Kroměříž Chateau and Gardens

A long history of balneology, 37 spa towns, hundreds of healing springs and numerous locations rich in peloids (mud, clay, peat) – all of this places the Czech Republic among the world´s super powers in this field. It comes as no surprise that the numbers of visitors from abroad to the Czech spa towns is steadily increasing. This year, apart from the traditional healing and relaxation procedures, visitors to the spa towns can also join the celebration of numerous significant anniversaries.

Teplice is the oldest spa town in the Czech Republic

Not just a spa town but also home to Becherovka liqueur and spa wafers

A town in the park and a park in the town

The spa of Jachymov is unique

The spa towns in Moravia are equally popular

145 years of spa town Darkov

The Darkov Spa in the northeast of the Czech Republic was founded in 1867. This year it has entered its’ 145th spa season. The top class care provided by doctors and physiotherapists combined with the healing effects of the local water brings incredible results in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system. Visitors who get tired of healing water can switch to the herbal liqueur Lysa Hora which has been produced there since 1856 and boasts two significant gastronomic titles.

This year, the Czech Republic celebrates the 20th anniversary of the incorporation of its first monuments on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Come and discover 12 true “jewels of the world”.

Historic Prague

There is a reason why Prague is often called one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with an unequalled charm. And how could it not be, as it is interwoven with a plethora of myths, legends and stories passed on over centuries. Here you will find exceptional monuments of all architectural styles. The Old New Synagogue, St. Agnes Convent and Prague Castle, including the St. Vitus Cathedral, are all worth seeing. During the summer tourist season, you will surely be charmed by Prague Castle’s freely accessible gardens. Nor should you forget to visit one of the taverns of Old Prague to quench your thirst with a pint of excellent Czech beer.

Functionalist Brno

Following extensive renovations, as from this February the Tugendhat Villa – a gem of international functionalist architecture – is once again one of the main tourist attractions in the city of Brno. In addition to the main living quarters, you also will be able to tour the truly unique technical floor featuring the air conditioning engine room, a moth-free room for fur cloaks, and servants’ apartments. The outlying garden also underwent a complete revitalisation, offering an attractive view of the city and its many other tourist attractions.

Ecclesiastical Olomouc

For church tourism enthusiasts in particular, we recommend a visit to Olomouc, where, among other sites, you can see the Holy Trinity Column. It is an exceptional piece in the context of European baroque architectural and sculptural works – unique for its height, decorations and combination of materials. Some sculptural decorations are from stone, while others from gilded copper. A small chapel is hidden inside the column. When you are standing in front of this monument and admire its majesty with your own eyes, it will surely take your breath away.

Fairy-tale Český Krumlov

In this small town in South Bohemia, you will feel as if you have entered a fairy tale. The extensive chateau complex and unique medieval town houses will invite you to wander through streets filled with romantic nooks where many galleries and taverns can be found. In the chateau park, you will discover a theatrical rarity – a revolving auditorium. Or perhaps you may be tempted by a raft ride along the Vltava River winding below the city walls and offering an entirely different view of the town.

Rural Holašovice

Whosoever has some connection with the countryside must include the village of Holašovice on their visit to the Czech Republic. Located in the picturesque landscape of South Bohemia 18 kilometres from the city of České Budějovice, its spacious rectangular central square features 23 protected heritage medieval farmhouses with a total of 120 buildings connected by enclosing walls with gates and arched entrances. Together they represent the most important monument of the so-called “rustic baroque”. If you come here between 20 and 22 July, you can even attend traditional rural festivities whose atmosphere will take you back several hundreds of years.

Flowering Kroměříž

This town, referred to as the Athens of Haná, offers many interesting sites in a small area. The largest attraction is the Archiepiscopal Chateau with its outlying Flower Garden. The unparalleled beauty created by the combinations of colours will persuade you that gardening is not only a beautiful craft, but can also be an important art form. During 3–6 May, the chateau will hold the traditional Days of the Estates, when tours of the historic halls will be enlivened by firefighters, gamekeepers and soldiers who will tell you share with you information you would not otherwise know about the chateau of Kroměříž!

