Teplá: Monastery, Culture, Cycle Routes and Nature

Teplá combines a monastic history dating back to 1193 with sacred buildings, cycle routes and protected natural monuments. The Premonstratensian monastery in Teplá was founded in 1193 by Blessed Hroznata, a Bohemian nobleman. Its oldest surviving part is the Romanesque-Gothic three-aisled hall church of the Annunciation of the Lord. The long development of the monastery site can already be seen in this building.

Culture and History

The Premonstratensian monastery in Teplá is open to visitors for sightseeing. The monastery also hosts concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events. An urban heritage conservation zone protects several important historic buildings and thus includes not only individual sacred buildings but also the historic urban space in heritage protection. At concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events, coordinating the timing is part of the usual visiting arrangements.

One of the distinctive ecclesiastical buildings is the Church of Saint Giles in Teplá. It was built between 1762 and 1765 by the master builder Hausmann in the late Baroque style on the site of an older church. The older church, on whose site the present building was constructed, is also part of the architectural history of Teplá’s historic monastery site. Its frescoes from 1765 depict scenes from the life of Saint Giles and were created by Eliáš Dollhopf. Here, architectural history and furnishings are directly connected: the period in which the building was created and the frescoes’ pictorial programme both point to the same late Baroque period. At Teplá’s sacred buildings, medieval, late Baroque and older architectural references stand side by side at the same time.

The Chapel of Saint Cross, Our Lady of Sorrows and Saint Andrew in Teplá was also built during this later construction phase. It was erected in 1768–1769 based on an older design by K. I. Dienzenhofer from 1730. As a result, Romanesque-Gothic forms, late Baroque architecture and an older design stand side by side at the sacred buildings in different chronological contexts.

Other local pages are Teplá U Touzime, Beroun and Bezvěrov.

Cycle Routes

Two specifically named regional cycle routes are the focus for active days. Regional cycle route No. 362 is 36 km long. Route No. 361 is called the Teplá–Slapany u Chebu (Waldsassen) Monastery Route and is suitable for trekking, cross and mountain bikes. For cycling tours, the explicitly mentioned bicycle types are considered alongside the route length.

Nature

The Sirňák natural monument lies in the floodplain of the Teplá River. Gaseous emissions occur there, forming unique mud craters or mofettes. This geological feature is closely connected with the floodplain and makes Sirňák a natural monument with an unusual appearance.

The Čertkus natural monument comprises wet meadows, fens and meadow springs with characteristic communities of plants and animals. In the Slavkov Forest, Čertkus is home to the largest population in terms of the number of individuals. Wet meadows, fens and meadow springs provide habitats for characteristic communities of plants and animals. At natural monuments, different landscape forms can shape the character of the respective visit.

To the higher-level travel overview: Eger District.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Miltigau, Dürrmaul, Cetnov, Fleißen, Wildstein.