Discover Svitavy District: Castles, Museums and Trails

In Svitavy District, Renaissance architecture, urban history and traces of past work in the landscape come together. When planning your visit, it is worth considering what interests you: interiors and architecture, a short walk around a town, or themed trails that bring industrial history and nature together. Each place has its own focus and offers cultural and scenic perspectives on the region.

Castles and urban history

Litomyšl Castle is a Renaissance residence with arcades, whose architecture was influenced by Italian models. The castle has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. It was built between 1568 and 1581 for Vratislav of Pernštejn by Giovanni Battista and Ulrico Aostalli. A late-18th-century theatre has also been preserved, along with its original painted decorations, stage sets and stage machinery. The composer Bedřich Smetana was born in the brewery next to the castle. Architectural and musical history thus meet at this site, while the theatre offers a glimpse into historic stagecraft.

Svojanov Castle focuses on different aspects of historical life. One tour includes the kitchen, pantry and furnished rooms of the 19th-century palace. An underground tour takes in a torture chamber and a lapidarium. Those who want to take in the view from above can climb to the observation platform atop the 26-metre-high Hláska Tower. The varied tours make the visit especially appealing to anyone interested in exploring underground spaces and historic collections as well as grand interiors.

In Polička, the medieval town fortifications tell another side of the story: the walls stretch for 1,220 metres and include 19 bastions. The Bohuslav Martinů Centre complements this architectural focus with modern exhibitions on music and history. Those interested in urban history can explore it in two different ways here: through the visible fortifications and through the themes covered in the museum exhibitions.

A town walk and distinctive museum themes

The Svitavy heritage walk can be completed on foot in less than two hours. Another cultural stop is the Esperanto Museum on the ground floor of the Ottendorfer House. Its themes range from history and culture to literature and the practical use of the planned language. It gives particular attention to Svitavy and the Pardubice Region. The museum thus connects an internationally oriented subject with a regional perspective. Together, the walk and museum offer different ways to explore Svitavy: on foot along its heritage sites, or through language, literature and their practical application.

Mining history, trails and landscape

Traces of industrial work are also part of the region’s character. The Mladějov Industrial Railway is an 11-kilometre narrow-gauge railway with a track gauge of 600 millimetres. It was built to transport clay, fireclay and local coal. Its dimensions and original purpose make it a subject of industrial history in its own right. The Hřebeč mining trails are different: this 70-kilometre network of educational trails is intended for walkers and cyclists, and explores the history of human activity on the Hřebeč Ridge as well as local natural features and cultural heritage.

The Hřebeč trails are marked by 22 educational stops, eight starting points and six rest areas. Destinations include the Strážný vrch viewpoint, shelters on Mladějovský vrch and near U vysílače, and several mines in the area. The many stops connect specific places with themes of mining, landscape and culture. Those mainly interested in exploring a town on foot can use the Svitavy walk, which takes less than two hours, as a point of reference; the Hřebeč trails, by contrast, form an extensive network of educational routes for walkers and cyclists.

For nature lovers, the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area extends into Svitavy District. The landscape of the Žďár Hills includes forests, stony fields, flowering meadows, ponds and peat bogs. Villages with examples of traditional folk architecture are also part of its character. The region therefore offers a range of interests side by side: Renaissance architecture and town walls, music and language, industrial history, and a diverse cultural landscape.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Svitavy, Janov, Jedlova, Nedvezi, Nemcice, Chrastavec, Chotenov, Borova U Policky, Bela Nad Svitavou, Oldris, Moravská Trebová, Pusta Kamenice, Porici U Litomysl, Rozstání, Policka, Bystré U Poličky, Čistá, Vranová Lhota, Leitomischl, Bohuňovice, Želivsko, Gruna, Banín, Staré Město, Borušov, Brněnec, Budislav, Březiny, Březová Nad Svitavou, Cerekvice Nad Loučnou, Chmelík, Chornice, Desná, Dětřichov U Svitav, Dětřichov U Moravské Třebové, Dlouhá Loučka, Dolní Újezd, Hartmanice U Poličky, Pohledy, Hradec Nad Svitavou, Koclířov, Jarošov, Javorník, Jevíčko, Kamenná Horka, Karle, Korouhev, Kukle, Kunčina, Lavičné, Linhartice, Lubná, Městečko Trnávka, Mikuleč, Mladějov Na Moravě, Sloupnice, Osík, Pomezí, Radiměř, Rohozná U Poličky, Rozhraní, Rudná, Rychnov Na Moravě, Sádek, Bělá U Jevíčka, Svojanov, Telecí, Trpín, Útěchov, Vendolí, Víska U Jevíčka, Vítějeves, Benátky, Bezděčí U Trnávky, Biskupice, Bohuňov, Březinky, Hartinkov, Horní Újezd, Chotovice, Janůvky, Jaroměřice, Koruna, Květná, Makov, Malíkov, Nová Sídla, Nová Ves U Jarošova, Opatov, Opatovec, Příluka, Pustá Rybná, Radkov, Řídký, Sebranice, Sedliště, Sklené, Stašov, Strakov, Suchá Lhota, Široký Důl, Študlov, Tržek, Třebařov, Újezdec, Vidlatá Seč, Vlčkov, Vrážné, Vysoká U Jevíčka, Křenov

For the broader travel overview: Pardubice.