Silver Kutná Hora

With its history of silver mining and coin minting, this city has since long ago been called the silver treasury of the Kingdom of Bohemia. The city is dominated by a church dedicated to the patron of miners, St. Barbara, constructed over the course of more than 500 years. A visit to the Czech Silver Museum will provide you a wealth of interesting information, and for a time you can even experience life as a mining gnome.

Romantic Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape

This landscape area has been connected with the house of Lichtenstein for centuries, as they invested a fortune into the formation of this cultural landscape. At the Valtice and Lednice chateaus you can tour luxurious interiors and wander through extensive parks. You also will certainly be enticed by a romantic cycling trip to its slightly less grand structures, such as the Temple of the Three Graces, Jan’s Castle and the Obelisk. Valtice to this day hides a treasure in its cellars – the Wine Salon, with some of the best wines from the Czech Republic. Likewise, Lednice holds the international competition of ice and straw wines.

Musical Litomyšl

The city’s dominant feature is the Renaissance chateau with over eight hundred sgraffiti. When you see this jewel, you will surely be tempted to stroll the historic streets ending in the Cloister Gardens. There, you can have a rest and remember the local-born Czech composer, Bedřich Smetana, in whose memory a musical festival is held here every year.

Picturesque Telč

You will surely fall in love with this town as soon as you take a tour through the downtown. The burghers’ houses were constructed according to an integrated plan, so their arcades and facades form a resplendent unified whole. Moreover, a tour of the Renaissance chateau with the nearby park offers you an unforgettable experience. Telč is located in the south-western tip of Moravia, halfway between Prague and Vienna, and it should definitely not escape your attention during your visit of the Czech Republic.

Mysterious Třebíč

In Třebíč, a unique former Jewish ghetto has been preserved that is among the important centres of Jewish culture in Moravia. You can best come to know the city’s atmosphere by taking a walk through the crooked alleys with their mysterious passages and nooks. Another precious monument in this city is the three-nave St. Procopius’ Basilica which is a distinctive example of the Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles.

Santini’s Žďár nad Sázavou

The pilgrimage St. John of Nepomuk’s church on Green Mountain is among the true jewels of the city and entire Czech Republic. It was built by one of the greatest architects of the Czech baroque, Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel. This edifice especially stands out when seen from a bird’s eye view. The walls around the church area trace the shape of a ten-pointed star, while the church itself was built in the shape of a five-pointed star. You can admire additional historic buildings as well as modern buildings of contemporary architecture if you follow the Santini bike trail through the beautiful landscape of the Bohemian–Moravian Highlands.

A Labyrinth: the Must-Have for a Perfect Garden

The archbishop’s chateau in Kroměříž is listed as a UNESCO sight as a unique example of Central European baroque chateaux, and also owing to its two gardens. The former residence of bishops from the city of Olomouc includes an originally baroque “Podzámecká” Garden, transformed into an English landscape park in the 19^th century. There are exotic plants and trees as well as brooks, romantic houses and original statues.

The second garden was built by Italian architects F. Luchese and P. G. Tencalla as part of the overall restoration of the town, devastated by the Thirty Years' War. The late Renaissance “Květná” Garden, also referred to as “Libosad”, was built on barren and swampy land behind the chateau fortification. Its lanes are lined with green walls of hedges and complex ornamental garden beds. You will also find a palm greenhouse, two labyrinths and a rotunda featuring the Foucault pendulum, demonstrating the rotation of the Earth. In addition, a 244-metre colonnade featuring statues of ancient gods will surprise you with a fun acoustic effect: if you talk to the wall at one end of the gallery, your partner or friends will hear you clearly at the opposite end.

The Miraculous Lednice-Valtice Complex

You will believe it when you see it. And if you visit the place, you will not forget and will want to come back. The “Garden of Europe”, stretching among the South Moravian towns of Břeclav, Lednice and Valtice, is the largest artificial landscape in the world. The area of almost two hundred square kilometres forms a wonderful world featuring impressive aristocratic mansions surrounded by parks, gardens, ponds, rivers and forests full of statues, hunting chateaux, chapels and colonnades. In its centre is the magnificent mansion of the Lichtenstein family, the neogothic chateau of Lednice featuring a vast park that merges into bottomland forests around the River Dyje. If you don’t want to take a stroll, try a cruise boat! The romantic cruises start at the Moorish Water Tower, located right below the chateau, and the boats will take you to the 60m tall Minaret, a nice lookout tower, through the meanders of Old Dyje and mysterious the bottomland forest to the artificial ruins of Janohrad.

