Cesky Krumlov Preserves Bohemia’s Golden Age and Medieval Heritage for the World – Czech Republic

WHAT IS IT? 

When travelers plan a trip to the Czech Republic, Prague is usually the first place they go to see. But by the time they leave the country, the visit they took to Cesky Krumlov in South Bohemia will bring back fond memories. Cesky Krumlov provides the opportunity to explore a noble family’s huge Renaissance castle with gardens, elaborate living quarters and entertainment halls; enjoy spectacular views of the town below and the lazy Vltava River - known locally as the Moldau Rive; and walk around the bridges, cobblestone streets, shops, and houses of a well preserved, medieval village. This World Heritage Site landmark represents the Golden Age of Bohemia from the 16th to the 18th centuries when the wealthy Krumlov nobility and the region thrived as a place for trade, art, science, and education. The town attracts more than two million visitors annually and the local economy relies on tourism for its success today. 

WHAT YOU CAN SEE AND DO HERE

There are many different experiences for visitors to enjoy on a trip to Cesky Krumlov. People who stay in town overnight or just visit on a tour will have options for adventure such as:

Walking the Grounds of Krumlov Castle- The hillside above Old Town is called Castle Town. Starting your visit there will allow you to walk through the large gardens, outdoor pavilions, ponds, and horse stables of the Castle Town first. Along this downhill walk, you will also see a summer house used for performances, a cascading fountain decorated with golden statues, and an impressive sundial before exploring the five courtyards which serve as gateways to the public and residential sections of the castle. 

Marveling at the View from the Castle Platform - Just off the pathway in the highest section of the castle known as the fifth courtyard, there is a small gate that leads to a shaded platform and a small café. From there, you can look down on the entire town, the river, and many of the castle buildings. Try to take the time to enjoy this colorful scenery as well as taking pictures of the impressive sight below. 

Observing the Unusual Architectural Features of the Castle - The exterior of the Krumlov Castle has unusual features. One is a three-story covered bridge with interior corridors that connect the castle gardens to a Baroque Theater. Another interesting feature is the paintings and frescoes on the stone and brick walls of courtyards three and four depicting scenes of ancient history and mythology. Finally, there is a bear pit on both sides of the corridor connecting the second courtyard to the first courtyard. It seems that the Rosenbergs, one of the prominent noble families who have owned the Krumlov Castle, had bear on their family coat of arms, so they kept Russian brown bears in these pits. Two live bears still occupy these quarters. 

Touring the Living Quarters and Halls of the Upper Castle- There are usually two tours available that visit various parts of the Upper Castle including the private living quarters, entertainment rooms, and religious facilities of the noble families that have enjoyed the use of the castle since medieval times. Some of the rooms that were used by the Rosenbergs from the 1300s to the early 1600s and by the Krumlov Dukes that succeeded them until the early 1700s are furnished today in an elegant Renaissance style. Those rooms feature painted ceilings, biblical motifs, wall carpets, and a gilded carriage. When the Schwarzenbergs inherited” Cesky Krumlov in 1719, they redesigned most of the Upper Castle, and so other furnished rooms reflect their stylistic changes and improvements. As the wealthiest family in Bohemia for many years, they added new entertainment facilities including a Masquerade Hall with wall paintings of over a hundred guests in costume, and a renovated Baroque Theater equipped with thirteen settings or stages that could be rotated during plays. 

Walking around the Streets, Shops and Squares of the Old Town- Once you cross the Lazebnicky Bridge and pass from the Castle Town to the Inner Town, you will see many different squares, alleys, and courtyards surrounded by houses and shops mostly built from the 1300s to the 1600s. The most impressive structure in Old Town is the St. Vitus Church, a gothic church first erected in the 14th century by a German architect hired by the Rosenberg’s. It was renovated and expanded several times thereafter to include tombs of their family and other nobility. 

Today, many of the buildings in the Inner Town house a variety of guest houses for tourists, stores, cafes, restaurants, and small museums. Only about two thousand people live in the historic center as permanent residents but the area around the town has a population of an additional 10,000 people. 

*Enjoying the Riverfront- There are pleasant cafes along the Vltava River that look out on the water and up at the Krumlov Castle. Enjoying a quiet drink or a meal is a wonderful way to relax and reflect on the beauty of the town. If you really want to see the river up close, there are kayaks and canoes available for people to float around the bends of the river and take a dip in its cold clear waters.

INTERESTING FACT-  Cesky Krumlov was inhabited prior to the second World War by mostly German speaking people and some Czech speaking people. However, the town soon became embroiled in the conflict since the German government took over control of the Sudetenland section of Czechoslovakia pursuant to the Munich Agreement of 1938. After the war, the Czech government demanded the expulsion of ethnic Germans in the region and several thousand Germans living in Cesky Krumlov were forcibly evicted from the town leaving it mostly empty but preserved for future tourism. 

WHEN TO GO HERE

The town of Cesky Krumlov is cold and snowy during the winter but still has a special beauty during those months, so it can be enjoyed by visitors prepared for those conditions. Daytime temperatures rise above 60 degrees most days from late April to early October with cool nights. Rainfall peaks during the summer months of June, July, and August but rarely exceeds three inches per month. 

HOW TO GET HERE

Many people arrive in Cesky Krumlov by taking the morning train or one of the frequent buses available from Prague. You can also drive there on decent roads. All three methods take about two and a half hours to reach the town, so plan on a ten-to-twelve-hour day if you want to have enough time to see the main sites. It is also possible to drive to Cesky Krumlov in a little over an hour from Linz, Austria or in roughly three hours from Vienna. In terms of airports, Prague is the best option as it is closer than Vienna or Munich to the town.