Litomyšl in the Czech Republic. UNESCO Castle and other attractions worth seeing

Litomyšl is a beautiful Czech pearl with a Renaissance castle inscribed on the UNESCO List. Equally captivating is the 500m long spindle market! Too bad it's full of cars. It was in Litomyśl that the famous Czech composer, Bedrzich Smetana, was born in 1824. Although he became deaf at the age of 50, he continued to create great works. We will visit his birth house and check where the Polish president, Lech Wałęsa, slept. Check out our guide to Litomyśl, a gem on a European scale!

A variation of the name of the city of Litomyśl. In Litomyśl or in Litomyśl?

In Czech, the name of the city of Litomyśl is feminine, so the correct one seems to be more of a variety: I was in Litomyśl. However, Professor Mirosław Bańko believes that in Poland both forms are acceptable, both female and male, i.e. in Litomyśl and Litomyśl. The same is true of the city of Chrudim.

Monuments and attractions in Litomyśl. What's worth seeing? Experience map

The main attraction of Litomyśl is a delightful castle with famous envelopes, Smetana's birth house is right next to it, but other streets in the city with beautiful, intricate buildings will also provide a wonderful walk. With the main Market Square at the forefront, although here the intimate atmosphere of the resort is disturbed by heavy car traffic. Historic churches complete the architectural appeal, and a unique, lightning-fast interior awaits in the Portmoneum. Here are the best attractions of Litomyśl! 

UNESCO Renaissance Castle. Visit the palace. Sgraffito, cloisters, theatre and chapel

The magnificent gateway already indicates that the Litomyšl State Castle is a world pearl in the crown of Czech castles, for which this country is famous. But they had the imagination of Renaissance artists, creating the facade. In the wet plaster, they excavated about 8,000 envelopes with plant, mythological and heraldic motifs. Significantly, each is different, no pattern is repeated. The residence from the 16th century has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, and the entry is largely related to this wonderful facade with sgraffito envelopes. Usually there are 8,000 of them on the Internet, but our guide has safely indicated the number of over 5,000. It is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture in this part of Europe. 

Besides, envelopes are not the only intricate sgraffito patterns. You can also see beautiful decorations in the courtyard. They were built together with the castle, and 2 years ago they were renovated, so they look great. Among them, you can find the figure of a knight. This is most likely Wratyslaw of Pernštejn, William's grandson, about whom we talked in Pardubice. It was he who, with the help of Italian architects, built in 1568-81 this castle with arcades that take your breath away. They were supposed to resemble sunny Spain, where his wife Maria Manrique de Lara came from. Vratislav probably inherited from his ancestors the ability to create original things.

The interiors of the castle can be visited, although in winter one of the wings is closed. The one that hides the original, 18th-century Theater with original stage mechanisms and canvas decorations. It was founded in 1797 and today it is one of three such preserved in Europe. Instead, we could enter the former castle kitchen and the owners' bedroom with a home chapel. These were the private rooms of Vratyslav's wife, Maria, who brought here the famous sculpture of the Prague Baby Jesus from Spain. Significantly larger is the castle chapel of St. Michael and St. Monica, which was a tribute to the builder's wife. Well, Mary gave birth twenty-one times. Unfortunately, many of her children died as children. The gray color of the chapel interiors is unusual, it is the result of a Baroque reconstruction from 1725. At the top of the chapel there is a curiosity - windows for VIPs. Behind them are the so-called court oratories, i.e. rooms in which the lords of the stronghold listened to the Holy Mass without leaving their homes, warming themselves by a warm stove. 

On the route of winter sightseeing there is also a theater hall from the time of the Waldstein dynasty. It is the oldest theater hall in this castle, built for George Christian of Valdstejn. The gallery of sculptures by Olbram Zoubek in the castle cellars, where several dozen works by the contemporary artist are presented, is also significant.

The castle in Litomyśl, although in Poland it is called the castle in Litomyśl, is surrounded by an Italian-style garden, also founded in the 16th century. It will be decorated with linden alleys and sculptures. It's a nice place to walk. Interestingly, in this Renaissance palace, President Vaclav Havel met with seven other presidents from Eastern Europe. This was in 1994 and was a symbolic opening of this part of Europe to the west. Among them was Polish President Lech Wałęsa.
Address: Jiráskova 93

Bedřich Smetana's Birthplace - Composer's Museum

Just below the castle you will find the house where Bedrzich Smetana, one of the greatest Czech composers, was born in 1824. He was born in a castle brewery run by his father. It is said that even as a small boy he played on barrels, but he didn't really have to do it, because his father was rich enough to buy him an instrument. He played the violin and piano and already as a six-year-old he gave public concerts, which delighted the audience.

