The town of Tábor was created in a very unique way: it was settled by Hussites from nearby villages, mainly from Sezimovo Ústí, over the course of one year. The town immediately formed its own army and spiritual and secular administration.
The Kotnov tower, a remnant of the local castle, affords a beautiful view of the town, whose winding streets and the kitchen aromas emanating into narrow passages very much remind us of Dubrovnik in Croatia. All this is accentuated by the town’s medieval history: the names of the streets - Betlémská, Kostnická (with an excellent café called Kostnická), Husova and Žižkova and even cobblestone images of a chalice on the pavements.
The central figure of the town is Jan Žižka of Trocnov, whose statue with a Hussite battlewagon stands on Žižkovo náměstí. Žižka has become a symbol of Hussite battles, but we do not know much about the rest of his life. He may have lost one of his eyes as a child and this is perhaps why he was nicknamed Žižka, which meant "one-eyed" at the time. He joined the army to fight against German knights in the Baltic area and was subsequently hired to protect the court of Wenceslas I. It seems that he was also a highwayman and, in the hope of salvation, became involved in the Hussite movement. He was regarded as an invincible commander in Tábor.
The Hussite movement was also supported by some of the Czech nobles who believed that the Law of God could be defended by the sword. This militant slogan was adopted not only by Žižka, but also by the entire Tábor community.
Radical Hussites – the Adamites – are also associated with the town of Tábor. This sect became radicalized and soon resorted to acts of fornication. This is something that the strict military leadership could not allow. It initially expelled the Adamites from Tábor to Příběnice, then chased them out of Příběnice and burnt the captured individuals at the stake in Klokoty. The rest went to live on an island on Nežárka River, where Jan Žižka cruelly punished them by death for robbing travellers and for their way of life, and had the last ones burnt at the stake.
However, the town does not have just a Hussite history. During the Renaissance era, wealthy citizens began to build beautiful houses, such as Stárek’s House, which was owned by Mikuláš Slanař in 1526 and then by the family of Hroška of Trkov. The fountain on Žižkovo náměstí is a Renaissance gem. There is a high stone column with a statue of a knight holding a golden flag in the middle of the fountain. According to experts, this is the symbol and emblem of an autonomous city and its recognition of the right of the sword. It is similar to the so-called Rolland columns that can be found in many German cities.
Of course, Tábor also has reminders of Jan Hus. Hus Park has an interesting monument and sculptural group of Jan Hus created by František Bílek, a famous Czech Art Nouveau sculptor and a native of Chýnov. The monument was built in 1928 by the Association for Erecting a Hus Monument and bears the inscription: "Reaching the truth through flames."
Did you know that… almost all the houses in the historical centre had three to four-level cellars in their rock foundations? They have been connected and are now part of the Tábor underground tour that is about 500 m long.
Our tip:
The garth of the former monastery has recently been opened on náměstí Mikuláše z Husi. It also used to serve as a prison – visitors can still see the prison cells. It has been turned into an art gallery called Ambit. However, people still call the square “Klášterák“ (Monastery)
Natives and notables:
- Jan Žižka of Trocnov (about 1370–1424) – a famous historical figure of the medieval Hussite movement, a commander and brilliant military strategist. He was never defeated.
- František Křižík (1847–1941) – a Czech electrical engineer, inventor, author of the arc lamp with automated electrode adjustment.
- Martin Šonka (1978) – an aerobatic pilot, a Red Bull Air Race World Series pilot; he lives in Tábor.