Zakupy Chateau

The wonderful Zakupy Chateau is located in the north of Bohemia, east of Ceska Lipa (about 1 hour and 45 minutes by car from Prague). This originally Renaissance chateau was built on the site of a Gothic fortress and it was rebuilt later in the early Baroque style in the late 17th century. The interiors were later refurbished in the style of the second Rococo, an artistic genre popular in the mid 19th century. The chateau is now state-owned and can be toured from May to September (except Mondays), while in April and October it is open to the public on the weekends (pre-ordered tours for groups of more than 20 can be done on weekdays). The affordable tours (CZK 80,- / CZK 60,- students and seniors) are in Czech but a written foreign language text is available at a symbolic fee of an additional CZK 20,-. The visitors can see the 1st floor chapel area, the ground floor chapel and the twenty 2nd floor Rococo rooms including a dining room, a music room, a game room, a bedroom, a bathroom and a children's room (including 19th century toys) and are thus able to get a good idea of how the highest Czech nobility lived in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The exhibited objects include original 19th century wallpaper, wooden candle chandeliers, pelmets, mirrors, furniture with original upholstery, mirrors and curtains as well as an original tile oven. Josef Navratil, a master of Czech romanticism, who also created most of the ceiling paintings in the chateau, designed many of these furnishings. 

Photos: Dolce Vita

Borská 1, Zákupy, 471 23, www.zamek-zakupy.cz