In the footsteps of the Hussites

    Would you like to follow the path of the famous Hussite commander Jan Zizka, or visit the places where the famous preacher Jan Hus lived and worked? Would you like to see their birthplaces, look around the countryside of Zizka’s first victorious battle at Sudomer? If yes, come along with us on a little trip into the past.

Tabor
    The city became the cradle of the radical line of Hussitism after the year 1420. This period is commemorated by the remains of the fortification system and the city castle, plot division of the historic centre and the system of medieval cellars. The rest was covered by hectic building activity after the year 1437 when the town was granted its charter along with complex rights and a municipal coat of arms by the Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg. Thanks to its past, Tabor became the symbol and spiritual target of the patriotically oriented movement in the mid-19th century. In the year 1878 the Hussite Museum was founded here and now it offers five expositions.
The Hussite past is commemorated by several statues of high quality situated in various places throughout the town. The Monument to Jan Zizka of Trocnov by Josef Strachovsky (1884) was erected in the main square.
The large monument to Jan Hus was created by Frantisek Bilek (1928). Two large reliefs (1934) depicting Petr Chelcicky and Jan of Kalich placed on the Masaryk House in Smetanova Street are by the same author.
The city of Tabor has always taken pride in its dramatic history out of which the history of the Czech nation and often other European nations evolved. This tradition is brought to life during the significant European festival called the Tabor Meetings whose organisers search for unusual paths to learning about national cultures. 

Kozi hradek
    The remains of a small castle which dates from 1377. The castle became famous because Jan Hus visited this place and the nearby town of Sezimovo Usti several times between the years 1412-1414 because he was forced to leave Prague under a threat of interdiction. He wrote his essays in Kozi Hradek and he preached in the surroundings. The fortified settlement was abandoned as early as in the thirties of the 15th century. Archaeological research was carried out here in the years 1886, 1890 and 1899-1907 and the preserved walls were conserved. It was the local archaeologist Josef Svehla who found a significant set of objects during his research.
Kozi Hradek – text, photo, opening hours
Kozi Hradek – 5 km east of Tabor, direction Mesice (one of Tabor‘s districts)

Beranek
    One of the places in Bohemia where gatherings of radicalised groups were held in the time of Chiliastic movement between the years 1417 – 1419. The number of participants in such events used to be so high that they often presented a threat to the vicinity of the place. There is a beautiful view of the countryside around Mlada Vozice and Blanik. There were more mountains which were used for the same purpose: for example the ”first mount Tabor” near the village of Nemejice by the city of Pisek.
Beranek – a mountain near the town of Mlada Vozice,; 17 km north-east from Tabor

Borotin
    These are picturesque ruins of a castle which date from mid-14th century. The castle was besieged by Prokop Holy and warriors from Tabor on May 11, 1434. But the whole army was by Krc as early as on May 17 which means that the siege of the castle was merely an episode indicating the perfidy of the then owner Mikulas of Landstejn. 
Some famous people were born in the nearby town, it was for example Jan of Borotin, a member of the November parliament in the year 1435, who affected the medieval history. 
Borotin – the castle ruins
Borotin – the castle ruins – 16 km north of Tabor, direction Sedlec – Prcice

Jistebnice
    A charming little town, a market village formerly, founded in the year 1262. It is the birthplace of Petr Hromadka of Jistebnice, a co-founder of Tabor (memorial tablet). A very precious relic of the past was found in the Baroque building of deanery in the year 1872. It was the Hussite Hymn Book; it is to be seen in the local memorial.
Jistebnice – town, north-west of Tabor, 14 km

Pribenice
The castle was first mentioned in the year 1243 as an estate of the Vitkovci family. In the time of the Hussite wars it was Oldrich of Rozmberk who had his seat there. At that time the complex of Pribenice and Pribenicky was the largest fortification unit in South Bohemia. The castle was conquered by the Hussites in the year 1420 and thus they could liberate priest Koranda who was imprisoned by Oldrich. The Hussites, having conquered the castle, used it as a prison as well. Pribenice was the place where some of the members of the heretic sect of Adamits were assassinated. The rest of the sect members were burned to death in Klokoty.
Pribenice – the castle ruins
Pribenice – the castle ruins – 10.5 km from Tabor – on foot: follow a red tourist path, by car: direction Malsice (Bechyne)

Krec
The place of the last battle the of radical Hussites of Tabor in the year 1435, one year after the Battle of Lipany. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the event, a humble monument with the Hussite Chalice motif was unveiled here in the year 1935.
Krec – village, 18 km east of Tabor; direction Cernovice u Tabora

Trocnov
The yeoman Jan Zizka of Trocnov was born in this village. His family held one of the local farmsteads between the years 1378 – 1384. He was a mercenary in various countries in the following years. He was a courtier of the king Vaclav IV during the last years of his rule. Following the king‘s death he took command of the Hussite army. He came to Tabor in the spring of 1420 and became one of the co-founders and leading administrators. He died on October 11, 1424 near Pribyslav. His significance in European history is vast. The birthplace of Jan Zizka has been a trip target for nationalistically oriented groups or individuals since mid 19th century. In the place where Zizka was allegedly born, under a huge oak tree there is a stone memorial.
Archaeological research was carried out here between the years 1921-1937 and in the 1950’s then. Two yeoman farmsteads were uncovered in the year 1956. There is an impressive exposition and monumental ornamental sculpture by Josef Nalejovsky (born 1914). There is a monument to Jan Zizka in the nearby town of Borovany.
Trocnov – south of Tabor, direction Ceske Budejovice 85 km, direction Trebon 70 km.



Husinec near Prachatice
This little town is the birthplace of Jan Hus, the Czech medieval reformer of the Catholic Church. In the house where he was allegedly born there is an exposition providing interesting information for example on the „second life of Hussitism“ in the 19th century. A bronze medallion with a portrait of Jan Hus created by Bohuslav Schnirch in the year 1899 is placed above the entrance to the building. A bronze ornamental sculpture „ Jan Hus with the Bible“ by Karel Lidicky (1900-1976) has been in the square since 1958. Hus received his basic education in the nearby town of Prachatice. This town was conquered by the Hussites a few years later and the resistance of the town dwellers during the siege was punished brutally.
Husinec near Prachatice – 90 km south-west of Tabor, direction Pisek, Vodnany.

Sudomer
This is a place of the first victorious battle fought by the Hussites led by Jan Zizka of Trocnov (March 25, 1420).A monumental sculpture was erected in the place of the battle in the year 1925; the statue is made of stone with copper accessories and was made by Emanuel Julian Kodet (1880 – 1945). Since the countryside is flat in that area, the statue dominates the landscape.
Sudomer – 58 km south-west of Tabor, direction Pisek

Text: Petr Brátka

Statue of Jan Zizka near Sudomer
Foto : Karel Charvát

Foto : Karel Charvát

Tabor – a Hussite town, History of Tabor –a look into the mirror of time, Sights of Tabor, A small geographic atlas, Do not miss when in Tabor, Interesting places in the surroundings, In the footsteps of the Hussites, Glossary, Index

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