Langos via leipzig: Stunning s'graffito

Slavonice and Telc are two of the most beautiful towns we have seen anywhere. Slavonice is on the recommended UNESCO list; Telc is already inscribed.

Historically, both towns sat on the connection route between Prague and Vienna so were always important, but became really beautiful when they were taken over by the Hradec family, who brought in Italian and Flemish artisans to construct some of the most beautiful Rennaisance patrician’s homes in Czechia, covered in complex and beautifully done s’graffito.

S’graffito means ‘scratched’, and when you look closely you can see how the artisans' implements have ripped at the surface, creating the beautiful designs.

Different layers and colours of plaster have been applied to the façade of the burgur homes then motifs of choice have been scratched on to the top layer – biblical, pastoral, geometric, classical – exposing the colour underneath.

There are also glorious gables, valuable frescoes, famous cellar vaults, and, in Telc, man-made lakes that almost surround Zacchariah of Hradac’s beautiful castle at the top of town. All quite lovely.