The excursion “Czech Krumlov and the castle of Hluboka nad Vltavou” is very popular among tourists, because it gives you the opportunity to see two attractions at a time. They are located in Southern Bohemia, approximately one hundred and fifty kilometers from its capital, Prague. But the castle of Hluboká is too big to devote only an hour to it. Of course, the town of Cesky Krumlov is no less interesting. And it also has many attractions. Therefore, many tourists who have visited a sightseeing tour come here again - this time to inspect more carefully. This article is about the Hluboká castle. It is also called Czech Windsor. And quite rightly. After all, it was built on the model of Windsor Castle in the UK. How to get to the fortress Hluboka nad Vltavou and what to see there, read below.
Where is the castle located
This attraction stands on a high cliff above the Vltava River. The Czech Republic is generally famous for its castles. There are about a thousand of them in the country. True, not all of them are so astounding as the Deep in the Vltava. Many castles are romantic ruins. The best starting point for exploring the Renaissance palazzos and proud feudal nests is the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. Hluboká Castle separates one hundred and forty kilometers from this city. How to overcome this distance, we will tell below. In the meantime, we describe the area, or rather, the enchanting landscape, which opens before the amazed tourists approaching the castle of Hluboka. High above the valley of the Vltava River and the Budejovice Basin, white Gothic towers of the mighty castle fortress rise. Do not rush to be disappointed when the guide tells you that they are not medieval. The style in which the castle is built is pseudo-or neo-Gothic. But this fortress is very ancient. And we’ll tell you her story now.
Castle base
The Czech castle of Hluboká nad Vltavou was most likely founded by King Wenceslas I or his son Przemysl Otakar II. But the first mention of the fortress dates back only to 1253. True, she then had a different name. The Zbraslav Chronicle mentions Froburg, which can be translated as “sovereign castle” (which is directly owned by the king). Later, the fortress was granted to the feudal lord from Budejovice. Its name gradually began to sound like Frauenberg - “Castle of the Ladies”. This gave rise to the creation of a variety of romantic legends about beautiful owners, brutally tormented by their husbands. The modern name "Gluboka" found the fortress much later. Some believe that the castle became known as that because of its proximity to the forest of the same name, located in the low Vltava valley. There is another version. There is a very deep well in the fortress, the fame of which gave the name of the entire citadel.
Further history of the castle
We can only guess how the severe medieval fortress of Froburg looked like. In those days, fires and wars were frequent. In addition, do not forget that royal Prague was close. The castle of Hluboka above the Vltava belonged to the capital's courtiers, who often fell into disgrace of the sovereign. Sometimes he was simply given for debt. Sometimes he passed as a dowry to another noble family. For four hundred years of its existence, medieval Frauenberg has changed twenty-six names of owners! Over the years, the castle was rebuilt several times. Each owner tried to bring something of his own to his appearance, to strengthen it according to the then fashion and the canons of defense construction. Archaeologists claim that the Gluboka nad Vltavou fortress has gone through all the stages of the development of architectural styles. At first, it was built according to the Gothic model. Then for some time it existed as a fortified "palazzo" in the style of the Italian Renaissance (architect Baltazare Maji). At the beginning of the eighteenth century it was replaced by a charming baroque palace.
Further history of the castle Hluboká nad Vltavou
In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Austrian emperor Ferdinand the First granted Frauenberg to the Spanish General Don Baltazar de Marradas for his "services" in the fight against Protestants. The new owner was not interested in this of his Czech residence, and therefore in 1661 he sold it to Jan Adolf I Schwarzenberg. This famous clan owned almost half of the country. In the ownership of the Schwarzenbergs, the fortress remained up to one thousand nine hundred and forty-seven. To nationalize the property of the clan - the town of Cesky Krumlov and the castle of Hluboká, the state adopted a special law. Two years later, a museum was opened in the fortress. And Krumlov entered the UNESCO list as a world heritage of mankind.
