Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Treaty-approved ethnic cleansing, three million Germans in
Czech lands were sent west to Germany. Emptied of its German
citizenry, Český Krumlov turned into a ghost town, partially
inhabited by Roma (Gypsies—see sidebar on page 190).
In the post-WWII world planned by Stalin and FDR, the bor-
der of the Soviet and American spheres of influence fell about
here. While the communist government established order, the
period from 1945 to 1989 was a smelly time capsule, as the town
was infamously polluted. Its now-pristine river was foamy with
pollutants from the paper mill just upstream, while the hills
around the town were marred with blocks of prefabricated con-
crete. The people who moved in never fully identified with the
town—in Europe, a place without ancestors is without life. But
the bleak years of communism paradoxically provided a cocoon
to preserve the town. There was no money, so little changed,
apart from a build-up of grime.
In the early 1990s, tourists discovered Český Krumlov, and
the influx of money saved the buildings from ruin. Color returned
to the facades, waiters again dressed in coarse linen shirts, and
the main drag was flooded with souvenir shops.
With its new prosperity, today's Český Krumlov looks like
a fairy-tale town. In fact, movie producers consider it ideal for
films. The Adventures of Pinocchio was filmed here in 1995, as
was the opening sequence for the 2006 film The Illusionist .
top-notch international jazz and alternative music festival to
town, performed in pubs, cafés, and the castle gardens (July
17-Aug 22 in 2009). During the St. Wenceslas celebrations,
the square becomes a medieval market and the streets come
alive with theater and music (Sept 25-28 in 2009). Reserve a
hotel well in advance if you'll be in town for these events (for
more details, see www.ckrumlov.cz).
tourS
Walking Tours —Since the town itself, rather than its sights, is
what it's all about here, taking a guided walk is key for a mean-
ingful visit. The TI sponsors three different guided walks. They
are cheap, in English, and time well-spent. All meet in front of
the TI on the main square. No reservations are necessary—just
drop in and pay the guide. The Historic Town Walk offers the
best general town introduction and is most likely to run (250 Kč,
daily April-Oct at 10:30, Nov-March at 13:30, 90 min). The Rose
Tour covers the Renaissance and town architecture (160 Kč, daily
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