Litomyšl: Hlavní město současné České architektury / Litomyšl: The Capital of Contemporary Czech Architecture

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Litomyšl, situated on the border between Bohemia and Moravia, is home to ten thousand residents and is located 170 kilometers from Prague, 90 kilometers from Brno, and 86 kilometers from Olomouc. At an elevation of 330 meters, it spans approximately 33.45 square kilometers. The town's history dates back to the late 10th century, and it was granted town status by King Přemysl Otakar II in 1259. In 1344, Charles IV established the bishopric of Litomyšl, and in the early 16th century, it became the center for the Brethren's Union. A significant landmark, the Renaissance castle built by nobleman Vratislav II of Pernštejn in 1581, was designed by Italian architect Giovanni Battista Aostalli de Sala and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. Notable figures from Litomyšl include composer Bedřich Smetana, painter Julius Mařák, and astronomer Zdeněk Kopal. The town is linked to authors Božena Němcová and Alois Jirásek, as well as graphic artist Josef Váchal and sculptor Olbram Zoubek. Since 1949, it has hosted the Smetana International Music Festival, and since 2005, the Smetana Creative Festival. Litomyšl's coat of arms features a lily, and it maintains partnerships with Nordenvelde (Netherlands), San Polo d'Enza (Italy), and Levoča (Slovakia).