Bedřich Smetana is an outstanding composer, the father of Czech national music. He created in the times of Austrian domination, when the Czechs fought for their cultural identity. The museum in his family home invites you to an interesting multimedia show featuring his music. In addition, you will see a family bedroom and an office. The latter conceals the composer's original desk. Interestingly, at the age of 50, Smetana developed osteitis, which caused him to lose his hearing. It is fascinating that after this event he continued to create and then his greatest works were created. A bit like with Beethoven, except that Beethoven lost his hearing in stages. And these works by Smetana from the time of his deafness include the poems "My Country" and the most famous one entitled "Vltava". The famous figure is reminiscent of the annual Smetana Litomyšl International Festival.
Address: 133 Jiráskova Street

Baroque Church of the Piarists of the Finding of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Piarists of the Finding of the Holy Cross standing near the castle is the largest church of Litomyśl. He didn't have an easy story. It was built in 1714-25, after which it burned many times. During the communist era, it was closed, devastated and turned into a warehouse. Only the meticulous revitalization recently completed allowed tourists to enter the temple.

This church with baroque decor currently performs mainly tourist and cultural functions, although occasionally masses are held here. It is available free of charge, but there are paid sightseeing zones. There is a paid tower with a terrace and a path along the upper part of the temple, where even a special footbridge was built. On the sightseeing route, you can admire the magnificence of Baroque sculpture, magnificent organs, and from the terrace on the tower there is an impressive panorama of the city with a prominent elevation of the castle.
Address: ul. Jiráskova

Litomyšl Regional Museum

The Regional Museum in Litomyśl is located next to the Baroque church of the Piarists, in a magnificent building. It is worth stopping here to see an exhibition about the history of the city. Next to it is a small green squirrel. And between the museum and the church, you can quickly descend towards the market through the gate with stairs.
Address: Jiráskova 9

Market Square in Litomyśl with galleries - Smetana Square

Smetana Market is completely unique, has the shape of a banana and a length of up to 500 meters, making it one of the longest in Europe. It is surrounded by ornate tenement houses, mostly with arcades, which is fantastic and elegant at the same time. The houses boast Renaissance and Baroque facades. There is a gothic town hall from the 15th century, topped with an astronomical clock with moving figures. Among the tenement houses, the Renaissance House under the Knights (Dom U Rytířů) with sgraffito decorations attracts the most attention. It houses the Litomyśl Municipal Gallery, but it is currently closed because the building is under renovation (2026).

However, this delightful market has a drawback. It's full of cars, and not just as a parking lot, but just as a thoroughfare. You cannot calmly walk around and admire the architecture, because there is a lot of traffic. And if it were not, then simply kneel the nations. With the eyes of the imagination, we see a pleasant promenade with street musicians, cafes and unhurriedly walking passers-by with an atmosphere similar to that of Kazimierz Dolny. To experience peace, you have to enter a parallel alley. It's also charming here. Low buildings, sometimes dominated by a sacral colossus and inviting atmospheric restaurants. The city has an amazing atmosphere after dark. Illuminated arcades encourage an evening walk.

Portmoneum - a heritage of art brut

Unfortunately, the Portmoneum is closed in winter, we are very sorry because we really wanted to show you these interiors. They are gorgeous, very impressive and colorful. This is a great example of the work of "art brut", i.e. such raw art, one can say spontaneous, often created by excluded, uneducated people, sometimes even mentally ill. An ideal example in Poland is Nikifor, which has a museum in Krynica-Zdrój and was just raised by a deaf mother, he had hearing problems himself, he could not get along with the environment, he was not even sometimes accepted at home, and certainly appreciated, but finally later he was even appreciated at Warsaw and Paris salons. Photos of the interiors of the Portmoneum are shown thanks to the courtesy of the Eastern Bohemia region. 

Benches in Litomyśl - unusual tourist attractions

In the city, very ingenious benches have been set up in various places, which enrich the space and allow you to relax. They have different shapes, colors and themes. This is a nice way to diversify the image of the historic city. You will find a bench with angel wings, notes, rainbow, hearts or a bicycle wheel. There is also a bench in the colors of the flag of the Czech Republic.

