Třebíč will commemorate 20 years since its monuments were listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites this year

Třebíč - This year, Třebíč will commemorate 20 years since the inscription of its monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In July 2003, the Jewish Quarter with its cemetery and the Benedictine monastery complex with the Basilica of St. Procopius were included. The inscription significantly increased tourist interest in both monuments, with over 43,000 visitors last year. This information comes from the spokesperson for the Třebíč Town Hall, Irini Martakidisová, and employees of the city’s cultural center (MKS), which organizes tours in the basilica and the Back Synagogue.

"The entry into UNESCO was crucial for the development of tourism in Třebíč. For example, before 2003, the annual number of visitors to the Back Synagogue averaged around 4,000 tourists. In 2003, attendance tripled immediately and has been growing every year," said Martakidisová.

According to the head of the Třebíč tourist information centers, the basilica had 21,339 visitors last year. The Back Synagogue welcomed 22,172 visitors. In 2018, each of the monuments had over 18,000 visitors, as reported by the National Information and Advising Center for Culture. The only more visited monument in the Třebíč region is the Baroque castle in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou.

Major celebrations of the inscription are being prepared for the week from August 14 to 20, according to the director of MKS, Nikola Černá. "From Monday to Thursday, we would like to open the castle moats near the basilica, where there will be a small historical town. It will showcase what life was like in the past. There will always be workshops in the afternoons," Černá said. The first day of the celebrations will culminate with an opening concert at Podzámecká Niva. Concerts and theatrical performances are also planned for the following days. Guided tours of the basilica will be enriched with commentary. From Friday to Sunday, the main venue for the celebrations will be Podzámecká Niva, where the city’s Summer Festival of Three Capes traditionally takes place.

The Basilica of St. Procopius was likely built between 1220 and 1260 in a transitional Romanesque-Gothic style. Its current form is the result of a series of modifications. However, the chapel of the abbey still retains 13th-century painted decorations.

The Jewish Quarter with its winding streets developed on isolated land between the Christian town and the noble residence. Today, it is one of the most well-preserved in Europe, with over 120 houses. Above the quarter lies a Jewish cemetery with 3,000 stone tombstones.

The first Czech monuments were added to the UNESCO list in December 1992; these included the historical centers of Prague, Český Krumlov, and Telč. Currently, the Czech Republic has 16 monuments on the list and eight entries in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, including the production of Christmas ornaments from blown glass beads.