Telc, Czech Republic

Telc
Registered Sector: 
Historic Centre of Telc
Location and site: 
In the southwest of Moravia and 25 km. from the Austrian border, Telc is near the boundary of Bohemia. It is situated in the midst of the undulating landscape of the Moravian hills.
Historical Function: 
Politics, culture and trade.
Administrative Status: 
Historical Reference: 
  • Around 1335, a royal castle occupied the fortified site. It was surrounded by dwellings and a church. The settlement of this forested region began in the 13th century.
  • The city of Telc was founded by the powerful Vitek family, the seigneurs of Hradec. It developed on a hill, with the marketplace as its centre. A stone wall was erected around it.
  • Following a fire in 1386, the wooden houses which surrounded the marketplace were reconstructed in stone. The Gothic castle, which had been built at the end of the 14th century, was reconstructed at the end of the 15th century.
  • Under Zacharius of Hradec (1549-1589), Telc flourished culturally and enjoyed economic prosperity. A Renaissance castle was erected, then enlarged. The houses which were destroyed by the fire of 1530 were reconstructed in the same style. This was the city's architectural heyday.
  • Between 1604 and 1945, other important families ruled over Telc, and the style of its castle was preserved.
  • During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the city experienced a period of stagnation. When the Jesuits constructed the college (1651-1655) and the Church of the Name of Jesus (1666-1667), they introduced the Baroque style in Telc.
  • The industrial revolution of the 19th century led to a cultural and national awakening. Telc, however, did not experience rapid economic growth.
Urban Morphology: 
A network of ponds added to the defense function of the stone wall that encloses the small vassal city of Telc. Two gates, one to the north and one to the south, provide access to the marketplace which possesses the form of a very elongated triangle and is embellished by a column and two fountains. The Renaissance castle is the city's monumental centre. This Renaissance urban ensemble was realised with the participation of Italian architects, in particular Baldassar Maggi d'Arogno, at the end of the 16th century. The two-storey burghers' dwellings which frame the triangular square combine Gothic, Baroque, Rococo and Classical elements. Their gable roofs surmount buildings with varied facades and the well-preserved arcades at ground floor level ensure the unity and harmony of the ensemble.
Registration Criteria: 
Telc is an architectural and artistic ensemble of exceptional quality. Its triangular marketplace also possesses rich cultural importance because it is surrounded by intact or well-preserved Renaissance buildings with a striking array of facades. (I) At the end of the Middle Ages in Central Europe, planned communities were established in the midst of regions of complete forest for reasons of political control and economic expansion; Telc is one of the best surviving examples of this tradition. (IV)