Hluboká Castle
Gluboka Castle is a fabulous castle located near the town of Gluboka nad Vltava near the Czech capital. It is known for its unusual pseudo-Gothic architecture.
Gluboka Castle was built on a cliff above the Vltava River by order of the Czech king in the 13th century. Initially, the castle had the name Frauenberg, and the very first notes about the already built castle date back to 1285, when it was owned by the Vitkovich dynasty. Then it was repeatedly rebuilt, adding either Baroque or Renaissance outlines. All this is due to the fact that each owner of Gluboka Castle wanted to contribute something of his own, and there were as many as 26 people in the 13th and 17th centuries. Everything changed when the castle passed into the possession of the Schwarzenberg family, it is with them that the current appearance of the castle is connected. In the 19th century, the castle underwent a large-scale reconstruction, which gave it neo-Gothic features. The Windsor Castle became a model for architect František Bera. The idea to create the "Czech Windsor" belonged to Duchess Eleonora Schwarzenberg. This dynasty owned the castle until 1945, when it was nationalized by the Czech government. Hluboka Castle is now a state museum.
If you walk around the castle, you can count 140 rooms, 2 courtyards, an amazing greenhouse, 11 towers and a stable. The interior of the castle is decorated with trophies from the hunting of its owners, moreover, there are trophies even on the outer walls of the castle. The knight's armor, which used to be worn by guards and the Schwarzenbergs themselves, will also be interesting. The presented furniture dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and the paintings were made by Dutch painters back in the 16th century. In addition, there are antique tapestries and porcelain in Gluboka, and the ceilings are decorated with carved wood elements. The castle is surrounded by a huge English garden with an area of almost 200 hectares.
Anyone can get on an excursion to Gluboka Castle. If desired, you can explore all the rooms of the castle, but you will have to pay extra for the entrance to the tower and private apartments. It is worth considering that filming inside the castle is prohibited.
