jezuitská kolej v Jihlavě Building complex

Welcome to the historic heart of Jihlava. Right now, listening to these words, you are in a place that is an absolutely indispensable part of the history of this city. You are standing right in front of the monumental total Jesuit tracks, which with its size and presence is very serious, dignified and up to slightly strict. Look around you at Masaryk Square. This building, which is right before your eyes, forms the northeast edge of this vast space, and its shadow touches the history of the many generations that lived here. Feel the strange atmosphere of peace and stability floating here, even if the world of a modern, fast city can move around you. This object is not just an ordinary building, it's a complex that carries deep traces of faith, learning, and the enormous human effort that took place here hundreds of years ago.

Now let's go back deep into the past together to understand why this space looks just like this and why it's so important here. To really understand the importance of this construction, we need to look at the period when the whole of Europe and the spirit of this region have changed. After the decisive battle on White Mountain, there was a time when states were trying to restore and strengthen Catholic faith. These efforts, called reCatholisation, had a very specific and tangible form in Jihlava. In the year sixteen hundred and twenty-four, events began to unfold, which defined this space forever. The Jesuit foundation was founded here, and the townspeople had to retreat to build on a whole new foundation. The city provided twenty-three of its houses to create the foundations for this new, spiritual and educational center.

But it was a very difficult and unpredictable time. Shortly after the foundation, the city had to deal with a very severe plague epidemic. This disease stopped many things, brought sadness and stopped ordinary life, but not stopped efforts to rebuild and build. It was only when the danger of the plague finally went away that it was possible to start cutting down and laying the foundations for the building of the track. This happened in 1625. Imagine the work at that time, the uncertainty, but also the great hope that people were facing for future success. The whole construction process lasted for decades and gradually became one of the most important building units in the region.

Now pay attention to the architecture that is right in front of your eyes. This whole area is not just one separate building, but a complex and thoughtful complex, which consists of a college building, a gymnasium and is directly connected to the nearby church of St. Ignatius. Note how these parts complement each other and form one whole. This whole project was led by an important Italian builder whose name is Jacopo Brascha. It was by his hand that the construction was conducted in a baroque style, which is so typical of its era and which is intended to express nobility, strength and order. Although there is an urban library in these premises today, you can still perceive the baroque dignity that Brascha has designed. It was in seventeen hundred and twenty-seven that another important moment took place when it was the gymnasium that was an integral part of this whole.

The history of this place is also closely linked to the great personalities that have influenced the fate of the whole countries. In the construction and subsequent operation of this place, the people whose names belong to the most important. We can name here Emperor Ferdinand II, whose decision was shaped by the world at the time and by the religious order. Other significant figures such as Jiří Plachý-Ferus, Michael Adolf z Althannu or Řehoř Rumer appear over the years. Each of these personalities has left an invisible but deep mark in the history of this place. These names are not just dry data, but represent human stories and decisions that have shaped life in this complex for many years.

Now, if you look at the whole building and its dimensions, you might think of one interesting thing that gives this place a special mystery. The whole complex is located in a place where 23 townhouses used to stand. These houses were taken by the city council to make room for Jesuit college. But that's not all you'll find in this place. What may be the greatest mystery you can imagine looking at these walls is what lies deep beneath your feet. There is a direct entry from the premises of this building into a large underground corridor system. These corridors form an invisible network that connects different parts of the city and which over the centuries are told different stories. It's as if another, hidden, mysterious heart of the city was beating under this peaceful and noble space.

Today, however, this place is completely different from in the baroque times or when Jesuit learning worked here. It served various purposes after long years, but in the year two thousand and three there was a great and modern change. The premises were thoroughly renovated and ceremonially opened for the needs of the city library. What was once home to students and spiritual people is now home to readers, students and anyone seeking peace, silence and knowledge. It is in this library that history meets with the present every moment.

So now we invite you to enter and explore these premises yourself. Walk the streets that once served the Jesuits and let the silence of the library consume you. Maybe when you look at shelves full of books, you'll see a reflection of the old days and feel a connection with the people who were here before you. Thank you for spending this moment with us and for being interested in the history of this important place. We wish you a pleasant further tours of Jihlava.