Budyne nad Ohri

There was a fortified farmstead in Budyně nad Ohří (Budyne above the river Ohre) since the 13th century. Zbynek from Valdek and Hazmburk received it from the king Jan Luxemburg in 1336 and Jan Zajic from Hazmburk built a late Gothic water castle here in the second half of the 15th century. In the 2nd half of the 16th century the castle was rebuilt in Renaissance style and in 1823 its tower and part of other buildings were destroyed.

The castle is restored now and open to public. Budyne is located in Northern Bohemia about 10 Km south-west of Roudnice nad Labem.

The picture is made of two frames stitched together and it was taken in November 2005.

Tags: Budyne, Bohemia, Czech Republic, castle, architecture, gothic, renaissance

Troja Castle

Troja castle was built in Baroque style by S. Carlone as a summer seat for Vaclav Vojtech, Count of Sternberk in 1679 - 1685. Original ground plan comes from G. D. Orsi, castle buildings were designed by Jean Baptiste Mathey. Sculptures on the garden staircase were made by Dresden sculptors J. J. and P. Herrmann.

The castle is located in Troja quarter, the part of Prague 8 district, in close neighbourhood of Prague ZOO. It is owned by the City Gallery of Prague and there is a permanent exhibition of Czech art of the 19th century in it.

The photo was taken in February 2005.

Tags: Troja, Prague, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, architecture, Carlone, Orsi, Mathey

Krivoklat Castle

Krivoklat Castle is located about 40 km west of Prague. It was built in the late 13th century as a hunting lodge, a weekend getaway for the Premyslid Princes and the seat of the royal master of hounds. Later, Wenceslas I built a stone castle on the spot and Charles IV used it in the 14th century.

Krivoklat Castle is located about 40 km west of Prague. It was built here in the 13th century during the rule of Premysl Otakar II as a summer seat and hunting lodge for royalty. In 1422 the Krivoklat Castle was damaged by Hussites and later, in the years 1493 - 1522, restored by King Vladislav Jagiello, who built the vaulted Gothic hall that has many resemblances with the famous Vladislav Hall at the Prague Castle.

Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. spent his early childhood here before being sent off to France. Habsburgs used the Krivoklat Castle as a prison. In its round tower English alchemist Edward Kelley was incarcerated for two and a half years for failing to reveal the secret of the philosopher's stone to Rudolf II.

Current appearance of the Krivoklat Castle dates from 1826, when the Furstenberg family extensively restored it after a fire. The reconstruction was made by Czech architects Joseph Mocker and Karel Hilbert.

The photo was taken in November 2005.

Tags: Krivoklat, Bohemia, Czech Republic, castle, gothic, architecture, Premysl, Charles IV, Vladislav Jagiello, Furstenbergs, Joseph Mocker, Karel Hilbert

Kasperk castle

Well preserved ruins of the Kasperk castle (other names: Karlsberg, Karlberg) on the rock spit above the Otava river about 3 km south of the small town Kasperske Hory. It is the highest situated royal castle in Bohemia (887 m a.s.l.).

The Kasperk castle was established by the Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV to protect the gold mines in the surroundings of the town Kasperske Hory as well as the old route to Bohemia from Bavaria.

Founded in 1356 and finished in 1361, Kasperk cstle is a great example of Gothic defence architecture with residential palace situated between two towers. It was plundered in the 17th century, but partly reconstructed again in the 19th century. Now only a part of the fortification, palace with both towers, and the western gate have been preserved.

The photo was taken in September 2005.

Tags: Kasperk, Karlsberg, Kasperske Hory, Sumava, Böhmerwald, Bohemia, Czech Republic, castle, gothic, architecture, Charles IV

Chlumec nad Cidlinou

Chateau Karlova Koruna (Charles's Crown) in Chlumec nad Cidlinou was built as the summer-seat of Count Frantisek Ferdinand Kinsky (the Kinsky family still own it), the First Chancellor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, in 1721-23. The building was designed by Jan Santini Aichel and it is his masterpiece. Building works were directed by the Prague architect Frantisek Maxmilian Kanka. Ground-plan reminding the royal crown is quite unique. It consists of a cylindrical core with three wings each of three rooms with square floors.

The photo was taken in August 2005.

Tags: Karlova Koruna, Chlumec, Bohemia, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, architecture, Kinsky, Santini, Kanka

Vysehrad - Leopold Gate

Vysehrad Castle was founded in 1085 by the Czech king Vratislav II in place of older hill fort situated on a cliff top above the Vltava River against the Prague Castle. From the mid-17th century Vysehrad changed to a Baroque fortress and in 1883 it became a part of the city of Prague.

The photo shows the Leopold Gate built in 1670 and situated in the easter part of the Vysehrad's Baroque fortifications. My previous post shows the Brick Gate in nothern ramparts.