Lovers of flora should definitely visit the unique greenhouse situated in the groomed French garden by Lednice Chateau. The ancestor of all Czech greenhouses was built in 1843-1845 from steel, cast iron and glass. Similarly to contemporary huge greenhouses it used to be a miracle of modern technology. It is 92m long, 13m wide and 7.5m tall and supported by fine ornamental cast-iron columns. Inside you will find subtropical and tropical plants such as sago palms in particular that are said to be several hundred years old by experts.

Průhonice Park and its Famous Rhododendrons

A place perfect for romantic strolls is Průhonice Park, situated in the southern part of Prague and an outstanding example of European garden architecture. It was built by Duke Arnošt Emanuel Sylva-Taroucca at the end of the 19^th century who made use of the valley of Botič brook with its original vegetation and planted various exotic trees. The park, featuring several ponds, also features openings, lookouts and open meadows as well as a vast rock garden by the rocks rising above the Botič.

Today Průhonice Park contains more than 1,500 tree and shrub species and varieties. Next to the park there are areas with special plantations: a rosarium with some 1,000 rose cultivars and an iris garden with approximately 1,500 iris clones. Průhonice Park is very popular with families, especially in the middle of May when they can witness the main attraction: eight thousand rhododendrons in full bloom! The chateau may be the seat of the Institute of Botany of Czech Academy of Sciences, but nevertheless you can visit the Arnošt Emanuel Sylva-Taroucca Memorial Hall featuring an exhibition of the park's history. If you want to see the whole of the park, expect to spend a whole day there. You will not even manage to walk through all the nooks because the 250-hectare park has more than 23 kilometres of paths and trails.

Děčín Roses and Buchlovice Fuchsias

Every historical period had its ways to tame nature and so the Czech Republic offers numerous beautiful chateau gardens. You might be surprised to see that a majestic piece of art does not need to be large in size. Those of you who love Renaissance should visit the South Bohemian chateau of Kratochvíle. It is surrounded by a moat and its gardens feature geometrical ornamental flowerbeds as well as plain vegetable patches. A remarkable gothic garden is to be found at the Svojanov castle; a smaller garden, situated on steep rocky slopes, is situated at the Moravian chateau of Vranov nad Dyjí. A garden by the baroque chateau of Troja in Prague embodies the perfect harmony of geometry, water elements, statues and vegetation, with unusual and playful features such as a grotto and a maze.

Děčín Chateau with the baroque Rose Garden is also worth visiting, offering an extraordinary atmosphere of blooming roses and panoramic views of the town. The garden, which used to contain two thousand rose species, was one of the largest and most beautiful collections of roses to be found in Central Europe in the 19^th century. If you are a fan of fuchsias, you should definitely not miss the baroque chateau of Buchlovice, featuring a lovely garden and an English park with countless rare and exotic trees and shrubs. The fuchsia exhibition is open from the beginning of June until the end of September; the chateau greenhouses grow some 1,200 fuchsia species and varieties. Just smell!

Welcome to the Majestic Prague Castle!

Prague Castle: a majestic complex of buildings surrounding three courtyards, the Old Royal Palace hosting a permanent exhibition called “The Story of the Prague Castle”, St. George's Basilica and St. George's Monastery, with a part of the National Gallery, the romantic Golden Lane, towers called Mihulka and Daliborka, the Riding School, Ball Game Hall and other remarkable places. When visiting Prague Castle you can have a rest in the castle gardens, featuring countless interesting places such as Queen Ann's Summer Residence called Belvedere, the Ball Game Hall or the former Lion Court of King Rudolf II. Gardens situated at the southern part of the complex - “Rajská”, “Na Valech” and “Hartigovská” - offer a wonderful view of the historical centre and Lesser Town palace gardens. Of course we must not forget to mention Prague Castle's dominant feature, with its typical spires welcoming tourists from far away: St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral, treasuring the Czech Crown Jewels.

