Žďár nad Sázavou
The small town of Žďár nad Sázavou, located 144km from Prague, is worth visiting for the nearby Church of St. John of Nepomuk, an architectural wonder and a UNESCO world heritage site.
The Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk, located 2.5km from the center of town on Zelená hora (Green Hill), is one of the Czech Republic's twelve UNESCO sites.
This true architectural gem - the final masterpiece by architect Jan Santini - is probably the only structure of its kind in the world. Built in the form of a five-pointed star, the number five is found throughout the building. Five steps lead into the building, there are five portals, and inside there used to be five altars. The principal altar, dating from 1725-1727 depicts Saint John of Nepomuk being carried to glory by angels.
Another work by Santini can be seen in town. Today, the local Cistercian monastery is Zd’ar's cultural center, with part of the monastery transformed into a Santini museum. Another part holds a book museum.
