Czechia is one of my favorite countries to visit. I've been to this country a handful of times already. Prague is a city I don't mind returning to over and over again. However, I was looking for other places to visit whenever I return to Czechia. One such place I added to my list is Hluboka Castle.
Check out my post on how to get to Hluboka Castle.
C(ze)king out Ceske Budejovice
A had a quick detour and explored Ceske Budejovice in between trips to Hluboka Castle and Prague. It was a lovely city full of history. I didn't have much time so I spent most of it exploring the historic center.
Founded in 1265 by King Ottokar II of Bohemia, the city of České Budějovice was strategically located at the confluence of the Malše and Vltava rivers. The city's layout, designed by Burgrave Hirzo of Zvíkov, featured a square surrounded by a grid of streets, with churches, townhouses, and the city hall built around the central square. The city was fortified with walls, towers, and three gates.
České Budějovice quickly became the political and economic capital of South Bohemia, solidifying royal power. King Charles IV granted the city privileges in the 14th century, further boosting its role as a trade and craft center. The nearby silver mines in Rudolfov added to its wealth.
Though the city avoided much of the Hussite Wars, its prosperity was later disrupted by the Thirty Years' War and a large fire in the 17th century. Following the fire, the city experienced Baroque-era rebuilding, with many ecclesiastical and secular structures added.
The 19th century brought industrial progress, including the first European horse-drawn railroad to Linz in 1832, along with factories like a pencil works and breweries. By the late 20th century, the city's population reached nearly 100,000, and modernist architecture from the 1920s and 1930s became a significant feature of its skyline.
This city made a good impression on me even if I only saw a small part of it. It's big when you compare it with other places in the country. However, as someone coming from Metro Manila, it felt like a city in the province. That's part of its charm. There are shops and local restaurants and cafes in the area.
How to Get to Hluboka Castle
Hluboka Castle was my main destination for this day trip from Prague. I just took a detour through Ceske Budejovice. It took some time to reach the lovely castle, but it was worth it.
Hluboká Castle, located in South Bohemia, was founded in the mid-13th century as a royal guard castle. Over the centuries, it passed through the hands of various noble families, beginning with the Pernštejn family in the 15th century. In 1490, the Pernštejns constructed the nearby Bezdrev Pond, the second-largest in Bohemia. In 1561, the Lords of Hradec acquired the estate and, two years later, transformed the original Gothic structure into a Renaissance chateau.
The castle's history took another turn when it was owned by the Protestant Malovec family in the late 16th century, but they lost it in 1619 due to religious conflict. By 1623, it was given to the Spanish general Don Balthazar de Marradas as compensation for war debts. In 1661, Jan Adolf I. Schwarzenberg purchased Hluboká from his nephew, marking the beginning of the Schwarzenberg family’s long association with the castle.
The Schwarzenbergs enhanced the castle's architecture twice. In the early 18th century, they commissioned a Baroque renovation. Later, from 1840 to 1871, under the influence of Prince Jan Adolf II and his wife, Princess Eleonora of Liechtenstein, the castle was transformed into a Romantic New Gothic style, inspired by England’s Windsor Castle. Architect Franz Beer initiated the redesign, and after his death, Damasius Deworetzky completed the project, adding magnificent interiors and landscaping to the surrounding park. The Schwarzenberg family remained at Hluboká until 1939, when the last owner, Dr. Adolf Schwarzenberg, fled the Nazis. The estate was confiscated by the Czechoslovak government in 1947.
I joined a group and went on a guided tour around the castle. Too bad picture taking wasn't allowed inside so I settled for pictures of the castle's exterior. The interiors were just as lovely as the exteriors. Our group got a glimpse of imperial life as we went from hall to hall and room to room.
I took my time wandering the castle grounds and savored every picturesque moment.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment