The East Bohemian town of Litomyšl emerged in the 13th century on the site of an older fortified settlement on the Trstenice path - an important trading route linking Bohemia and Moravia.
The dominant feature of Litomyšl is the monumental Renaissance castle dating from the years 1568 - 1581. The buildings of the castle precincts are not only exceptional for their architectural refinement, but have also inscribed themselves in history as the birthplace of the Czech national composer, Bedrich Smetana. On the elongated square, which is one of the largest in the Czech Republic, stands a town hall of Gothic origin and a series of Renaissance and baroque houses, many with arcades and vaulted ground floor rooms. One of the most important of these is the House At the Knights (U Rytíru) with its remarkable facade dating back to the early 16th century.
In the past the town was also a significant religious centre; it was in Litomyšl in 1344 that the second bishopric to be established in Bohemia was founded.
The cultural traditions of the town go much beyond regional and national frontiers. The exquisite interiors of the castle, especially the baroque castle theatre, the amphitheatre in the castle park and Smetana’s house, all offer varied programs of concerts and theatrical performances and thus enrich the life of the town throughout the year.
Litomyšl came to public notice in a political context as well: in 1994 the meeting of the seven Central European presidents took place at the castle, and in 1995 the Spanish royal couple visited the town. The chateau complex was included in the UNESCO List of cultural monuments 1999. Litomyšl was awarded “Historical Town of the year 2000”.
