A labyrinth of medieval streets, monumental city walls, and a fascinating history. You’ll find all this in the South Bohemian city of Tábor, founded in the 15th century as a model of the perfect city, where everyone is equal. Come learn the story of a place which in the Middle Ages became indelibly inscribed in the history of the Czech lands – and soak in its unparalleled atmosphere.
It’s not often that a city in Central Europe receives a biblical name. One exception is Tábor, named after Mount Thabor near Nazareth in Israel. Its founders, who were supporters of the Czech Hussite reform movement, built it with the determination to create a new commonwealth that rejected human laws and was governed only by the law of God. In the early days of the city its residents thus surrendered all their property, which was then divided according to need.
Come to a knights’ tournament!
If you want to learn more about the Hussite movement, head to the museum in the Old Town Hall, one of the most important Gothic buildings in the Czech Republic. From its cellars leads a network of tunnels under the main square, which is named after the most important Hussite commander, Jan Žižka of Trocnov. Near the town hall you can test your fitness by climbing to the top of the local church tower, where you will have a wonderful view of the entire historical heart of the city. Soak in the true spirit of the Middle Ages on a visit to the former castle of Kotnov with its circular tower. If you enjoy exercise, take a walk around the Jordán Reservoir, the oldest one in Central Europe. Would you like to go back in time to the Middle Ages? Then visit Tábor in September during the Tábor Festivities, when the city comes alive with historical fairs, processions and knightly tournaments.