Other sights and points of interest worth visiting

• Monastery gardens (Klášterní zahrady), Zamkowa Street - year-round gardens with a fountain with statues of Olbram Zoubek
• Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Zamkowa Street - a temple erected in the Gothic style, in the second half of the fourteenth century. Despite many historical turmoil and fires, the body of the parish church has retained its original appearance, Gothic frescoes have been preserved inside
• Museum in the Red Tower, ul. Jiráskova 3 - with an exhibition of crafts and a viewpoint
• Statue of Bedrzich Smetana, Market Square
• Marian Column, Market Square

Location & Directions

Litomyśl is located in the Pardubice Voivodeship, on the eastern edge of the Eastern Bohemia region. It is located at an altitude of 320-370 m above sea level, on the edge of the so-called Loučenska plate and the Českotřebovské Hills, which are part of the Svitavy Hill. The Loučná River flows through Litomyšl. The city is located on the main road No. 35 Olomouc - Hradec Králové, about 150 km from Prague, 85 km from Brno and about 50 km from Hradec Králové. The Choceň-Litomyšl railway line runs through the city. It is about 50 km from the border with Poland. 

It takes about 1.5 hours by car from Lower Silesia by local roads. From Upper Silesia, you can get here by the A1 motorway, and then by the Czech toll motorway D1 throughOstrava and Olomouc, from where you can reach Litomyśl by the D35 road. You can get here by train from Prague or Pardubice.

Where to eat in Litomyśl?

I highly recommend the God Restaurant at Hotel Aplaus. We ordered dishes marked with Czech specialties, I ordered duck and pumpkin, and Łukasz ordered rabbit. This restaurant is from the Michelin family, but without a star. The dishes looked fantastic, really beautiful served and were not very expensive. They tasted delicious and we got so excited that we also had a delicious dessert. This is an extremely effective creme brulee. Magnificence. The Golden Star Hotel also offers modern dishes, and there are also restaurants and cafes in the tenement houses on the market, with tables not only inside but also outside.

Accommodation in Litomyśl

In Litomyśl, we slept on the market square, in the Złota Gwiazda (Golden Star) Hotel. Do you remember this historic summit of presidents with Lech Wałęsa, which I mentioned on the occasion of the castle? These heads of state also rested in this hotel after the meeting. The presidential room was right next to ours. We also had a great view of the unique market. The decor of the hotel is a 19th-century fin de siècle character with a large staircase and the atmosphere of former living rooms. There is a great restaurant waiting for you.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

History of the city of Litomyšl

The town of Litomyšl was founded at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries, in the place of a defensive castle standing on the Trstěnice route, connecting Bohemia and Moravia. In the middle of the 12th century, the bishop of Olomouc, Henryk Zdik, invited monks to Litomyšl and founded the Olivetská hora monastery in 1145. In 1259, Litomyšl received city rights. In the 15th century, the town was destroyed by the Hussites. It flourished during the time of Vratislav of Pernštejn, who commissioned the construction of Litomyśl Castle in 1568-81. Its main builder was the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Aostalli. In 1649, the Perštejns sold the property to the Trautmannsdorf family, and then, as a result of marriage, the castle became the property of the Valdštejn – Vartemberk family. The last private owners were the Thurn - Taxis family, after 1855.

Other attractions in Eastern Bohemia

The East Bohemian region abounds in beautiful attractions. The capital and largest city of the voivodeship is Pardubice, but it is also worth visiting other places around. Nearby is the oldest horse farm in the Czech Republic in Kladruby. Unique and intimate is Chrudim from the Museum of Puppetry, and Dolni Morava is located in the mountains, which for several years has attracted an extremely attractive resort with the Sky Walk tower and a suspension bridge. These attractions are located close to the Polish border.

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Międzygórze, distance: 51.2  km
• Bear Cave in Kletno, distance: 55.5  km
• Gorzanów Palace, distance: 58.2  km
• Kłodzko Fortress, distance: 67.9  km
• Szczeliniec Wielki, distance: 68.4  km
• Sarny Castle, distance: 75.9  km
• Fortress Silver Mountain, distance: 81.7  km
• Biskupia Kopa in the Opava Mountains, distance: 90.6  km
• Tower on Dzikowiec, distance: 94.8  km
• Grodno Castle in Zagórze Śląskie, distance: 98  km