Kratochvíle is a picturesque Renaissance manorial residence surrounded by a park located in the south Bohemian countryside, near Netolice, Prachatice district, Czech Republic.
The medieval moated fortified stronghold of 1569 was turned into a hunting lodge between 1583 and 1589 by Vilém of Rožmberk. It was designed in the style of the Roman country villa and named Kratochvíle. The architect was Baldassare Maggi from Arogno, Ticino (CH). The whole complex with an entrance wing, outline of fortifications, moat and drawbridge was built in the form of a slightly elongated rectangle, and the château was built on piles of marshy ground.
The small kaple Panny Marie (Chapel of Our Lady), in the southwest corner of the château gardens was built between 1584 and 1589. The glory days of the château ended when Petr Vok of Rožmberk had to sell it to Emperor Rudolf II in 1601 because of debts. The emperor gave the château to the Eggenbergs and in 1719 it was acquired by the Schwarzenbergs. The international arrangement of the building to the layout of an Italian villa, with the open loggia on the ground floor being replaced here by a large vaulted entrance hall, which corresponded to the area of the Great Hall on the first floor, is linked to the ground floor by a staircase. On both floors rooms of varying sizes are liked to these chambers.
On the ground floor they were partly of a functional nature and on the first floor they included the private apartments of the lord and lady, and the most grandiose room of the château, the Great Gold Hall where visitors were received and which is richly decorated, as are most of the other rooms, with stucco reliefs and murals based on classical mythology by Antonio Melana. During extensive restoration experts discovered five paintings depicting scenes from the life of Samson, in the adjoining Small Gold Hall.
In the 19th century the château was converted into apartments for the Schwarzenberg family and in 1950 the restoration work was carried out. Kratochvíle houses an exhibition of Czech puppet and animated films with original works by notable Czech producer Jiří Trnka, Hermína Týrlová and Karel Zeman.

Kratochvíle Chateau

Account

by category

Login

Name

by region

Title

Name in English

Helfenburk is a castle ruin 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) from the town of Bavorov in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is situated on Malošín stone hill at an altitude of 683 metres (2,241 ft). Between the municipalities of Koječín and Štětín there is a paved road that leads to the castle.
In 1355, a town was built by members of the Rožemberk family to defend the nearby town of Bavorov. There were four brothers – Peter, Jošt, Oldřich and Jan of Rožemberk. Building permission was given by King Charles IV. It was a reward for their services, due to them having accompanied the King on his journey to the coronation in Rome. In the year 1381, Bavorov was given the rights of a free town. After the death of Jan in 1389 and his brother Oldřich, Jan's son Jindřich III of Rožemberk became the owner of the castle. He was one of the opponents of King Václav IV. The King was trying to harm him as much as he could, allegedly even with help of Jan Žižka.
After Jindřich III's death, Oldřich II of Rožemberk, son of Oldřich, became the owner of the castle. He was very young and was tutored by Čeněk from Vartemberk. He later converted to Catholicism and was raised in this religion. After the defeat of the Hussites in Tábor, he ordered the arrest of Hussite priests in all of his lands, and imprisoned them in his castles. It is proved that at Helfenburk two Hussite priests died. After the death of Oldřich II, the ruler of the castle was his son Jindřich IV of Rožemberk, and after him Jan II. Both constantly had problems with money and debts, which had been incurred by their father's war costs. The castle was given as a guarantee to Přeškov from Čestice. The contract allowed free access to the castles by former owners. After his death the castle was bought out and returned to the Rožemberk family. The period from 1468 to 1472 was troublesome around the castle. There were neighbourly disputes between Rožemberk and the towns of Písek, Sušice and Vodňany. The castle did not face such big losses, but these disputes also affected neighbouring villages. After the death Jan of Rožemberk and subsequent death of his son Jindrich V, ownership of the castle went to Vok II of Rožemberk. Because of dues he sold the castle to the brothers Václav and Zikmund Vlček of Čenov.
Václav Vlček was originally just a regular captain, he had fought in Hungary and Poland, and in service of the King gained many military skills and became a field captain. He was known as an exceptional leader and specialist in defence. He strengthened the defence of the castle, and built three circular walls with placers for shooters between 1473 and 1483. He was very strong and unpopular with Rožemberk's neighbours, so he lent money to Count Jindřich Preuschenek of Hardegg to buy the castle, which he did in 1489. After his death, the castle returned to the hands of the Rožemberks. In 1523 there was a dispute over succession, because Petar IV. of Rožemberk, as well as his brothers, had no children. Between 1515 and 1518 the castle was in the hands of Želízko of Tourov, who fired all the staff and was all alone in the castle.