Treasured Crown Jewels

No ordinary mortal can access the secret hall holding the Czech Crown Jewels. However, there is a place where you can see them and admire all the subtle details. That is Karlštejn, a castle rising above the river Berounka that was founded in the 14^th century by the Czech king and Roman emperor Charles IV precisely for storing the crown jewels and holy relics. Guided tours will take you to the Royal Palace, Treasury and Jewel Hall, the place where you will also find St. Wenceslas’ crown. Be sure to visit the Great Tower with the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Its unique ornamental interior, decorated in gold and precious stones and 129 panel paintings by Master Theodoric, dating back to the 14^th century is unmatched in Europe.

A similar precious jewel such as the Crown Jewels, however a larger one, can be found in a castle and chateau in Bečov nad Teplou. In 1985 a tremendously precious Romanesque relic case was discovered there under the floor of the chapel: St. Maurus Reliquary. The wonderful artistic work is a unique object of world renown probably created in the early 13th century in the Belgian town of Florennes. You can admire the reliquary taking a special guided tour rounded off by the display if the precious original object is in the vault.

Czech Treasure Labelled by UNESCO

However, there are many more jewels to be found in the Czech Republic: its chateaux and castles included in UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. There are several UNESCO sights that you can visit in the Czech Republic. If you come to the South Bohemian town of Český Krumlov and visit its chateau and castle, don't forget to visit the baroque theatre, too. It was ceremoniously opened in 1766 and survived in the original state, including stage equipment, set pieces, costumes and decorations.

Another UNESCO site is the South Moravian town of Telč. Its beautiful main square (Zachariáš z Hradce Square), fringed by burgher houses with arcades and ornamental gables, has a unique fairytale atmosphere. The western part of the square features a remarkable chateau, often referred to as the jewel of Renaissance architecture. A guided tour will take you to its presentable halls with preserved diamond vaults, coffered ceilings and original ornamental decorations.

Lovers of Renaissance will enjoy the chateau of Litomyšl with a beautiful arcade courtyard. Its walls and chimneys are decorated with sgraffiti consisting of eight thousand envelopes and considered one of the most beautiful examples of sgraffiti to be found in Central Europe. And again, there is a rare chateau theatre featuring unique set pieces and decorations. Climbing the chateau tower and descending to its cellars will be worth the effort! The Archbishop's Palace in Kroměříž is also listed by UNESCO and can boast its “Podzámecká” and “Květná” gardens. A baroque chateau in Valtice, the neogothic chateau of Lednice, the artificial castle ruin of Janohrad and a hunting summer residence called Rendez-vous, resembling a Roman triumphal arch: these are the main attractions of the Lednice-Valtice complex. This area is nicknamed “The Garden of Europe” and was listed by UNESCO as one of the largest artificial landscapes in Europe.

Fairytale Chateaux and Castles of the Czech Republic

However, there are destinations other than the crowded UNESCO sights that regularly rank among the top Czech chateaux and castles in many surveys. One of them is Bouzov Castle. Even though its look as we know it today was designed by the Order of Teutonic Knights at the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, it is considered an example of a genuine fairytale castle by many visitors. It’s no wonder it is loved by film makers and has featured in a number of fairytale movies.

The chateau of Hradec nad Moravicí also looks like a fairytale manor, with its Empire-style White Chateau, pseudo-gothic Red Chateau with White Tower and a vast park. When taking a guided tour you will hear many famous names such as L. van Beethoven, W. A. Mozart, N. Paganini and F. Liszt who stayed there as guests.

The Buchlov castle dominates the mountain range of Chřiby and is one of the oldest and largest medieval castles in Moravia. It boasts period interior and displays collections of curiosities, vast natural and Egyptology collections. A room displaying a mummy and the view of the castle tower are some of the greatest experiences you can look forward to.

