The Great Arcade

Mila and the Great Arcade

According to witnesses, Míla Doleželová and Jiří Mareš often and gladly walked along the Big Bow. At the same time, they drew inspiration for their artworks from these places. You can sit here and enjoy the atmosphere of the place.

The Great Arcade

The arcade runs around almost the entire square and is one of the longest arcades in the Czech Republic. It is considered one of the symbols of Telč.

Great arcade is a sign for the left side of the square if you are looking from the castle. This part is made up of a number of townhouses. The beginning of the Grand Loubí is located near the building of the Primary Art School and the Municipal Library, which also serves as the entrance to the Telč Underground. The end of the Grand Bow is at house number 44, next to the existing Celerin Hotel.

On the opposite side of the square there is the so-called Little Bow, which together with the Big Bow lines the Telč square. The Little Bow is also made up of townhouses and contributes to the characteristic atmosphere and architecture of this historic place.

The originally Gothic town houses in Telč, which were built in the middle of the 14th century, have undergone various reconstructions and modifications throughout their history. From the middle of the 16th century, during the reign of Zacharias of Hradec and with the help of Italian masters, the houses were rebuilt in the Renaissance style.
During this reconstruction, an arcade with semicircular arcades was also added, which gave the houses a characteristic appearance and served both as a space for walking and commercial activities and as protection from the weather. Urban gables, which are typical of Renaissance architecture, were also added at this time.

Over time, elements of other building styles, especially Baroque, became apparent in the townhouses of Telč. The Baroque influence is visible in the decorative elements on the facades, such as reliefs, stucco details and various ornamental elements.

Thanks to the combination of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements, the townhouses in Telč have become not only functional residential buildings, but also important architectural monuments that contribute to the unique atmosphere of the historic centre of the town.