The Medieval Underground Tunnels
Extensive cellars from the 15th and 16th centuries. were excavated in the bedrock at a depth of up to 16 metres and are an interesting technical monument of the late Middle Ages. The sightseeing route is approximately 500 metres long and was created in 1947 by connecting the cellars under Žižka Square. Entrance is from the Old Town Hall, exit in house no. 6.
From the beginning of the Hussite settlement, the town cellars were created as an integral part of the economic background of a medieval house. In addition to storing food and drink, the cellars also served as a refuge from the enemy and especially from the devastating fires that severely damaged the town several times in the past. The size of the Tábor cellars is admirable. Some sources indicate a total length of up to 14 kilometres. In many places they form three floors of underground. The temperature here is around 10 °C all year round. In 1947, on the initiative of the architect Vojtěch Kraupner, the cellars of several houses were connected, creating a tour circuit for visitors about 500 metres long. The tour starts in the cellar of the old town hall, where the lapidarium is also located, and follows the line of houses on the south and east side of Žižkov Square. It ends in the underground of house no. 6 on the north side of the square. Visitors will also find a small exhibition documenting the work underground in the 15th century.
Video (Nikola Monhartová, 2017)