The historical centre of this picturesque south Moravian town was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage in the year 1992. The focal point of the town's historical centre is a square lined by rows of unique houses, the majority of which date from the late Middle Ages. The buildings feature high Renaissance gables embellished with sgrafittos, in addition to large "mázhouses" (tap rooms) with tunnel-shaped rear passages. Many of them also contain deep cellars hewn in rock, with a stable temperature suitable for maturing beer. The northwest part of the town is dominated by a chateau surrounded by a garden and a park. The origins of the chateau are dated back to the 16th century. In the past, there was a fortress surrounded by water, which guarded an important crossroads of land routes. Telč, once part of a fortification system built to guard and protect the Moravian border, has preserved the walls of its southern part.