1000 years of the Trutnov dragon in Brno!
Trutnov the town of the dragon
The town of Trutnov is located at the place where, according to legend, the dragon was killed. And the Legend about the slaying of the Trutnov dragon also says that it was subsequently transferred to Brno in 1024, so this year is exactly a thousand years since this great event. The association Trutnov - the town of the dragon, which revives the text of the old legend, decided to organize a two-week pilgrimage with the dragon from Trutnov to Brno for this important anniversary, where after a thousand years it symbolically dedicates it to Prince Oldřich.
They already carry him
As every year, at the beginning of May, the dragon will be raised to the tower of the old town hall in Trutnov, during the big city festivities "They are already carrying it". This year it will take place on May 4, but unlike other years, the kite will not stay on the tower for long.
Pilgrimage to Brno
On the afternoon of Thursday, June 6, the dragon will be taken down from the Town Hall tower and brought to the grassy area below the museum, where it will be placed on a large table. All the time until the second day, a guard will be standing by the dragon and a number of original play areas will be prepared for the arriving children.
On Friday, June 7, the dragon will be loaded onto a horse-drawn carriage and set off, accompanied by the retinue of knight Albrecht from Trautenberg, on the way to Brno. Where the traffic situation allows, the horse-drawn carriage will be followed as much as possible on foot; where this is not possible, the dragon will ride on the sleeper.
The general public is invited to attend. Everyone will have the opportunity to join, even if only for a short distance. In selected places, the association will perform a theatrical farce, the main theme of which will of course be the dragon. A brief description of the June pilgrimage route can be found on Trutnov - the town of the dragon.
Dragon festival in Brno
The entire pilgrimage will be completed on Saturday, June 22, when the joint Trutnov - Brno dragon festival will be organized in the center of Brno. As a permanent reminder of this pilgrimage, a commemorative plaque will be ceremoniously unveiled and the town of Trutnov will receive a bell as a gift on this occasion.
The Future of the Trutnov Dragon
The dragon will return from Brno to Trutnov and will once again be the main symbol of the Trutnov city dragon festivities!
How it is with the Brno dragon according to Brno legend
The dragon tormented the inhabitants of Brno and people from the surrounding area, when he was hungry, he devoured everything that came his way. People were afraid of him, but they didn't know how to get rid of him. The councillors promised a large reward to whoever killed him, but no one came forward. Until one day, a butcher's journeyman came along, wandering the world. Everyone told him about the dragon. The journeyman listened for a while and then he talked: "I'll get rid of that dragon! Just bring a big ox hide and a bag of quicklime." The Brno people didn't believe him, but they brought him what he wanted. The butcher sewed the lime into the oxhide, loaded it on the wagon and left. When he arrived at the river where the dragon was lying, he quickly laid the skin on the ground and waited. In a little while the dragon actually came and immediately started to devour the ox. When he had eaten it all, he drank it nicely with water from the Svratka and rested. The lime began to boil in it, and the dragon puffed and puffed until it burst. What a joy in Brno! The butcher got his reward and went out into the world again. From then on, the people of Brno had no more monsters to fear. As a souvenir, the dragon's skin was stuffed and hung in the passage of the Old Town Hall.
What is it really like with the Trutnov dragon
The origin of the Trutnov dragon is still very unclear. Its traces go back at least to the 16th century, but newly discovered clues seem to allow its existence to be pushed back a century further. This spring, Czech Television will present the documentary film In the Footsteps of the Dragon, where viewers across the Czech Republic will be able to learn about the current state of research by the Trutnov Dragon Town Association.
