The attendance at three UNESCO monuments in the Highlands has once again increased this year

JIHLAVA - The interest of tourists in three towns in the Vysočina region with UNESCO-listed monuments has increased again this year. According to the city information centers, more foreigners, such as Dutch, Japanese, or French, visited them. Extraordinary architectural structures are increasingly becoming known to the public, according to experts. Therefore, they could attract more people to the region in the coming years.
Almost 39,000 people visited the information center in Třebíč, compared to nearly 32,000 last year; however, the facility also serves local citizens. The number of visitors particularly increased at the Basilica of St. Prokop, which was viewed by about 20,000 people this year. The city has been tracking its visitors since the middle of last year. From July to October this year, it recorded almost 12,000 people, which is 2,500 more than last year.
Around 500 people visited the newly opened Front Synagogue in the Jewish town. Similarly, the Back Synagogue welcomed around 14,500 history enthusiasts, just like last year. "There was a big jump after the inscription on the UNESCO list in 2003. At that time, the number of visitors to the synagogue increased by 300 percent," noted Jaromíra Hanáčková from the Cultural, Educational, and Information Institution.
The planned exhibition of Jewish housing should revive interest in the Jewish town. Most visitors come to Třebíč only for a day trip. "We want to keep them for two to three days. Therefore, we need a destination for families with children," Hanáčková stated. The city is considering, for instance, ghost stories in the old windmill.
The area of the castle in Žďár nad Sázavou was visited by around 30,000 people this year, which is 4,000 more than last year. Most people with a guide also headed to the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Green Mountain, which has been a UNESCO monument since 1994. The work of builder Jan Blažej Santini Aichel also attracts foreign tourists.
"There have been many more Japanese visitors, and there were also trips from France," said Karel Čermák, head of the information center, to ČTK. According to him, the interest in historical buildings in the town is rising. "The monuments are becoming more well-known. I think Žďár still has a boom ahead of it," he added.
Traditionally, the biggest magnet in Vysočina is Telč with its historic center and Renaissance castle. It has been on the UNESCO list for 13 years. About 50,000 people visited the information center during the ten months of this year, approximately 7,000 fewer than last year. According to Hana Plachá from the center, both domestic tourists and foreign guests have increased.