Trebon, Telc,and Trebic - Prague and the Czech Republic - page 214

Arrival in Třebíč
From the train station (with safe 24-hour luggage storage), cross
the street behind the large waiting hall, and walk to the main
square. To continue on to the ghetto, cross the river, following
Židovské Město signs, marked with Stars of David. The cemetery
is uphill.
Helpful Hints
Festival: l: Třebíč's annual Šamajim festival of Jewish music and
film brings Jews and their culture back into the old ghetto for
one week a year in early August (details at TI).
Local Guide: If you want a deeper look into the life of Moravian
Jews, as well as today's Třebíč, call the knowledgeable young
guide Alena Gottliebová (450 Kč /hr, tel. [phone],
mobile [phone], [e-mail]).
SigHtS
s Charles Square (Karlovo Náměstí) —Třebíč's main square
is the third-biggest in the Czech Republic. A market square since
the 13th century, it's still busy with a farmers market every morn-
ing. Třebíč was historically a mix of Christians and Jews, all living
on the easy-to-defend bit of land between the river and the hill. As
you'll see, that area is pretty tiny—and eventually the Christian
community packed up and moved across the river for more space,
establishing this square as the town's nucleus.
The statue of two Macedonian brothers—the saints Cyril and
Methodius, who brought Christianity to Moravia and the Slavs in
their own language, rather than Greek or Latin—was erected a
thousand years after Methodius' death in 885. But forget all that
history. Just circle the square surveying today's Moravian scene.
There are several fine pubs and cafés from which to people-watch.
The small gallery in the four delightful vaulted rooms of the
Painted House on the upper corner of the square is worth check-
ing out to feel the artistic pulse of Moravia (next to the TI, displays
temporary exhibits).
Opposite the bell tower, at #11, a lane leads across the river
into the Jewish quarter, taking you directly to the Rear Synagogue
(with a TI and small museum). Notice the fine views of the ghetto
from the bridge.
s Jewish Ghetto (Židovské Město) —he population of Třebíč's
ghetto peaked in the 19th century at about 1,500. Only 10 Třebíč
Jews survived the Holocaust. In the 1970s, the ghetto was slated
for destruction, to be replaced by another ugly communist high-
rise housing complex. But because the land proved unable to sup-