Where can you find nativity scenes?
You can admire the Třešť nativity scenes all year round. Each nativity scene is unique, so it is worth setting aside enough time for them.
Nativity scenes can be seen in several places:
- You will definitely find the most nativity scenes in the permanent exhibition of the Association of Friends of Nativity Scenes in Třešť, which is located on the ground floor of the J. A. Schumpeter House and is accessible with guides from the tourist information center.
- Muzeum Vysočiny Jihlava in Třešť also offers its own exposition about nativity scenes, which you can find on the 1st floor of the J. A. Schumpeter House.
- From December 26th to Februar 2nd, you can visit Třešť families, who every year make their nativity scenes available to the public as part of the so-called Nativity Scenes Journey. Around two dozen households and institutions participate in it.
What can’t you find elsewhere?
Dřevořezání
On the 5th and 6th of July, Třešť has been changing regularly for more than twenty years in the Mecca of nativity scenes and carvers. The local Society of Friends of Nativity Scenes in Třešť organizes Dřevořezání here.
Nativity Scenes Journey
Go from house to house, nativity scene after nativity scene. Visiting nativity scenes in Třešť families has its own charm. Who can tell a more compelling story than a person who lives in Nativity for almost a whole year?
Society of Friends of Nativity Scenes
The Nativity tradition in our city is maintained by the Society of friends of Nativity Scenes in Třešť. Among other things, he is behind the organization of Nativity exhibitions and the organization of Woodcutting.
Pavel Brychta, together with other members of the association, leads a woodcarving club in the local children’s and youth center, thanks to which a new generation of woodcarvers and Nativity scenes with their own handwriting is still growing in the city. The ring has been operating since 1990.
Among contemporary carvers, we can mention, for example, Jan Bukvaj. The quirky figurines he carves are characterized by their facial expression and figure, which is typical for this author’s work. Evžen Hamták is very active, whose nativity scenes are owned by many prominent people and are scattered all over the world. Former president Václav Klaus is one of the owners of the nativity scene from Třešť.
Contact:
Pavel Brychta – president of the association
Phone: +420 775 668 959, E-mail: spb@email.cz
Otevírací doba: stálá expozice
celoročně:
Po–Pá 8.00–12.00 * 13.00–17.00
– průvodce z turistického informačního centra
December–January:
Po–Ne 9.30–12.00 * 13.00–16.30
– průvodce přítomných řezbářů ve výstavní místnosti
June–August:
Po–Pá 8.00–12.00 * 13.00–17.00
So–Ne 9.30–12.00 * 13.00–16.30
– průvodce z turistického informačního centra
Vstupné se platí v turistickém informačním centru.
Poslední prohlídka je možná 30 minut před koncem otevírací doby .
Mimo otevírací dobu je možné po předchozí telefonické domluvě domluvit individuální prohlídky. Volejte 605 310 382 (Evžen Hamták) nebo 607 533 566 (Václav Dvořák).
Adresa:
Schumpeterův dům, Rooseweltova 462/6, Třešť
Giant Nativity Scene
The largest nativity scene can be seen by Třešťský brook in Na Hrázi Street. It serves as a signpost and welcomes visitors coming from the direction of Jihlava and Stonařov before entering the town center. Large Nativity sculptures were produced by carvers gradually from 2007 during the Dřevořezání.
History of Nativity Scenes
The origins of nativity scene are usually attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. However, the custom itself is much older. The first mentions of nativity scenes are from the 4th century. The Franciscan Order, founded by St. Francis in 1223, spread this custom to Europe. In the 16th century, baroque nativity scenes began to be built, which can be considered the predecessors of today’s nativity scenes. Large nativity scenes with figures began to appear in churches, which were moved to households due to the imperial ban in the 18th century.
Development of Nativity Scenes in Třešť
The tradition of creating and building nativity scenes in Třešť is more than 220 years old. The Třešť nativity scene was established at the beginning of the 19th century. The inspiration was the paper nativity scenes in Třebíč. The paper figures were painted with powder colors mixed with gum arabic, which guarantees the stability and variety of colors. The first nativity scenes in Třešť, but also in Jihlava and Třebíč, appear among clothiers. Here in Třešt, names such as František Jabůrek, the Dvořák family, Jiří Šiftař, Josef Diviš and many others have become legends in the field of paper nativity scene makers.
In the second half of the 19th century, paper figurines began to be gradually replaced by wooden figurines. Probably the first Třešť author and carver was the joiner Matěj Suchý (1820–1909). Just as clothiers were among the pioneers of paper nativity scenes, the first creators of wooden figurines were carpenters. The development of furniture production, and mainly the production of carved furniture and clock cases, created the conditions for the emergence of folk carving art. After Matěj Suchý, the first creator from Třešť, a whole galaxy of folk carvers appeared. The carving family Brázdů, František Janák and their other successors, such as folk all-rounder Josef Liška, Jan Brožek, František Vrátil and others, were important.
It is typical for Třebo nativity scenes that they are placed between moss and tree stumps. The relief of the landscape is reminiscent of our region. Whatever direction you come to Třeště from, you will always go down the hill into the valley. This peculiarity is also reflected in the landscape of Třešť nativity scenes, which gradually rises to the horizon, where it transitions into the so-called lončoft, which is a painted landscape that connects to steep slopes, pastures and rivers, optically elongating them. Lončoft is a Třešť tradition, it was painted on canvas or strong paper.
Figures are most often carved from linden wood, which is soft and does not break.