Famous Czech castles

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

The Czech Republic is deservedly called the country of castles. During the dashing Middle Ages, this region was surrounded on all sides by enemies, and therefore many fortified defensive forts appeared here, which later turned into exquisite Gothic or Baroque structures. There are so many of them that it is easy to get confused which are the most famous castles of the Czech Republic.

Prague Castle

Of course, the largest castle in the Czech Republic is the famous Prague Castle, which includes various exquisite palaces and the magnificent Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral. On a nearby hill there is another ancient castle - Vysehrad. And a couple of tens of kilometers from Prague is the amazing Karlštejn fortress, considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.

Karlštejn is distinguished by a stepped arrangement of buildings: each building was erected one level higher than the previous one. Several amazing churches have survived on its territory, among which the luxuriously decorated chapel of the Holy Cross stands out. It resembles the famous Saint-Chapelle chapel in Paris, as the painting in its dome also represents the vault of heaven.

Another famous Czech castle, Krumlovsky, is located in the old town of Cesky Krumlov. This is the second largest castle in the whole Czech Republic, consisting of luxurious buildings from different eras, a five-tiered arch bridge, a unique baroque theater and a huge park. The Old Town and the Krumlov Castle itself are under the protection of UNESCO.

Among other things, there are many other pretty buildings in the Czech Republic. Deeply reminiscent of the famous English Windsor Castle, Orlik is a magnificent neo-Gothic structure, surrounded on three sides by water. Lednice and Valtice form practically a single palace and park ensemble and are connected by a linden alley.

TOP-10 popular castles of the Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov

The huge castle of Cesky Krumlov is located in the town of the same name on a steep hill opposite the Old Town. This is the second largest castle in the Czech Republic after the famous Prague Castle.

Krumlov Castle was built in the middle of the 13th century, but was rebuilt several times. Here you can see exquisite Gothic towers and walls, a Renaissance palazzo, a Baroque theater and a splendid Rococo park. Among the owners of Krumlov, one can note several noble European families and even some emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.

The territory of the castle is completely under the protection of UNESCO.

The way to the Český Krumlov castle goes through the old stone bridge and the powerful Red Gate, richly decorated with sculptures.
The territory is divided into two parts. To climb to the Upper Castle, you must visit the Lower Castle. In total, Krumlov includes 5 courtyards and about 40 buildings from different eras. Even the utility rooms deserve attention - the fountains, warehouses and stables date back to the 15th-17th centuries.
Among the buildings of the Lower Castle, the old palace building stands out, where masterpieces of Renaissance painting are now exhibited. An old tower adjoins it, to the top of which you can climb. There is also a luxurious residence from 1578, the facade of which is decorated with curious Renaissance murals, reminiscent of graffiti. The fanciful turret of 1580 is decorated in the same way.
The upper castle is completely occupied by the chambers of the Rosenbergs - one of the first owners of Krumlov. The oldest part is the 14th century Gothic chapel of St. George. The interior of the living quarters is in the style of the Renaissance: the walls of the rooms are decorated with Flemish tapestries, and the wooden ceiling is skillfully painted.
The jewel of the Upper Castle is the Masquerade Hall, furnished in a luxurious Rococo style. From here begins a monumental five-tiered arcade bridge that connects the palace with the park and another unique structure - the Baroque theater.
The Krumlov Castle Theater was built in 1766 and is surprisingly almost completely preserved. Now a kind of museum is open here, visitors of which can get acquainted with ancient costumes, decorations and stage arrangement.

Behind the Krumlov Castle is a huge park with fountains, figured flower beds and sculptures. The garden features a stunning modern open-air theater equipped with a revolving auditorium.

Bouzov Castle

The pretty castle Bouzov was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its first owner was a certain Buz, after whom the fortress was named. Initially, it was a modest fortified structure, which was decorated and modernized by its subsequent owners.

The modern exterior of the Bouzov castle has retained the features of the Romanesque style. The dominant feature of the architectural complex is the main tower of the castle, consisting of eight floors and crowned with a red cone-shaped roof. However, in the external appearance of the building, many smaller turrets of various shapes have been preserved.

The powerful walls of the Bouzov castle served him well - he was not captured either during the Hussite uprising, or even during the Thirty Years War. In 1696, the castle of Bouzov was transferred to the famous Teutonic Order and was in their possession until the arrival of the Nazis. Now the castle has been converted into a museum.

It is worth visiting the central part of the castle, where the main premises are located - the knight's hall of the Teutonic Order, the armory and the bedrooms. Some of the rooms have managed to preserve the unique Gothic interior and antique furniture. The elegantly furnished neo-Gothic chapel is also noteworthy.

You can get to the Bouzov castle by bus from the nearest large city to it - Olomouc.

Pernstein Castle

The monumental Pernštejn Castle is an impregnable fortress on a sheer cliff, and so it is - it has never been taken by storm by an enemy.

The castle was built in the XIII century, and two hundred years later an additional chain of fortifications grew around it, which can be observed even now. Many outbuildings have survived from those times, while the living quarters have been modernized in accordance with the canons of the Renaissance style.

