Inside the castle at Litomyšl

I’ve written previously about the gorgeous squares you find in the smaller towns and cities in the Czech Republic. My favourite, as I’ve already declared, is the main square in the town of Telč.

But coming a close second is the long square in the middle of Litomyšl.

It’s another small town, with a population of about 10,000 people. And the square is not really a ‘square’, it’s more of a road.

It stretches along for almost 500 metres, lined on both sides with colourful buildings.

The facades are from different eras – look closely and you’ll see elements of Baroque, Classical and Empire styles. But each of them has been carefully maintained to create a cohesive fronting onto the street.

Stretching around most of the square (officially called Smetanovo Square) is the original design of the arcade, which means you can walk under cover for almost the whole way.

Luckily for me, there’s no sight of rain and I don’t need to use the arcade. Instead, I try to dodge the cars and walk out on the street so I can look carefully at the buildings on either side – some are still houses but most are restaurants, shops and hotels.

Once they were all the houses of rich burghers. In medieval times, Litomyšl was part of an important trading route and the caravans of goods would come right down this street.

Back in the late medieval years, when this was a busy trading route, one of the reasons the wealthy businessmen chose to settle here was because they had protection from the castle above them.

Back then, Litomyšl Castle was the most important place in town. Today, it still is. And it’s the main reason that I have come here.

History of Litomyšl Castle

Leaving the square/road and walking up the hill, it doesn’t take too long to find the castle.

From the outside, it almost looks like an enormous cube. Four flat walls on each side give little away about what’s inside.

The walls themselves are one of the most interesting elements of Litomyšl Castle. As you get close you realise that the tiles it’s made from, which look identical from a distance, each have their own design on them – animals, people, fruit, and other symbols.

I pass through the main external gates and come into a central courtyard. Sun shines down into it.

Looking up, I see arcades along three of the internal walls. The fourth one has a solid wall with murals painted on it.

The only way to see inside is with a guided tour and so I sign up for the next one and wait my turn. The tour is only given in Czech and so, as the guide leads us around, I have time to take lots of photos and explore each room while she talks to the others.

The castle is described as an ‘arcade castle’ in the Renaissance style. This type of castle was first developed in Italy and then became popular in Central Europe in the 16th century.

Litomyšl Castle was built from 1568 and is one of the best examples remaining.

Inside, though, the decorations are mainly from the 18th century when it was redesigned in the Baroque style by new owners.

I have to say, everything is extremely well laid out and the interior of the castle is beautiful. However, it does look like a lot of the other castles and palaces I have now seen in the Czech Republic.

A lot of credit needs to go to those in the Czech Republic who restore and maintain these buildings – it is very well done. But nothing on the inside here jumps out at me as more spectacular than any other I have seen.

I’ll share some of the photos from inside with you now, and you’ll maybe see what I mean.

Visiting Litomyšl Castle

For many travellers, Litomyšl may seem a little out of the way from anywhere else they were planning to stop. I’ve had some people suggest that it’s not worth visiting unless you are going to be nearby anyway. I tend to disagree.

I stay overnight in town and it has a wonderful atmosphere to it when the hordes of day-tripping tourists have left. It’s not a busy place at night but in the early evening the buildings glow and you almost have the square to yourself.

Visiting Litomyšl Castle itself is easy enough, although it’s a bit frustrating that there are no regular English tours, and you’ll probably have to take one in Czech. But you’ll still get to see the main rooms.

The tour times can change a bit, so I recommend heading to the castle straight away to find out when you can join one. And, if you need to wait, then go and explore the square or some of the other things to do in Litomyšl.

The main tour is called ‘The Castle during the rule of Valdstein’ and it takes you to the castle theatre and twelve of the most beautiful representative rooms on the first floor.

The long dining room where guests would sit for hours; the smaller private rooms where the residents would relax. A billiards table; a piano; a desk. They all give you an insight into life in this opulent home.

Even though I have mentioned that I didn’t find anything unique inside the castle, it is still an impressive display.

The only reason I am not raving about it is because it is no better than the other castles that are also Czech World Heritage Sites. But if this was the first or only one you saw, you would be suitably impressed, I’m sure!

And let’s not forget, the exterior IS special and it’s something you won’t see anywhere else.

Other than the official guided tour in Czech that you get at the castle, there aren’t many services you can use for a guide in Litomyšl.

But, I thought I would mention this week-long tour of the World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic! It includes Litomyšl Castle and is a really convenient way to see lots of cultural sights, without having to worry about all the logistics.

Things to do in Litomyšl

Beyond the castle, though, are there other things to do in Litomyšl?

Well, the short answer is that there’s not a lot. Personally, I wouldn’t say it’s worth coming here just to see anything else on offer. But if you’re coming for the castle, which is certainly worthwhile, you may as well take some time to discover some of the other things to do in Litomyšl.

• Smetanovo Square: One of the highlights of Litomyšl is the main square, also the main road, and you’ll be able to enjoy the colourful facades from the road, or visit some of the shops to see the interiors.
• Castle Brewery: On Castle Hill, there’s more to see than just Litomyšl Castle itself. Pop into the Castle Brewery where you may be able to grab a lager or even a glass of wine, which is now being aged here.
• Red Tower: Near the castle, you’ll also find Red Tower, one of the last bits of fortification from the 15th-century Upper Town. You can go up the tower to get a view across the area, and there’s a small museum to visit.
• Portmoneum: This quirky house has an exhibition on the ground floor about the three men connected with the residence, Josef Portman, Josef Váchal and Ladislav Horáček. The highlights are the murals painted in some of the rooms by Josef Váchal – vibrant and crazy depictions of his otherworldly view of life.
• Regional Museum: Litomyšl’s Regional Museum is surprisingly modern for a small town with such a focus on heritage. It tells the story of the town’s history with artefacts about architecture, industry, art, and even recent times of the 20th century.
• Town Gallery: The Town Gallery is not large, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s partly about the art exhibitions, which are usually temporary shows. But also about the building itself – a residence from 1546 called the Knights House, which is richly decorated inside and out.

If you’re short on time for your visit to the Czech Republic, I would understand why this may not make your list. But don’t discount Litomyšl completely.

If you’re nearby or you have time, stop by for the day or overnight. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.