| Český
Šternberk - Our tour starts with one of the most beautiful Czech medieval castles
- Cesky Sternberk. Situated on the cliff above the Sazava river, it overlooks a small town
of Cesky Sternberk. Founded in the first half of 13th century, it still boasts rich
collections of weapons, furniture and pictures. After 1989, it was given back to the
Sternberk noble family. Then
we continue to an old silver mining town |
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Kutná
Hora It originated as a small mining community in the second half of 13th
century. When rich deposits of silver were discovered, king Vaclav II took over and Kutná
Hora became the second most important town after Prague in the Czech kingdom. The name
Kutna Hora comes from a German expression ”khutten bergh” which means ”mining
mountain”. For
centuries the power and wealth of Czech kings was based on Kutná Hora and its silver.
Florentine bank experts, invited by Vaclav II., carried out a coin reform. Silver coins
under the name ”Prague Groschen ” began to be minted there. They were so successful,
that they were circulated all over Europe. |
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wealth generated by silver ore produced also construction activities which can be admired
till today. Miners were rich enough to build their own cathedral dedicated to St. Barbara,
their patron saint. In the late 14th century a superb palace, Italian Court,
was constructed with reception halls, private residential rooms of the king, mint
workshops and the Chapel of St.Wenceslas. |
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Sedlec - In
the outskirts of Kutná Hora, in a district called Sedlec, we can find another cathedral
built by the Cistercian order. Next to the cathedral, we will visit the Chapel of All
Saints with more than 40.000 human bones assembled in huge bells, macabre chandeliers,
ostensories and coats of arms. It sounds very strange but it is very interesting. |
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Český Krumlov A historical town, almost
entirely preserved from the renaissance period. It was once the capital of the entire
Southern Bohemia region and the stronghold of the family - Lord of Roses. Upon arrival,
our tour starts with a visit of narrow historical streets adorned by many renaissance
houses, the Old Town Hall situated on Market Square, a magnificent Gothic church of
St.Vitus, where we can see tombs of the last members of the Lord of Roses family, other
baroque churches and picturesque squares. After short walk we continue to visit the
interiors of the Český Krumlov Castle. |
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on a high rock guarding the Vltava river, it was used for centuries as a residence of Lord
of Roses, Eggenbergs and Schwarzenbergs. Today it houses rich collections of furniture,
pictures, china and historical artifacts. The gardens of the castle are also worth
visiting and so is the very unique baroque theatre (there are no performances there but
the tour – when available as the number of visitors per day is limited – is really
unforgetable) |
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Karlovy
Vary, Konopiště, Karlštejn: |
Karlovy Vary a beautiful spa town, hidden in a
romantic valley of the Tepla river just few kilometers from Czech German border. Every
year visited by thousands of tourist looking for quiet ambience, splendid architecture and
hot mineral streams. Strolling down the streets of Karlovy Vary you can forget the every
day stress…
One of the few places in the Czech
Republic where you can still feel the atmosphere of Austrian- Hungarian Monarchy is the
spa town Karlovy Vary. This wonderful spa town is situated in Western Bohemia. It is
famous worldwide for its spa facilities and 12 hot mineral springs. According to the
legend mineral streams were discovered by accident, during hunting by Charles IV. One of
Charles` staghounds felt into hot water with stag and died. It is a nice and very romantic
legend. Nevertheless Charles IV really supported the town and its inhabitants. That is
also the reason why it bears his name Karlovy Vary /Charles boiling waters/. |
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Over the course of centuries Karlovy Vary was rebuilt many times. What we can
still admire was designed in 19th and early 20th century. Fellner
and Hellmer two Viennese architects designed the finest architecture pieces. Karlovy Vary
has played host to an endless list of celebrities including Goethe, Mozart, Beethoven,
Brahms, List, Tchaikovsky etc.
Everybody who was “somebody” had
to visit Karlovy Vary in German „Karlsbad”. After period of decline during communist
era the town recuperated its beauty again and it is again welcoming the visitors from all
over the world |
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Konopiště castle from the romantic dreams.
Originally built as a medieval fortress guarding one of the main business roads. In 19th
century completely rebuilt by Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este as his family seat.
Completely preserved interiors with a huge number of the historical collections. Situated
just 40 kilometers / 25 miles / from Prague.
If you want to know something about
Habsburg period of the Czech Kingdom, you should visit Konopiště Castle situated about
40 kilometers from Prague. Its history starts in XIII. century when bishop Tobias of
Bechyně ordered to built it like a fortress. |
During centuries it was rebuilt many times. Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este,
heir to Austrian - Hungarian throne, bought this castle in 1887 and had it remodeled into
his private residence. He decided to buy the castle far away from Viennese Imperial court
because of court´ s harsh disapproval with his Czech wife countess Sophia Chotek. She was
not considered “noble enough” for Franz Ferdinand, since he was heir to throne, member
of the inner circle of the imperial family and she was “only” a countess. We will
visit richly decorated interiors admiring antique furniture, pictures, statues,
tapestries, porcelain collections, riffles and guns and of course hunting trophies.
Ferdinand was an appassionato hunter; he killed during his life more than 300 000 animals.
Just small portion of them are displayed as hunting trophies.
Really special part of the castle is dedicated to Franz Ferdinand and his
family only. It gives you sometimes an impression that the people just left. We will visit
Ferdinad’s private rooms, rooms of his wife Sophia Chotek and of course rooms of their
children. |
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This
tour will take to the most popular castle Karlštejn in the Czech
Republic. It was built in 14th century during the reign of Charles IV. It is
situated about 30 kilometers from Prague. Charles IV had this castle built as a treasury
for holy relicts, Imperial Coronation Jewels and later on also Czech Coronation Jewels.
Unlike many other castles, which were built mostly for strategically and military reasons,
Karlstein was built like a private residence of Charles IV and like a place of
contemplation and meditation. Main tower, especially the Chapel of the Holly Cross was
real wonder in its times. Richly decorated with semi precious stones, gold plating and
marvelous pictures representing “the holy army of saints”, gives us the greatest
example of gothic art and architecture. |
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| The castle
represents gothic fortification architecture inspired from German and French medieval
castles. Divided in three parts it forms a fortress almost impregnable. We will visit the
interiors of the castle commemorating the period of Charles IV. There two route/circles
you can visit at Karlstein Castle. In the first one you will go trough historical
interiors of the Imperial Palace, visiting the Vassal’s Hall, the bedroom of Charles IV,
the Chapter deanery, the audience hall, the hall of ancestors connected with banquet hall
and finally the Marian Tower with the treasury. In the treasury you can admire the copy of
the Czech Royal Crown dedicated to St. Wenceslas. This tour would give you an overview of
the history of the castle, its importance and tell you also something about its
inhabitants. The second route is more aimed at the private
world of Charles IV, at Karlstein as the Castle of the Holy Grale and place of
contemplation. You will start at Church of our Lady, adorned by beautiful gothic frescoes,
continue to it sacristy and Chapel of St. Catherine. The most fascinating frescoes of
Church of Our Lady depict the Apocalypse / the prophecy of St. John, the final battle
between good and evil/,
From there you will continue to the Great Tower with the Chapel of the
Holly Rood. The Chapel is really breathtaking. During the times of Charles IV there was no
such a thing in western Christianity. Gothic ceiling and walls of the Chapel are covered
by semiprecious stones and gilded stucco creating the illusion of the sky and the New
Jerusalem. The real masterpiece is the Holly Army, in fact an incredible collection
portraits of saints guarding the Chapel and the castle. |
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