Day 1#

Tower Háj near city Aš

In 1860s, on a bare and unsightly hill, a few enthusiasts from Aš led by Jiří Unger, built a rest area with a forest park, which became the town´s pride.

The first plan to build an observation tower on that place appeared in 1874, but despite financial support from the town of Aš, the plan failed due to a lack of funds.

Funding and designs

The situation changed in 1895 thanks to the 80^th birthday anniversary of the first German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. In the year 1898, a committee for the construction of the tower chaired by Mayor Emil Schindler was founded. Members of other associations, including the German and Austrian Alpinist Association, the Association of Horticulturalists and Landscapers and the Union of Germans in Bohemia were among those involved in the Committee. The members of the committee called upon the citizens of Aš to make financial contributions towards the construction of the tower which was to be named after the honourable German Chancellor. Soon, sufficient financial funds were raised, and a German architect, Wilhelm Kreis, was commissioned to design the tower. Kreis was known as the father of Bismarck columns and Götterdämmerung (The Twighlight of Gods) design was awarded first prize by the Association of German Students. Until 1911, this design was used 47 times.

Kreis submitted two designs but both were rejected. Finally, the third design which was different from the traditional concept of Bismarck columns was unanimously approved. At 1901- art exhibition in Dresden, this design was awarded gold medal. In August 1902, a construction foreman from Aš - Ernst Hausner was commissioned to carry out the construction of the tower and a foreman Johannes Hörer of Steinpöhl was commissioned to supervise the construction of the tower.

mapa

Day 2#

The ruins of the Neuberg castle in Podhradí

They immediately gave the castle back to the family of Neuberg. The castle was later damaged by the troops of King Charles IV when its owners used the strategic location of the castle, which was near trade routes leading to Saxony, to carry out acts of banditry there.

From the year 1344, all the assets belonging to the Neubergs lying in the Aš Rrgion were gradually bought up by the House of Zedtwitz, who were related to the family of Neuberg. Conrad of Zedwitz acquired the Neuberg Castle in the year 1395 after he married Hedvika of Neuberg. In the year 1422, the Zedwitz estate was granted independence from Cheb by King Sigismund of Luxemburg, perhaps as a thanks for their non-participation in the Hussite Wars. As a result of that, the way of living in the Aš region changed, especially with regard to religion. Lutheranism started to spread in the region and soon it gained a powerful influence. In the 15^th century, the Church of Good Shepherd was built near the castle and in year the 1610, the castle of Neuberg burnt down. Until then, it had served as the headquarters of the Zedwitz family who ruled the whole Aš headland. Then the Zedwitz split up and moved to new chateaus in Kopaniny, Doubrava, Smrčina and Podhradí. Materials from the ruined castle were used for the construction of the new chateau in Podhradí, which was located in the close proximity of the Neuberg castle.  The original appearance of the castle is not known. Only a 22-metre high tower standing on a 29,5-metre high headland has been preserved. The circumference of the tower is 19.2 meters.

mapa

Day 3#

Town hall

The Baroque building from 1733, built as the administrative center of the Zedtwitz estate, was destroyed by fire in 1814 and rebuilt between 1815 and 1816 according to plans by Angelus Pleffer from 1733. In 1885, the building was raised by a second floor and rebuilt into a pseudo-Renaissance form. After 1945, a museum was located here, later a city library. In 2003, the building was repaired and returned to its original purpose.

odkaz mapa

Day 4#

Goethe Square

The frequent stops of J. W. Goethe in Aš during his travels to Bohemia in the years 1806 - 1823 first led to the construction of a memorial plaque, which was located at the Pošta Hotel on the square. In 1932, a monument with a fountain was unveiled in the middle of the square. The author of the sculpture is J. Watzal. The reliefs on the pedestal represent scenes from Goethe's works. On the north side are the dates of Goethe's stops in Aš. The statue of Goethe is now located in the newly revitalized Goethe Square. The only depiction of Goethe in the Czech Republic with a mineral in hand. Thanks to the time TRIP application, which you can download to mobile devices or tablets, you can travel through time. Take a walk to Goethe Square in the early 20th century and prepare to meet J. W. Goethe, Gustav Geipel, Konrad Henlein, or a mythical figure called Nahřbetskoč.

mapa

Day 5#

Evangelical Church of the Good Shepherd

First there was a church from 1480 - 1490, built by the Zedtwitzs. Later, this nobility had the church rebuilt in the Baroque style, as its dimensions no longer suited the level of the Zedtwitz Podhrad estate and its capacity was already insufficient. Of the original church, only the tower remains. The tower of the church is square in the foundations, then octagonal on the floor. It is decorated with an onion-shaped dome. His nave is rectangular with a high roof, with small chapels on both sides. The interiors are wooden. No nails were used for their production, but pins. The interiors are decorated with a painting of angels by Rodius von Föslau from 1711. The altar and choir benches by Jindřich Šimon Zietler from Doubrava date from 1710. Of interest is the painting of the castle in the aedicule. It is assumed that this is the oldest depiction of the now defunct castle in Kopaniny.

mapa

Day 6#

The former church of St. Trinity

It was one of the most important historical monuments in Aš. It was built between 1747 and 1749 on the site of the original church from 1622. The nave had about 1,000 seats and, together with benches on three wooden galleries, the church provided space for 2,500 people. The Baroque altar of J. S. Zeitler from 1754 and the large organ from 1911 were among the most valuable furnishings of the church. During the repairs in January 1960, there was a fire in the church, which burned down completely within three hours. Later, the masonry of the tower was demolished. In 2003, the outline of the church foundations was marked with a wall and provided with a wooden cross.

mapa

Day 7#

Fire station

The building has served the citizens of Aš since October 18, 1931. It was designed by architect Emil Rösler and served as a library and armory for the city's volunteer firefighters and rescuers. It was renovated in 2014 and the first floor now houses the Museum of Aš.

odkaz mapa