Tábor in One Day: A Beautiful Square, Jordán and a Walk Along the Town Walls
A one-day trip to Tábor in South Bohemia: Žižka Square, Renaissance houses, the Jordán reservoir and a walk along the town walls.
This time my friends and I decided to go on a day trip to Tábor in South Bohemia. The town is known mainly for its Hussite history, but as we found out during our walk, it has much more to offer.
We were lucky with the weather, which was beautifully sunny, so we could take our time walking through the historic centre, admiring the interesting houses, strolling along the old town walls and finally sitting down on a terrace with a lovely view of the Lužnice River.
I have to say that I really liked Tábor. And if you are wondering where to go for just one day, perhaps our walk will inspire you. 🙂
Parking by the historic agricultural school
When we arrived in Tábor, we parked near a large white building that caught our eye right away with its beautifully decorated facade. The building itself is worth a look, as it was built in 1902-1904. I later found out that it houses the Higher Vocational School and the Secondary Agricultural School on T. G. Masaryk Square. Interestingly, the history of the agricultural school here goes back to 1866, when it was founded as the first Czech school of its kind in the Austrian Empire of that time. You might not expect that such a lovely historic facade hides what is really an ordinary school.
From there we set off on foot to explore the town.
The decorated school where we parked and a model of Tábor's historic centre
Past the town theatre and a view of Jordán
On the way we also passed the Oskar Nedbal Theatre. Its historic part opened as early as 1887, and looking at the decorated facade you can tell that the builders really took care over how it looked.
We walked on and stopped at a spot with a lovely view of a large expanse of water surrounded by greenery. This is the Jordán reservoir, one of Tábor’s sights. It was built as early as 1492 as a drinking water supply for the town and is considered the oldest valley reservoir in Central Europe. That rather surprised me. At first glance, Jordán looks more like a big pond, and you would hardly guess how long a history it has behind it.
The view of the blue water, the trees around it and the greenery was lovely. And all the while we were just a short distance from the historic centre. 🙂
The Oskar Nedbal Theatre, streets by the wall tower and views of the Jordán reservoir
Žižka Square – the nicest part of our walk
Gradually we made our way to Žižka Square, which I liked best of the whole historic centre.
The square is surrounded by beautiful historic houses with variously decorated facades and gables. Each one is a little different, and that is exactly what I liked about it. You can look around and keep finding another interesting detail. The most striking landmark of the square is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord with its tall tower, and also the historic building of the old town hall, which now houses the Hussite Museum. The square is also home to the monument to Jan Žižka of Trocnov, which recalls the town’s Hussite past. And of course we could not miss the beautiful stone fountain with a figure on a tall column. The fountain dates from 1567–1568 and is one of the town’s valuable Renaissance monuments. I liked not only the fountain itself but the whole surroundings. The historic houses, the church tower, the paved square and all those small architectural details make a really lovely whole.
Žižka Square: the old town hall, the fountain, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and decorated house gables
Old streets and houses with beautiful decoration
From the square we continued through other streets of the historic centre. It is on walks like this that I enjoy looking at old houses. Not just the big and conspicuous ones, but also the various passages, gateways and interesting corners that you could easily walk past without noticing. In Tábor we were struck, for example, by Stárek House on Pražská Street. Its facade is covered all over with rich Renaissance decoration. You can find figures, ornaments and various scenes on it. There are more historic houses like this in the town, and thanks to them the old centre has its distinctive look.
Tábor has a very interesting history, after all. In 1420 the Hussites founded the town here, and it gradually became one of the most important centres of the Hussite movement. Its past is recalled today not only by the sights on the square, but also by the old streets and the surviving town fortifications.
Renaissance sgraffito on a house and a romantic passage in the streets
A walk along the old town walls
After seeing the historic centre, we also set off along the town walls. And I have to say that this part of our walk was very pleasant. The path led along massive stone walls, in places in the shade of tall trees. After the sunny streets of the historic centre, it was a pleasant change. 🌳
The walls are one of Tábor’s important monuments. Their extensive defensive system developed mainly during the 15th century and was among the most ingenious fortifications of its time. Looking at the high stone walls, you can at least somewhat imagine how important it once was to protect the town. But I also liked the path along them. It was not just a tour of a historic monument, but also a nice walk among greenery, where we could rest for a while from the busier streets of the town.
Steps to the walls, a view of the garden and a shady walk along the stone walls
How did I like Tábor?
Tábor made a really good impression on me. I liked above all its historic centre with its interesting houses, the beautiful Žižka Square, but also the fact that you do not have to walk far to reach the water or a quieter walk among trees.
In a single day we managed to get to know several different sides of the town. From historic streets and old walls to lovely views of Jordán and the Lužnice River. And we also enjoyed a day spent together with friends, which is always the most important thing on trips like this.
So if you are looking for a tip for a day trip in South Bohemia and you like historic towns, I think Tábor is definitely worth a visit. 🙂
And what about you, have you been to Tábor yet, and do you have a favourite spot there? 🙂
Good to know
What is there to see in Tábor in one day?
On a day trip I recommend walking through the historic centre with Žižka Square, visiting the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Renaissance houses and the town walls. The Jordán reservoir is also worth a look.
Where is Žižka Square?
Žižka Square lies right in the historic centre of Tábor. You will find the monument to Jan Žižka, a Renaissance fountain, the old town hall and the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord there.
What is Jordán in Tábor?
Jordán is a historic reservoir built in 1492 as a supply of drinking water. Today it is also used for recreation and is one of the town's sights.
Where can you park in Tábor?
We parked near the agricultural school building on T. G. Masaryk Square. From there we continued on foot to the historic centre. It is a good idea to check the current parking options and conditions before your visit.
Which river flows through Tábor?
The Lužnice River flows through Tábor. The historic centre lies above its valley, and from some places you get lovely views of the river and the surrounding countryside.