Transformation into Windsor
The medieval castle owes its presently recognizable appearance to Princess Eleanor Schwarzenberg, nee Princess of Liechtenstein. More precisely, she traveled to the UK, which she committed in the company of her husband Jan Adolf II. Most of all in England, Princess Eleanor was struck by Windsor Castle. Returning to her castle of Hluboka, under fresh impressions, she ordered the Viennese architect Franz Beer to develop a project for a giant reconstruction of her palace. Large-scale reconstruction was carried out for a rather long time - from 1840 to 1871. The work was carried out according to the drawings of Franz Beer, and after the death of the latter, the no less famous architect Damasius Devoretsky took up the improvement of the palace. The Czech Windsor owes him, first of all, luxurious interiors. The Schwarzenberg residence is copying the English castle not only by the building, but also by the wonderful park, broken around it.
Museum
The city of Krumlov and the castle of Hluboká nad Vltavou are the most visited places in Southern Bohemia. And many tourists come here year-round. The castle has been operating as a museum since 1949. Opening hours depend on the time of year. In summer, it is open from nine in the morning until five in the evening. But in the cold season it is better to visit the castle early. Indeed, in winter, tourists have access to the residence only from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon (ticket offices are closed for lunch from 12:00 to 12:30). But during the Christmas holidays (December 22 - January 2), the museum works like in the summer. Five excursion routes have been developed in the castle-museum, therefore the ticket prices are different - from forty to one hundred and fifty crowns. And if you order a Russian-speaking guide, then a trip to the castle will cost two hundred and fifty crowns. Children under six years old are admitted to the museum for free, while schoolchildren, students and senior citizens pass at half price. From the beginning of November to the end of March, except Mondays, there is a winter route for visitors. From June to September, access to private apartments, a kitchen and a tower is only possible on weekends. You can take pictures and shoot a video of the castle only outside.
Hluboká nad Vltavou Castle: how to get there
There is no train station right next to the attraction. It is located three kilometers from the castle. If you want to see the sights as part of an organized excursion group, then Prague travel agencies will be happy to offer you their services. On your own or rented car, you can reach the castle via highway 105, which leads from Ceske Budejovice to Tyn nad Vltavou. After four kilometers, you need to turn onto highway 146 and drive another 1 km. The whole trip takes about twenty minutes. It’s a bit more difficult to get to the Hluboká Castle by public transport. First you need to get to the nearest town of Ceske Budejovice, which is nine kilometers southeast of the fortress. From there, buses depart every half hour on weekdays (on weekends they run less frequently, several times a day). The ticket can also be bought from the driver. You need to go to the stop "Under the Church". From there go to the castle five hundred meters. If you go by train Prague-Ceske Budejovice, then there will be a stop “Hluboka nad Vltavou”. But from it, as we wrote above, you need to go three kilometers to the fortress.
Castle Hluboka nad Vltavou: description
The Czech Windsor, as expected, is surrounded by an English regular park. There are ponds, flower beds, exotic trees and shrubs. Do not rush into the palace. The Schwarzenberg residence is very beautiful, and its Gothic style resembles a real Hamlet castle. The residence has one hundred and forty rooms, and each of them is unique and has its own purpose. Two courtyards, eleven towers, a hunting lodge “Fence” - it seems to the visitor that he was in a fairy tale about brave knights and beautiful ladies. Tickets at the box office are sold separately inside the castle, to the kitchen and tower. The latter may be closed due to windy weather. But if you are lucky and there are no squalls, you should overcome two hundred forty-five steps and climb fifty-two meter high to enjoy the picturesque view of the surroundings.
Kitchen
Do not forget that the Gothic style of the castle is just an entourage, nothing more. Inside, the Schwarzenberg residence was equipped with the latest technology of the nineteenth century. And this is most clearly felt in the kitchen, which occupies the entire lower floor together with storage rooms and rooms for servants. Hluboká Castle had its own water supply and sewage system. Chefs took advantage of innovations such as a potato peeler and an apple slicer, meat was fried on self-rotating skewers, and dishes were served on the upper floor, in the dining room, using an elevator.
The indiscreet charm of the Czech aristocracy
Hluboká Castle impresses with its discreet luxury. On the ground floor were the chambers of the prince. Jan Adolf II was fond of hunting, he collected a large collection of knightly armor and ancient weapons. The second floor was occupied by Princess Eleanor. Its chambers are adjacent to the library, which has twelve thousand books in five languages. The princess also had a hobby. Her collection contains lovely little things from porcelain, old tapestries, an excellent selection of paintings.