Pernschetin Castle consists of powerful walls, bastions, round towers and various structures, built in a stepwise manner: each building is erected one level higher than the previous one. Above the entrance to the castle, you can see the coat of arms of its first owners - the Pernsteins, representing an angry bison with a ring in its nose. And at the top of one of the ancient towers, a convenient observation deck is now open.

Tourists are also encouraged to visit the castle's interior, wander through the maze of staircases and corridors in the fortress's fortification system, and even descend into a slightly intimidating dungeon. Among the museum exhibits, the stunning collection of weapons stands out. The knight's hall, library, chapel of the castle, where unique baroque frescoes have been preserved, are also open for visiting; as well as bedrooms furnished in a luxurious rococo style.

You can get to Pernštejn Castle from the large city of Brno, the distance to which is about 40 kilometers.

Orlik castle

The romantic Orlik Castle in southern Bohemia is particularly popular with tourists due to its stunning location. Once it towered on a steep cliff above the Vltava River, however, due to the creation of a huge reservoir in the sixties of the XX century, the castle ended up on the very bank of the river.

The first building appeared here already in the XIII century - it was a customs post guarding the crossing over the Vltava. By the 15th century, it had turned into a powerful castle surrounded by a fortress wall with several towers. One of the towers of the XIV century has survived to this day. The castle was completely rebuilt, first in the 16th century after a fire, and then at the end of the 19th century in the neo-Gothic style popular at that time. Now Orlik Castle is an elegant structure of snow-white color with three powerful crenellated towers.

The interior of the castle is designed in the Empire style, which was popular at the beginning of the 19th century. However, the chapel and the hunting hall have preserved elements of the original Gothic style. In the rooms you can see expensive furniture, objects of painting and arts and crafts, ancient weapons, and the library contains ancient manuscripts. Orlik Castle is adjoined by a picturesque English-style park, where wonderful fuchsias grow.

Konopiste castle

The powerful fortress Konopiste was built in 1280. Its structure rather resembles French castles. Once it consisted of seven thick towers, of which the highest - the central one - and pretty corner turrets remained.

Konopiste Castle was captured by the Hussites, and two hundred years later also by the Swedish troops. Moreover, he was even taken by storm by angry peasants who revolted against their cruel master.

The most famous owner of Konopiste Castle was the infamous Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His tragic assassination on June 28, 1914 marked the beginning of the bloody First World War. But the best years of his life passed in this castle - the Archduke moved here with his morganatic wife - the Czech Countess Sofia Chotek, his children were born here, and the heir to the throne himself enjoyed hunting. By the way, thanks to Franz Ferdinand, Konopiste Castle acquired a recognizable neo-Gothic appearance, the Archduke also installed sewage, electricity and other modern innovations here.

Now the Konopiste castle is open for tourist visits. In some rooms, the luxurious interiors of the 18th century with marble fireplaces and grandiose frescoes have been preserved. The numerous hunting trophies of Franz Ferdinand create a huge impression. The castle also houses one of the largest collections of medieval weapons in Europe. It is curious that even the fatal bullet that ended the life of the Archduke is also on display.

The castle is surrounded by a magnificent English-style garden, also laid out by order of Franz Ferdinand. The park is decorated with terraces, rose bushes and exquisite statues.

Konopiste Castle is located just 50 kilometers from Prague and can be reached by train.

Křivoklát castle

The impregnable fortress Křivoklát is considered one of the oldest buildings in the whole Czech Republic. It is believed that the first fortified fort appeared on this site as early as the 12th century or even earlier.

For a long time Křivoklát was a royal residence, at one time Czech kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire lived here - Ottokar II, Charles IV, Wenceslas IV and many others. However, the most important mark in the history of the castle was left by Vladislav II Jagiellon. It was under this ruler that the dilapidated Krshivoklat was rebuilt in the architectural style popular at that time, called the Vladislav Gothic.

Many of those buildings from the late 15th century have survived to this day. Especially worth noting is the luxurious royal palace, famous for its ceiling, reminiscent of the heavenly vault. The castle chapel is also richly furnished, inside of which it is worth paying attention to the altar of 1490. At the same time, more ancient fortress walls and towers were additionally fortified.

The dominant feature of the architectural appearance of the Křivoklát castle is the so-called Great Tower, painted white and crowned with a bright red roof. It reaches 42 meters in height, and an observation deck is now open at its top.

Křivoklát Castle is open to tourists. The interiors of the living quarters are made in a more modern style, typical of the 19th century. It is also worth going down to the dungeon of the castle, where in the 16th century there was a prison for political criminals. For example, the poor court alchemist of Emperor Rudolf II languished here, condemned for not being able to obtain the legendary Philosopher's Stone.

Křivoklát Castle is located exactly in the middle of the road between the Czech capital Prague and the famous spa of Karlovy Vary.

Hluboka Castle

The small town of Hluboka, stretching along both banks of the Vltava in southern Bohemia, is famous for its luxurious neo-Gothic castle, built in the English style and reminiscent of Windsor.