The main attraction of Kroměříž, the town nicknamed the Athens of Hanacko, is its archiepiscopal chateau, which along with the chateau gardens and flower gardens are on the UNESCO list of worldwide cultural and natural heritage sites. For hundreds of zears, the chateau served as a residence for the bishops of Olomouc, and a series of important events occurred within its walls. There are also many other sites worth seeing in Kroměříž, such as the pontifical mint, featuring a collection of church issued coins and medals, the Baroque Church of St. John the Baptist with its interior in Rococo style and the house with a Renaissance entrance section on Velké náměstí square, which houses exhibits of the Kroměříž Museum and a monument to Max Švabinský.

It is best to plan a trip to Kroměříž on a sunny day in the spring, since this is the best time to enjoy the beauty of the town's gardens.

In the Kroměříž chateau, you can tour the historic chambers, the chateau library with its beautiful rococo interior containing 88,000 collections and a gallery of paintings with works from European painters from the 15th to 18th centuries. The unique assembly hall has been described as one of the most beautiful places in the Czech republic. The world renowned gallery with its rare collection of paintings from European painters from the 15th to 18th centuries impresses visitors with its works including its crown jewel and most valuable painting, Tiziano's “Apollo and Marsyas”.

The dominant attraction in the nearby town of Chropyně is its Renaissance chateau, which is associated with a legend about King Ječmínek. It also houses exhibits from the Kroměříž Museum and a monument to a Chropyně native, painter Emil Filla. Since 2009, the Baroque chateau in Holešov has also been open to the public. Its main attractions include a tour of its observatory and its park with a rich collection of decorative sculptures and its sophisticated network of water canals in the shape of the trident of Neptune.

What you need to see...

Archiepiscopal chateau in Kroměříž – It was the summer seat of the Olomouc archbishops in the past, contains a gallery of paintings and an extensive library and is a UNESCO landmark. Its assembly hall is often described as one of the most beautiful rococo interior spaces in the Czech Republic, and parts of Miloše Forman's film Amadeus were filmed there.

Chateau garden – Originally a productive and flower garden, it was transformed in the 17th century into a beautiful Baroque garden, architectonically linked to the front gardens of the chateau. Its rare plants and evergreens are complemented by its streams and ponds, its romantic small structures and its original decorative sculptures.

Flower garden – During the restoration of the town following extensive damage during the Thirty Years War, Italian architects Lucchese and P. G. Tencalla developed the lovely and later Renaissance garden on the once infertile and swampy land behind the bulwark. The Libosad park is divided by main diagonal axes; in the centre of the north section, there is a rotunda with grottoes and a Foucault pendulum, and the south section of the garden is divided into two rectangular fields with ponds, fountains and two artificial hills. The dominant structure in the flower garden is a 244-metre long colonnade with statues of antique deities, and there are also two labyrinths and a greenhouse with palm tree greenhouse.

Chropyně chateau – The folk legend about King Ječmínek is associated with this small town in the Haná plains. The local chateau houses exhibits from the Kroměříž Museum and a monument to Chropyně native painter Emil Filla (1882–1953), one of the most important representatives of European cubism.

Cimburk castle – This site contains the ruins of a Gothic castle with an observation tower located in the forests above the water reservoir near the municipality of Koryčany. Various cultural events are held throughout the year, including regular fencing tournaments.

Holešov Chateau – This Baroque chateau in Holešov has been gradually opened to the public since 2009. Its tours are constantly expanding to include new areas, and young and older visitors alike are also attracted to a series of events. For example, in the small chateau observatory visitors are greeted by a stargazer in a Baroque costume, who acts as their tour guide. There is also a study hall, and visitors are given the opportunity to gaze at the stars in the evening.

Did you know that...

Kroměříž has the only Foucault pendulum in the Czech Republic

In the middle of the flower garden in Kroměříž, there is a rotunda with unique stucco decorations, which was built in 1671. In its centre there is a stone table, above which there is a 25-metre long cord holding the 30 kg Foucault pendulum demonstrating the Earth's rotation. The pendulum in Kroměříž, which was installed by an instructor from a local secondary school, František Náběrko, in April 1906, is a replica of a similar pendulum hung in 1852 in the copula of the Paris Pantheon by Leon J. B. Foucault (1819–1868). Due to the limited access to the rotunda, the pendulum is not regularly in operation, but it can be put in operation in certain situations. It is the first such demonstration of this type of equipment in the Czech lands.