Hausberk Castle

The town of brewing Protivín is situated 12 km south-east of the town Písek in the valley of the Blanice river, 383 m a.s.l.
It used to be a village with a Gothic castle, which was first mentioned in 1282. In the 14th century the castle became property of the Rožmberks. Later the castle and the village were attached to the domain of the castle town Hluboká nad Vltavou after 1527. From the beginning of the 18th century they were under the ownership of the Schwarzenbergs and the town became a centre of the large domain. In 1715 big fire destroyed most of the town.
The former Gothic castle, which stands on the southern outskirts of the present town, was rebuilt into the Renaissance chateau in 1600. It was first reconstructed in the Baroque style at the second half of the 17th century. Its present appearance is from the reconstruction under the design of the Schwarzenbergs' architects P. I. Bayer and A. E. Martinelli, it was between 1717 - 1731. The large park can be found behind the chateau.
http://waymarking.com/

Protivín Chateau

The Barogue hunters' chateau Ohrada stands about 1 km south-west of the small town Hluboká nad Vltavou on the southern bank of the Munický Rybník (Munice Pond) in the Stará Obora (Old Preserve).
It was built between 1708 - 1713 as an occasional residence of Adam Schwarzenberg. It was never permanently occupied, only used during huntings and for banquets.
In the first half of the 20th century a ZOO was established near the chateau. The museum of forestry (hunting) and fishing (founded at the end of the 19th century) with exhibitions of gunmaking can be visited in the chateau.
https://jiznicechy.org/

Ohrada Chateau

Hluboká Castle (German: Schloss Frauenberg) is a historic château situated in Hluboká nad Vltavou, and it is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic.
In the second half of the 13th century, a Gothic castle was built at the site. During its history, the castle was rebuilt several times. It was first expanded during the Renaissance period, then rebuilt into a Baroque castle at the order of Adam Franz von Schwarzenberg in the beginning of the 18th century. It reached its current appearance during the 19th century, when Johann Adolf II von Schwarzenberg ordered the reconstruction of the castle in the romantic style of England's Windsor Castle.
The Schwarzenbergs lived in Hluboká until the end of 1939, when the last owner (Adolph Schwarzenberg) emigrated overseas to escape from the Nazis. The Schwarzenbergs lost all of their Czech property through a special legislative Act, the Lex Schwarzenberg, in 1947.
Hluboká Castle is a National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic.

Hluboká Castle

Hluboká Castle in South Bohemia is a magnet for history buffs.

The 13th-century castle started as a Gothic structure owned by the Schwarzenberg family, who expanded it in the Renaissance style.

During the 18th century, the building took on a Baroque appearance and it was modelled directly after Windsor Castle in England in the 19th century.

It’s now open to the public and has 140 luxurious rooms, 11 towers and extensive gardens.

It’s one of the Czech Republic’s most famous and frequently visited castles.

Hluboká Castle is at 373 41 Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czechia.

Vysoký Hrádek is a Renaissance castle in Temelín, Czech Republic
Lords of Březí, from the court of Knín and Býšov originally constructed the fortress and courtyard. The first records we have are of Albert of Březí, who died in 1367. The fortress was inherited by his son, Svatomír, and then by another two sons of Albert, Smil and Bušek.
After the Lords of Březí died out, the fortress, called Hrádek, was inherited by their relatives, the Lords of Býšov.
After changing hands dozens of times, in 1948, the estate was confiscated as part of land reforms in the country, and now houses the information center for the Temelín Nuclear Power Station. Several exhibits using computer graphics and films explain how to control nuclear reactors, and reactor physics and safety.

Březí u Týna nad Vltavou (Vysoký Hrádek Chateau)

Lčovice's most famous physical landmark is its castle, also known as a Baroque Palace, One of the most famous owners was the architect Joseph Zitek, builder of the National Theatre. The whole area of the castle and the adjacent farm buildings are all protected as a cultural monument.
The castle is a two-story building of irregular plan, with early Baroque arcaded façade. Floor plan of the main building of the castle is mostly made up of the original Gothic fortress with 2m of heavy masonry. In main entrance on the left side of the staircase is a preserved pointed Gothic portal. The gateway dates from the early 19th century. The northern corner of the castle is connected to ten-storey annexe with baroque arched ground floor.
The area around the castle, which was founded in 1660, has an octagonal, baroque chapel (1669) topped dome and lantern, decorated with painted stucco rich. Octagonal Pavilion.
Today the building of the castle and park adjacent to private property and is not normally open to the public. Castle and Park are listed buildings.