Domazlice - briefly about the history of the town and its historical sites

A lot of architectural sights with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements have been preserved in the historic center of Domazlice to date.
Among the most known monuments that attract most people we should name the Dean Church tower , the Lower Gate, the Chod Castle, the Augustian Cloister with the Church, the relics of the original fortification, e. g. the rampart's town Gate and the long historical square, the long chain of beautifully restored Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque arcades buildings.

It is also the region called Chodenland (Chodsko), which is connected with the history of the town. This is the region where beautiful chod costumes and chod pottery can be seen and where the folk traditions are kept.

The oldest history

The archeological discoveries, furnishing proofs of old commercial paths leading through Domazlice, have been already found from prehistoric times. These are especially the bronze objects of Young Bronze Age which were found close to Domazlice.
The customs settlement of Domazlice is situated in the "shallow" valley of the river Zubrina and its continuous development had begin in the 10th century at the latest. Settlement, situated on a onetime trade route between Bohemia and Germany on the edge of Bohemian Forest mountains, was predestined for rapid development...
One of the paths head from Regensburg across Waldmünchen and
Domazlice to the interior of the country. The other one led from Germany, too, through Furth im Wald and Eschelkam and across the Vseruby pass entered to Bohemia and ended in Domazlice.
The third path, the direct connecting line between the German Furth i.W. and Domazlice, isn't mentioned in the historical sources very much even if this one was used in the Middle Ages and had become very advantageous. This path is identical to today's road Domazlice - Furth im Wald. The surroundings of this path was the property of the municipal authorities and divided our region into two parts - the upper Chodland and the lower Chodland.
The rise of the royal town was the part of the period of rapid development of construction and fortification activities during the region of Czech King Premysl Otakar II. The New Domazlice was fortified by various ramparts with twenty half-roll-shaped towers, by gates and mots and became then imposing stronghold.
The mediaeval form of Domazlice was completed by the construction of the Augustian cloister in 80th years of the 13th century. This is also the time when important secular and religious constructions were built. The following centuries then only brought their restorations and reparations.
There was a town castle in Domazlice, too, where a royal clerical worker had its residence. The free chod villages were in his competence, too. The inhabitants - Chods - guarded their frontier and the safe traffic on the trade routes. The part of the border Bohemian Forest was put in the hands of the town. Serving for the town, the citizens gained various privileges from their sovereigns, especially from King John of Luxembourg, from Charles IV and Wenceslas IV.
The text of one privilege informs us about the reason of its awarding. It says that the service belong the frontier doesn't function without their hard damages and without the tread of their farms.

Historic center of the town

Besides the public, municipal and religious buildings, the town Domazlice contains more than two hundred historical houses. The majority of these houses with cellar and one-stored spaces comes from the period of Middle Ages. Walking round the square, the visitors can recognize the restored Gothic and Renaissance houses, built in the end of 15th century and during the 16th century. This is also the period where a lot of house portals and story parts of houses with nice arcades were created.
The town underground contains two or three cellar floors which are partially dug into the clay.
A lot of historical houses were preserved in the side streets of the town, too. There are the southern chain of houses in Chod Stronghold Street, the northern chain of houses in Spalena Street and the parts of Vodni Street which make a good impression and which are in an excellent state of preservation. A lot of these houses have kept the picturesque gables with old wooden courtyard galleries, too.

The Domazlice Tower

The imposing roll-shaped tower has been regarded as the dominating feature of the square and the town. It is Church Tower which was probably built as a part of the early Gothic Church. It is the only church with roll-shaped tower in our country. It is difficult to determine the origin of this tower that can be comparable to none of Czech or German towers. In special literature, this tower is considered as the part of early Gothic fortification of the town. It is the drawing from 1592 that brings the oldest realistic representation of the tower. In this picture, we can see today's shape of the tower.
Tower is open to the public and every visitor can have a beautiful view on the whole town and its surroundings from the top.
The Tower was built on the shallow fundaments and with its 56 meters, it slants nearly 70 cm off the vertical axis. The outside diameter is about 8 meters, the width of the walls approaches 280 cm in the first floor. The Tower has 12 floors which are linked up by simple stairs of the wood and a belfry with bells called Zikmund, Mary and Paul.

The Lower Gate

The most remarkable sight in Domazlice is the Lower Gate, earthier called Prague Gate, too. It is a part of original fortification which is in an excellent state of preservation. It was built in 60th in the 13th century together with the ramparts. Its construction is a result of the only Early Gothic phase and it had stayed without restoration for centuries. Only in 1905, the town started the vast repair works.

The Chod castle

The Chod castle, the strong residence of royal clerical workers, of owners of the town and a place of the old Chod castle, was founded in 60th in 13th century together with a town. It stands in the south-west of Domazlice and has an oblong ground plan.
The south and west sides of the building with roll-shaped tower were formed by the town ramparts wall. Czech Kings, especially John of Luxembourg and his son Charles, liked to stay here and advantaged of the hospitality of this castle. The castle fulfilled its original function only up to the beginning of the 16th century. In the course of time, the Castle was declining, then it was destroyed by fire. Only in 1726 - 1728, the four-winged building was constructed on its ruins and served for needs of the kingdom and of the town.
It is the regional Museum of Chodland which was built in the Stronghold. After the fire in 1995, the roof and the interior were destroyed.
Now the Castle is completion repair.   [30. 7. 1998]

The Augustian Cloister

The Augustian Cloister of eremites with the Dean Church of the Virgin Mary's Birth was founded in 1287 by the king Wenceslas II. Originally, this simple and modest building took up the place among the rampart's of the north-west corner of the fortified town. In Hussite wars in 1421, the Hussites of Domazlice destroyed the Cloister, but the Church was preserved. The Cloister stayed in ruins during the 15th and 16th centuries.
The Augustians come in Domazlice only in 1620 after the occupation of the town by imperial army and then, they begin to help to recatholise the inhabitants of the town. During next centuries, the Cloister was restored after several fires and in 1671, the Cloister Church was rebuilt in Baroque style.
The building of the Cloister form the square courtyard and their construction originates from the 17th century. In 1752, the construction of a refectory was completed and was decorated by frescos by artist J. Lux.
The Cloister was given to Augustians back in 1990 and its rooms have been occupied by the town artistic school.
The restored refectory serves as a town exhibition hall today.

The Small Gate - relics of the original fortification

This small rampart's Gate didn't active the great importance as the other gates in Domazlice. It is situation was not significant for a path or a town communication. It only served as the interior connection between the town and its suburb. The motives of this small lane belong to the most popular motives among the artist and photographers. There is a view from the Small Gate in the picture.

The Square

This "street" square markedly differs from the ground plan of the chessboard which was typical for the majority of the Premysl's towns. Only the near towns Plana and Bor are similar to Domazlice in the ground plan. A great number of analogies which the locator borrowed from can be found in the ground plans of near Germans towns. It is the town Straubing which can presented as a convincing example.