Lukas
Vantuch is one of two European players playing for the Hitmen
this season. His hometown is the city of Jihlava which is “in the
Czech Republic”. Jihlava is situated on the banks of the Jihlava
river, and is the capital city of the Vysočina Region in the
southern part of the country (click
here for a map). The area around Jihlava is known as the
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, which is a hilly, forested region with
an abundance of lakes. The city has a population of approximately
50,000 people. It is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic
and was founded in the year 1237! Jihlava is “12 hours flying” from
Calgary, and the nearest large city is Prague, which is only a “one
hour driv(e)” from Jihlava. According to Lukas, the climate in his
hometown is characterized by temperatures of around -4°C in the
winter and 20°C in the summer.
Lukas
is fortunate in that “all (of his) family are living in Jihlava”,
and when he returns to his hometown his favourite thing to do is to
“visit family and friends.” When he is away from Jihlava playing
for the Hitmen Lukas says that what he misses the most about his
hometown is “speaking (his) language, family, friends, and not too
many rules!” As a kid growing up in Jihlava some of Lukas’s
favourite pastimes included playing “street hockey (and) soccer.”
Jihlava has a rich
and fascinating history, and as such there are many fantastic sites
to see in the city. The city was named a municipal conservation area
in 1951, and features
213 protected historical landmarks. Lukas recommends that tourists
visiting his hometown should see the “historic buildings (and the)
one remaining archway from the walled city.” The walls surrounding
Jihlava were built in the late 13th century, and
consisted of a double set of walls, with a 7m moat in between. The
inner walls were 6m high and over 3km long! However, in the early 19th
century most of the walls and gates were taken down. Although many
of the original fortification walls have been rebuilt, only one of
the original five gates, the Matky Bo˛ķ Gate (Holy Mother's Gate),
remains today.
Other
remarkable historical sites in Jihlava include the Municipal Hall,
which has been home to the city’s municipal administration since
1425, the Town Square, a number of beautiful churches, and the
Catacombs. The Catacombs are the second longest of their kind in the
Czech Republic and cover over 25km underneath the historical centre
of Jihlava. It is thought that the catacombs were used by merchants
in the 14th – 17th centuries to store their
goods.
In addition to
these historical sites, there are a variety of other things to see
and do in Jihlava. The city is home to a number of museums, art
galleries and theatres as well as the Jihlava Zoo. The Jihlava Zoo
is a “zoo without bars” and features over 100 rare animal species.
The zoo is also well known for its successful breeding programs for
a variety of cats, apes and reptiles.
Jihlava is a city
with a long and fascinating history, and which features a unique
combination of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The
city is home to a variety of amazing historical sites and other
great attractions.
Thank-you for
reading about Lukas Vantuch’s hometown! If you would like to learn
more about Jihlava check out
www.jihlava.cz. Also, a big thanks to Lukas for taking the time
to tell us about his hometown and to the City of Jihlava for the
pictures used in this article!
Lukas
is fortunate in that “all (of his) family are living in Jihlava”,
and when he returns to his hometown his favourite thing to do is to
“visit family and friends.” When he is away from Jihlava playing
for the Hitmen Lukas says that what he misses the most about his
hometown is “speaking (his) language, family, friends, and not too
many rules!” As a kid growing up in Jihlava some of Lukas’s
favourite pastimes included playing “street hockey (and) soccer.” 
213 protected historical landmarks. Lukas recommends that tourists
visiting his hometown should see the “historic buildings (and the)
one remaining archway from the walled city.” The walls surrounding
Jihlava were built in the late 13th century, and
consisted of a double set of walls, with a 7m moat in between. The
inner walls were 6m high and over 3km long! However, in the early 19th
century most of the walls and gates were taken down. Although many
of the original fortification walls have been rebuilt, only one of
the original five gates, the Matky Bo˛ķ Gate (Holy Mother's Gate),
remains today.
Other
remarkable historical sites in Jihlava include the Municipal Hall,
which has been home to the city’s municipal administration since
1425, the Town Square, a number of beautiful churches, and the
Catacombs. The Catacombs are the second longest of their kind in the
Czech Republic and cover over 25km underneath the historical centre
of Jihlava. It is thought that the catacombs were used by merchants
in the 14th – 17th centuries to store their
goods.