History of the Jesuit College

The UCT resides in a complex formerly occupied by the Jesuit College in Telč. The foundation stone of the college building was laid in 1651 and construction of the three-wing two-storey edifice, positioned around an irregular courtyard, was finalized by 1655.

The monumental structure stands out among the surrounding buildings both in terms of size and its simple, even austere appearance. A pharmacy was added in 1657 and a printer’s shop several years later. Following the dissolution of the Jesuit order in 1773, the building was handed over to the state and – four years later – to the army, who used the site as barracks. A girls’ burgher school was established on the premises in 1883 and subsequently replaced by a vocational secondary school in the second half of the 20th century. The complex was acquired by Masaryk University in 2002.

It is the second largest compound in Telč, surpassed only by the nearby chateau grounds. The original facades have not been preserved save for the entrance portal dating to 1654. The current state of the complex is the result of several more or less extensive structural modifications.

Possibly the most vehement of the renovations took place at the beginning of the 20th century when Václav Hübschmann – also credited with the sgraffito on the side frontage – renovated the existing facades. The open arcade, preserved merely along the ground floor of one of the wings, was probably originally much more extensive. On the other hand, the interiors are all virtually intact.