Kovárna Těšany

Kovárna Těšany is a historic blacksmith's workshop in the village of Těšany in South Moravia, one of the few fully preserved sites of its kind in the Czech Republic. Protected as a cultural monument, the building is now run as a museum exhibit by the Technical Museum in Brno, showing the forge exactly as it looked in the second half of the 19th century.

What will you see inside?

The heart of the exhibition is a working blacksmith's shop with a two-hearth forge, two original bellows, and a wide open chimney that carried smoke out of the building. Next to it stand an anvil and a blacksmith's workbench, arranged just as they would have been used by craftsmen a century and a half ago. The exhibition also includes a wheelwright's workshop, where wooden cart wheels were made, and the blacksmith's dwelling, which shows how a craftsman's family actually lived alongside the workshop. The building itself is a single-story, four-wing structure built around a central courtyard — a layout typical of rural farmsteads of the period.

Where did this forge come from?

The site originally belonged to a manor court first documented in 1377. The blacksmith's trade in Těšany itself is first mentioned in written records from the end of the 17th century, and the building's current form dates from 1700, when the forge was rebuilt in rural Baroque style. Blacksmiths worked here continuously until 1950, when the operation was shut down for economic reasons. After decades of standing idle, the building underwent a thorough reconstruction and reopened to visitors in September 2025, so today it can be seen in its restored, original form.

How do you get to the forge in Těšany?

Těšany lies in the Brno-venkov district of South Moravia, close to Brno and to Hustopeče, the town that historically administered the surrounding area. The easiest way to reach it is by car, or as part of a day trip combining several sites run by the Technical Museum in Brno across the region. It's a good stop for anyone touring South Moravia who wants an authentic, small-scale technical monument off the main tourist track.

When is the best time to visit?

Like most regional open-air museums and technical exhibits in South Moravia, the forge operates on a seasonal schedule, so it's worth checking the current opening times before you go — especially since the recent reconstruction may have changed visiting hours and rules. Spring and summer are typically when this kind of site is open to individual visitors and groups alike.

Who is this attraction for?

Kovárna Těšany appeals to anyone interested in the history of craft, folk architecture, and pre-industrial technology. Its compact, intimate exhibition works well both as a standalone destination and as part of a broader regional itinerary — combined, for example, with nearby Hustopeče or other sites managed by the Technical Museum in Brno.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kovárna Těšany? It's a historic, four-wing blacksmith's workshop built around a courtyard in the village of Těšany, now run as a museum exhibit by the Technical Museum in Brno.

How old is the forge? Blacksmithing here is documented from the end of the 17th century, and the current building, in rural Baroque style, dates from 1700. The manor court the site once belonged to was already mentioned in 1377.

What can you see inside? A blacksmith's workshop with a two-hearth forge and original bellows, an anvil and workbench, plus a wheelwright's workshop and the blacksmith's living quarters.

Until when was it an active forge? Craftsmen worked here continuously until 1950, when the operation closed for economic reasons. The building was restored and reopened to visitors in September 2025.