Cesky Krumlov Castle
The second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic besides the massive Prague Castle, the Cesky Krumlov Castle complex is located in Southern Bohemia. The gorgeous castle sits perched high above the whimsical labyrinth like town and the winding Vltava River, beckoning visitors to walk among its history and tour its colorful halls. As you enter the castle look down into the castle moat to meet the protectors of the fortress, three furry bears. The main tower of the castle features a beautiful and colorful façade, sure to capture your eye and your imagination; if you can brave the narrow spiral staircase, the views of Cesky Krumlov from the tower are breathtaking. The castle features many tours: the first tour concentrates on the Rosenberg family under whom the castle and the city flourished and the original interiors from the Baroque and Renaissance time periods including St. George’s Chapel, Eggengerg Hall with a golden carriage and the mysterious Masquerade Hall with a marvel of colorful and gilded masked characters lurking in the shadows accompanied and exaggerated by mirrors and candles. The second tour concentrates on the castle under the ownership of the Schwarzenberg family and includes a tour of the Schwarzenberg Portrait Gallery and the corridors of the Cloak Bridge. Perhaps the most interesting tour though is the tour of the castle’s Baroque Theater. The Baroque Theater in Cesky Krumlov is one of the most complete and preserved Baroque theaters left in Europe; the theater boasts the original renovated building, auditorium, orchestra pit, stage, machinery, coulisses, librettos, costumes and props. This unique historical sight is allotted only twenty people per tour. The Cesky Krumlov Castle complex has a beautiful Baroque Castle Garden, which dates back to the seventeenth century and is situated on a slope adjacent to the castle. In the Castle Garden you will find a large cascading fountain featuring stone allegories of the four seasons and water deities, manicured lawns, flower beds and hedges, a modern rotating theater, a pleasant forest and a large pond at the edge of the garden. You can also visit the Castle Lapidarium, the main cellar area, which now houses the original statues from the Cloak Bridge and the Castle Garden. The Cesky Krumlov Castle complex is one of the largest in Central Europe; it consists of forty palaces and buildings, five castle courts and the seven-hectare garden area.
Zámek 59, 381 01, Český Krumlov.