Czech Republic,South of Prague

Last house of the composer Josef Suk (1874-1935).

This nice little castle was a country house of the Smetana family; the composer stayed here from 1835 until 1843.

Wagner stayed six weeks during the summer of 1832 with Count Pachta z Rájova and fell in love with both two natural daughters of his host, without consequences. The castle was afterwards used as town hall, police and post office; during verification in 2010 it was a deplorable ruin.

The composer Jan Dismas Zelenka was born here in 1679 - plaque (1979) on his baptismal church and monument (1984) behind the church, on the location of the demolished birthplace. From here a view on Blaník hill, where the Hussite heroes are said to rest until the country needs them again (symphonic poems by Smetana and Janáček).

The composer Josef Suk was born in 1874 in a school (not extant) but held a country house here (in fact two adjacent houses); now Suk museum, including his collection of folk pottery. At present (2010s) his grandson Jan Suk lives here.

Remarkable Suk monument: at the eastern side of the village is a lane of boulders - each of them dedicated to one of Suk's compositions - which opens out onto an obelisk.

On the cemetery behind the church are the graves of Josef Suk (†1935) and his wife, Dvořák's daughter Otilie (†1905).

Suk exhibition in the local museum.

Dvořák museum in the house of his brother-in-law, count Václav Kounic (north from the village centre).

Dvořák's country house during the last twenty years of his life with plaque and monument (east from village centre).

In the old school is a regional museum with a room, devoted to schoolmaster and composer Jakub Jan Ryba, who lived here from 1788 until his death in 1815. His naive Christmas mass Hej, mistře (1796) is still very popular.

Jakub Jan Ryba (1765-1815) was buried in the churchyard of Stará Rožmitál.

In the local museum is a collection of musical boxes.

Commemorative tablet of the violin master and teacher Otakar Ševčik (1852-1934), who was born here.

Smetana visited Vincenc Bubeniček in 1867 (house not extant) and is said to be inspired here to the gurgling beginning of his famous Vltava [The Moldau]. Smetana spruces are pointed to.

The medieval castle houses a fine collection of bagpipes. A yearly bagpipe festival takes place in the courtyard and garden of the castle.

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Simon Sechter (1788-1867), the teacher of Bruckner and - for a short while - of Schubert, was born in this town. His birthplace with plaque (house čp. 88) was recently demolished, but there is a plaque of Sechter's teacher, Jan Nepomuk Vojtěch Maxant, on the former school and Sechter is mentioned there.

On Eliška Krásnohorska's story of this 'Devil's wall', Smetana wrote his opera Čertova Stěna (1882). The impressive boulders are piling up at the borders of the Vltava [Moldau] river.

The well-preserved rococo castle theatre, with undamaged decors, machinery, requisites and costumes, is of great importance. The theatre was built in 1766 and served as such until 1897. After adaptations to present requirements, it is used for small opera productions again. There is also an open air theatre (1958) in the castle garden.

Organ by Nicolaus Chriteindel, 1682; II/p/22.

Organ by Abraham Starck, 1699; II/p/20; restored in the 1980s. Many concerts and a yearly organ festival.

The composer Vojtěch Jirovec/Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850) was born in this street, but the birthplace itself is not retained.

South Bohemian Theatre with opera performances.

Robert Irmiš is a collector of music automates. The instruments can be demonstrated.

The composer Josef Triebensee was born in Třeboň (German ‘Wittingau’) in 1772 at the then address čp. 107, it is however questionable if the actual house 107 (on photo) is identical.

The singer Ema Destinova/Emmy Destinn (1878-1930) lived in this castle, originally from the 13th century but altered in 1715. Exhibition.

The composer Adam Václav Míchna (c 1600-1676) worked here during his entire life. There is a subterranean orchestra pit with openings to the floor of a garden pavilion -

Smetana's father was a beer brewer here, 1631-35 - visits by the composer - exhibition about Smetana

The composer Vitěslav Novák (1870-1949) wrote his first compositions in this house, 1886-88.

The composer Otokar Ostrčil (1879-1935) had a summer house in this town. Memorabilia and furniture from the house are displayed in the regional museum. A monument had been erected in 1962 in the Zadražilka Park; it was stolen, the present monument is a copy from 2019.

Beautyful 'Wasserschloß' from 1530. Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (1739-99) stayed here from 1795 with baron Ignaz von Stillfried. Nice music room.

Baron von Stillfried put this country house to Dittersdorf's disposal in 1797; the composer died here two years later .

Grave of Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, †1799.

Birthplace of the composer Vitěslav Novák (1870-1949).

Novák room in the town museum.

Birthplace of the operetta composer Oskar Nedbal (1874-1930). His father, Karel Nedbal, played a prominent role in the Tabor music life.

Hussite Tabor is depicted in the fifth movement of Smetana's Má Vlast .