Žatec

Žatec is a town of 19,000 people (2023) in North Bohemia on the Ohře river. The region is famous for an over-700-year-long tradition of growing Saaz noble hops used by several breweries in making beer. Žatec and the Landscape of Saaz Hops was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. The historic town centre is well preserved.

Understand

Svobody square

Get in

Žatec is about 18 km (11 mi) west of Louny and 62 km (39 mi) northwest of Prague.

Žatec lies on the Plzeň–Most railway line.

See

• The historic core of Žatec is a collection of important buildings and architectural styles from the Romanesque period to the Art Nouveau.
• The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is one of the most significant monuments. It wasmbuilt in the Romanesque style and some of its Romanesque parts are preserved. In 1724–1728, the Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk was added. Around 1740, the west façade was reconstructed in the Baroque style.
• The Hop Museum and Brewing Museum represent the hop-growing and brewing tradition of the town.
• The Temple of Hops and Beer is a tourist complex with several attractions, including a lookout tower and a small astronomical clock.

Do

Žatec hosts Dočesná, a hops-related harvest festival, on the town square every September.