World Heritage Identification Number: 621
World Heritage since: 1992
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Historic Cities & Urban Areas
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇨🇿 Czechia
Continent: Europe
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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The Historic Centre of Telč: A Medieval Gem in the Czech Republic
The Historic Centre of Telč, nestled in the heart of the Vysočina Region in the Czech Republic, presents a captivating blend of history, architecture, and cultural heritage. This enchanting town, home to approximately 5,100 inhabitants, boasts a rich tapestry of stories that span centuries, earning it the prestigious designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The houses in Telc, which stands on a hilltop, were originally built of wood. After a fire in the late 14th century, the town was rebuilt in stone, surrounded by walls and further strengthened by a network of artificial ponds. The town's Gothic castle was reconstructed in High Gothic style in the late 15th century.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): Telč is an architectural and artistic ensemble of outstanding quality. Its triangular market place possesses great beauty and harmony as well as great cultural importance surrounded as it is by intact and well preserved Renaissance buildings with a dazzling variety of facades.
Criterion (iv): The later Middle Ages in Central Europe saw the “plantation” of planned settlements in areas of virgin forest for reasons of political control and economic expansion. Telč is the best surviving example.
Encyclopedia Record: Telč
Telč is a town in Jihlava District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,100 inhabitants. The town is located in a hilly landscape in the Křižanov Highlands and is surrounded by a system of fishponds.Additional Site Details
Area: 36 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 49.1841388889 , 15.4539722222
Image
© xkomczax, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Historic Centre of Telč from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Testing of Close-Range Photogrammetry and Laser Scanning for Easy Documentation of Historical Objects and Buildings Parts
Modern documentation of cultural heritage can achieve high accuracy and efficiency using low-cost technologies, though their suitability varies by object type. This study finds that laser scanning is ideal for buildings, while close-range photogrammetry excels for sculptures. A 16th-century building in Jachymov was documented using a BLK360 laser scanner and a Canon Powershot camera, with data processed via Cyclone Register 360 Plus and Agisoft Metashape. In Telč additional testing included a low-cost ViDOC system, which proved effective only for very close or small objects (up to ~5 meters). Analysis in CloudCompare revealed that while laser scanners capture building details well, hidden spaces require drones or combined photogrammetry approaches. The findings highlight the potential of affordable, rapidly evolving technologies for heritage documentation, with tailored methods optimizing precision and accessibility.
Rapuca, A., & Matoušková, E. (2023). TESTING OF CLOSE-RANGE PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND LASER SCANNING FOR EASY DOCUMENTATION OF HISTORICAL OBJECTS AND BUILDINGS PARTS. Stavební Obzor - Civil Engineering Journal, 32(4), 504–518. https://doi.org/10.14311/cej.2023.04.0038
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