Dačice

Dačice, the city of sugar? Yes, that's right! Over 150 years ago, Dačice introduced the world to something new: sugar cubes. But this alone would not be enough of a reason to visit. In Dačice, you can also look forward to two historical chateaus. Additionally, a lovely view of the city and the surrounding landscapes await you in the renaissance tower of the St. Lawrence Church, adorned with sgraffito decorations, which was characteristic of its era.

Two Dačice chateaus

The city of Dačice lies on the border of South Bohemia and Moravia, not far from the other historical cities of Jindřichův Hradec, Telč, and Třebíč. Just like the latter cities, Dačice is alive with history as well. This means that you can encounter not one, but two chateaus. While the so-called Starý zámek (Old Chateau)—essentially an urban Renaissance palace with sgraffito decorations that houses the City Hall—is located in the town square, the newer, Classicist Nový zámek (New Chateau) lies on the western edge of town. One of the wings of the New Chateau houses an exhibit from the city museum with a gallery. In the summer months, it also plays host to regular costumed tours, concerts, and theatre performances in the chateau courtyard. Open year-round, the expansive English park with its pond and wide variety of rare trees also certainly beckons for a stroll.

A sugar cube memorial

The stone cube commemorates the year 1841, the year that the very first sugar cube in the world was produced in Dačice. Until then, sugar was only sold in large cone-shaped loaves, which were large and impractical. The director of the sugar mill, Jakub Kryštof Rada, was inspired to invent the sugar cube when his wife, Juliana, slashed her finger as she was chopping off a piece of sugar from the loaf. Soon after, she received a true gift: a small crate containing a new invention, sugar cubes. Even though the memorial by the St. Lawrence Church is small, it is one-of-a-kind, and hard to miss.

Other places to go

If you visit Dačice in the summer, you will certainly enjoy a visit to the local waterpark with loads of fun, and not just for the kids. On the other hand, those who love swimming in natural areas can get their fill as well, because Dačice lies in a region that boasts a multitude of natural ponds.

However, if you would like to continue in your discovery of historical monuments, you should certainly visit nearby renaissance Slavonice, a city that is labelled by some as the most photogenic city in the entire Czech Republic. Additionally, just past Dačice lies Telč, another city with a historical renaissance centre that is even included on the UNESCO list of monuments.