By the way, you may remember the Leopold Gate from the Forman's Amadeus, where it was used at the end of the movie after Mozart's funeral.

Tags: Vysehrad, Prague, Czech Republic, gate, fortress, baroque, architecture

Vysehrad - The Brick Gate

Vysehrad Castle was founded in 1085 by the Czech king Vratislav II in place of older hill fort situated on a cliff top above the Vltava River against the Prague Castle. From the mid-17th century Vysehrad changed to a Baroque fortress and in 1883 it became a part of the city of Prague.

The photo shows the classicist Cihelna Gate (Brick Gate, sometimes called Prague Gate too). Completed in 1842, it is the newest addition to the older Baroque fortification of the Vysehrad fortress.

My next post shows another part of the Vysehrad's fortification -- the Leopold Gate.

Tags: Vysehrad, Prague, Czech Republic, gate, fortress, classicism, architecture

Kostelec Chateau from the garden

Kostelec chateau, originally a medieval castle of Smiricky family, was rebuilt in renaissance style after the fire in 1549 by Italian architect Ulrico Aostalli. After the Thirty Years' War the chateau became a property of the Lichtensteins and was partially rebuilt in Baroque style by Josef Jäger in 1759. Now it's owned by the forestry university.

Kostelec nad Cernymi lesy (Kostelec above Black Forests) is a small town located in Central Bohemia about 25km south-east of Prague.

The photo was taken in June 2005 in the castle's garden and shows the northern front of the castle. My previous post shows the southern front of the Kostelec Castle.

Tags: Kostelec, Bohemia, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, Ulrico Aostalli, architecture

Kostelec nad Cernymi lesy

Kostelec nad Cernymi lesy (Kostelec above Black Forests) is a small town located in Central Bohemia about 25km south-east of Prague. Its main attraction is a chateau that used to be a hunting castle of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I.

The photo was taken in June 2005 and shows the southern front of the castle with its main entrance surrounded by a ditch and a big barbican. My next post shows the northern front of the Kostelec Castle facing to its garden.

Tags: Kostelec, Bohemia, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, Ulrico Aostalli, architecture

Namest nad Oslavou

Namest nad Oslavou (Namest on the Oslava River) is a small town in Southern Moravia, 40Km west of Brno. The Gothic castle above the Oslava river was built in the mid-thirteenth century and between 1565-1578 it was rebuilt into a Renaissance-style chateau, probably according to a plan by architect Gialdi.

Read more information on Namest nad Oslavou in the town's web site.

The photo was taken in April 2005.

Tags: Namest, Moravia, Czech Republic, chateau, renaissance, Gialdi, architecture

Trebic Castle

Formerly a Benedictine abbey founded in 1101 by the Moravian Przemyslides was rebuilt into an aristocratic palace in the 16th century. The highlight of the castle (and former monastery) is St. Procopius´ Basilica placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its design represents a transition between the Romanesque and the Gothic style and was influenced by a late-Romanesque building school that had come to this region from southwestern France.

The photo was taken in April 2005 from the bank of the Jihlava river.

Tags: Trebic, Moravia, Czech Republic, chateau, romanesque, gothic, renaissance, World Heritage, architecture

Slavkov Chateau

Slavkov (or Austerlitz in German) is a small town near Brno in Southern Moravia. It is known due to the famous battle of three emperors that took place near there in December 2nd 1805. The Russian Tsar Alexander I and the Austrian Emperor Franz I -- the two defeated emperors -- stayed in the castle before the battle, while the French Emperor Napoleon -- the winner -- chose it for his temporary seat after the battle finished.

The castle was founded by the Kounic family in 16th century. In the end of the 17th century it was redesigned by Italian architect Domenico Martinelli on the basis of Enrico Zuccali's plans. Building was carried out by Vaclav Petruzzi, probably with the help of Austrian architect Josef E. Fischer of Erlach.

The picture shows the castle's main entrance from the town's side. Another photo shows its back front from the garden.

The photo was taken in April 2005.

Tags: Slavkov, Austerlitz, Moravia, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, Domenico Martinelli, Enrico Zuccali, architecture, Napoleon

Slavkov - Austerlitz

A Baroque chateau in Slavkov (its German name is Austerlitz), designed by Italian architect Domenic Martinelli, played an important role in European history. Famous battle of three emperors took place near there in December 2nd 1805. The Russian Tsar Alexander I and the Austrian Emperor Franz I -- the two defeated emperors -- stayed in the castle before the battle, while the French Emperor Napoleon -- the winner -- chose it to be his temporary seat after the battle finished.

The picture shows the back side of the castle and a part of its nice garden and was taken in April 2005.

Tags: Slavkov, Austerlitz, Moravia, Czech Republic, chateau, baroque, Domenico Martinelli, Enrico Zuccali, architecture, Napoleon