Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
gustav mahler and jihlava
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was the most important composer
in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. Mahler composed
some of the last of the classical symphonies and was the
first to venture into the musical never-never-land of atonality
(while his contemporary Arnold Schönberg, also Jewish, took
up residence there). The age of harmony ended—by 1910 there
was nothing to hold the world together, and art preceded the
shots of World War I.
Mahler, born in the Czech village of Kaliště, spent the first
15 years of his life in Jihlava, at a house at Znojemská 4 that
now functions as a vibrant cultural center and the composer's
museum (tel. 567-306-239, www.dum-gustava-mahlera.cz).
This is a worthwhile stop for music buffs en route from Prague
to Telč.
April and Sept-O c t Tu e -Sun 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00, closed
Mon; closed Nov-March; last tour one hour before closing). The
castle is located at the end of the main square—you can't miss it.
Region a l M u seu m of Tel č
—While humble, this little five-room
exhibit gives an interesting insight into the town (check out the
1895 town model and the WWI and WWII photos). Everything
is well-explained in the English pamphlet that you'll be loaned as
you enter (30 Kč, daily 9:00-16:30, in the castle complex).
Gallery of Jan Zrzavý
—Tucked away in the garden to the
right of the castle entrance, this small gallery is worth a peek to
learn about pointillism. Zrzavý, one of the most prolific Czech
painters, had a style similar to earlier Impressionists, but used
dots (or points) instead of lines to construct images. Paintings
in the five-room gallery evolve from his teen years on through
the troubled first half of the 20th century, but without the angst
you might expect. Don't try to make much sense of it. Just enjoy
looking at the artist's slices of local life, from steelworks to vil-
lages, represented in his unusual style (30 Kč; April-O c t Tu e -
S u n 9 : 0 0 -1 2 : 0 0 & 1 3 : 0 0 -17:00, closed Mon; Nov-M a r c h Tu e -Sun
9:00-12:00 & 13:00-16:00, closed Mon).
SLeeping
Many families living on or near the main square have turned parts
of their homes into pleasant pensions that meld perfectly with
the mellow feel of this town. At a pension, you get nicer rooms
and more personal service for about half the price of the hotels,
which bank on being the only places in town able to accommodate
groups.