The first medieval fortress in the middle of a deep - hence the name - thicket on the top of the hill appeared here in the 13th century. The building was repeatedly rebuilt and passed from hand to hand - it was replaced by 26 owners in 400 years. In 1660, Gluboka Castle became the property of the noble family of the Schwarzenberg family, and this was a turning point in its history.

In the middle of the 19th century, the owner of the castle, Eleanor Schwarzenberg, wanted to turn her residence into an English mansion. Large-scale work began, as a result of which a completely new palace was built, called the Czech Windsor.

The modern castle of Hluboka is made in the style of the English neo-Gothic. It consists of 11 crenellated turrets and 140 rooms. Now a museum is open here. The amazing interiors of the castle, designed in austere English style, have been preserved; as well as antique furniture, canvases by Dutch artists of the 16th-17th centuries, tapestries and objects of decorative and applied art. Particularly noteworthy are the 17th century porcelain and earthenware collection and the huge arms exhibition. By the way, the walls of the castle are hung with hunting trophies of the Schwarzenberg family - both inside and outside.

Hluboka Castle is also surrounded by a picturesque open-plan English park. Here you can walk along the shady alleys along the artificial lakes.

Jindrichuv Hradec Castle

Jindrichuv Hradec Castle is considered one of the largest palace complexes in the whole of the Czech Republic. It was built in 1220 by the founder of the noble Czech family Vitkovic. Since that moment, an amazing building has been preserved - the Black Tower of the castle, reaching 32 meters in height.

Subsequently, the medieval fortress was transformed into a magnificent 15th century palace. In 1482, the construction of the castle chapel of the Holy Spirit was completed. This architectural ensemble is designed in the late Gothic style. And in 1500, another stunning tower appeared, called the Red Tower. It housed kitchens, the interior of which has remained unchanged for over 500 years.

The main part of the Jindrichuv Hradec castle, however, is made in the later Renaissance style. The palace complex is presented in the form of light snow-white buildings and romantic turrets with red roofs. The bright semicircular Rondel pavilion, built in 1592, stands out. It is connected to the main buildings by a graceful arcade gallery, which consists of three tiers.

Now the Jindrichuv Hradec Castle is open for tourist visits. The rich interior of the palace halls has been carefully preserved. It is worth paying attention to the ancient decoration of the dining room and bed. The castle also houses rare 17th century crockery. And some of the rooms were re-furnished already in the middle of the 19th century in the Empire style popular at that time.

Jindrichuv Hradec Castle is located in a picturesque place - on a promontory overhanging a pond. In the immediate vicinity of the palace there is a large ancient city of the same name.

Lednice-Valtice complex

Lednice castle

The Lednice-Valtice palace complex is located a couple of kilometers from the border with Austria and consists of two luxurious castles connected by a single alley. Previously, these lands belonged to the powerful family of Liechtenstein, the modern rulers of the principality of the same name.

Lednice Castle has been standing in its place for almost 800 years. However, nothing remained of the ancient Romanesque building - the palace was rebuilt in the popular neo-Gothic style at the end of the 19th century. Especially notable are its elaborately decorated facades, reminiscent of Gothic cathedrals. The interior decoration of the palace amazes the imagination with its wealth. It is also worth going down to the wine cellar and strolling through the picturesque English-style park. On the territory of the garden you can find artificial lakes, romantic ruins and a huge minaret 60 meters high. All this was added at the beginning of the 19th century.
Valtice Castle served as the main residence of the princes of Liechtenstein. Unlike Letnice, the luxurious Baroque exterior, created by the great master of the Habsburg Baroque, Fischer von Erlach at the beginning of the 18th century, has been preserved here. The interior of the palace, richly decorated in the Rococo era, is definitely worth a visit. The most spectacular is the Mirror Hall, where balls and receptions were held earlier. In the wine cellar, tasting of old local wines is often held. Around Valtice there is also a cozy park with various statues, arches and colonnades reminiscent of ancient Rome.

Both palaces are connected by a picturesque linden alley that stretches for seven kilometers. The entire Lednice-Valtice complex is under the protection of UNESCO.

Loket castle

The powerful medieval fortress Loket rises above the river, which makes a sharp turn right at the foot of the hill on which the castle is located. It is still unknown when the Loket castle was built, but the first mention of it appeared in 1234.

Initially, the fortress served as a border outpost. For this, impregnable walls and other defensive fortifications were erected. Now in the Loket castle there is an interesting historical and ethnographic museum. During archaeological excavations, the most ancient buildings of the castle were discovered: a Romanesque bastion, fortifications dating from the beginning of the 13th century, a Renaissance kitchen of the 16th century. The most stunning find is the tiny Romanesque rotunda tucked away in the middle of the spiral staircase. Most likely, it was built in the XII century.

Among the interior rooms, the old ceremonial hall and the armory stand out. Visitors are invited to descend into the castle's dungeon, where the original torture instruments are on display. The later 16th century palace is also worth a visit. The castle also hosts an exhibition of products made from local porcelain.

On the territory of Loket castle there is also an elegant Baroque church from the 18th century. Tourists can also climb to the top of several towers and wander through the maze of medieval bastions and walls.

Loket Castle is located just a couple of kilometers from the famous resort of Karlovy Vary.