Discover Třešť: Culture, Nativity Scene Making and Castle Park

Třešť combines an impressive cultural history with a naturally landscaped castle park and vibrant craft traditions. The oldest monument in the town is St. Martin’s Church. From there, the Stations of the Cross with 14 stops lead to Šibeniční vrch. This makes the exploration begin with a historic building and then continue along a route that connects culture and landscape. Architectural history, exhibitions, nativity scene making and the park landscape each offer a different focus.

Museums and Historical Insights

At the Třešť branch of the Muzeum Vysočiny Jihlava, you can see a permanent exhibition about J. A. Schumpeter. The Muzeum Tesla provides a distinct focus of its own: Its first publicly accessible exhibition was entitled “Tesla, dědictví Č.S. elektroprůmyslu”. For groups, the museum can arrange special guided tours by prior telephone appointment. Anyone wishing to take a special guided tour for their group must therefore arrange the appointment by telephone before the visit.

The Synagogue Between Architectural History and Exhibitions

The Třešť Synagogue combines architectural history with several permanent exhibitions. After a fire destroyed the former synagogue in 1825, a new building was erected in the Empire style. Preserved features include a vaulted hall with stucco decoration and a Neoclassical façade with an arcade. The preserved rooms house three permanent exhibitions: “Franz Kafka a Třešť”, “Zaváté stopy” and “Po stopách zmizelých sousedů”. The “Zaváté stopy” exhibition on the ground floor focuses on the history of Třešť’s Jewish community. On the first floor, an exhibition explores the life of Franz Kafka.

Nativity Scene Making as a Living Tradition

The Betlémská cesta brings to life the more than 200-year-old tradition of nativity scene making maintained by families in Třešť. It can be followed each year from December 26 to February 2. Since 2015, the Betlémská cesta has been included in the Czech list of intangible cultural heritage of traditional folk culture. Another opportunity to learn about this craft tradition is provided by the traditional July event Dřevořezání. During the event, woodcarvers from all over the Czech Republic create new figures for a shared nativity scene. The two periods have different focuses: The Betlémská cesta belongs to the winter season, while Dřevořezání is part of the summer event season.

Castle Park and Visit Planning

Třešť Castle Park is an 18th-century landscape park, naturally landscaped and surrounding the castle building on all sides. In addition to hotel guests, it is also open to the public; public access is limited to certain times. Visitors who are not hotel guests must therefore plan their visit to the park within the limited access period. The natural landscaping can be experienced outdoors; in the synagogue and museums, architectural history, architecture and exhibitions take center stage instead. The Stations of the Cross and the park connect the landscape with the town’s history, the synagogue and museums focus on exhibitions and architecture, while the Betlémská cesta and Dřevořezání showcase nativity scene making in different seasons.

For further places to help you get your bearings, see Dvorce, Kněžice, Kalhov, Pavlov, Plandry, Volevčice, Brtnice and Švábov.

For the broader travel overview: Jihlava District.