential building A1 (1996), residential building A4 (2000-2001), Brokeš villa (1998)

 

Vladimír Krátký, Aleš Papp

commercial centre for bathroom fixtures and fittings Savos (1999-2000), external cladding of the winter sports stadium

 

Mikuláš Hulec

premises of the Faculty of Restoration with the Red Tower (1993-1998)

 

Hrůša - Pelčák

outdoor pool (1994-1995), tennis and squash hall (1998-2001)

 

Aleš Burian, Gustav Křivinka

reconstruction of pavement in Smetanovo and Toulovcovo squares and adjacent streets , "equestrian stairs" at the church, municipal furnishing (1997-2000), 3rd primary school, T.G.Masaryk street (1995-1998), municipal sports hall at the 3rd primary school (1995-1998), ČSOB building (1999), youth home, secondary teachers college (2001-2003), terraces at the sports stadium at Černá hora (2002), roofing over the winter stadium

 

Zdeněk Fránek

Church of the Church of Czech Brethren (2008-2010)

 

Antonín Novák

indoor swimming pool (2008-2010)