Sychrov Castle. Pearl of North Bohemia

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Sychrov Castle (Zámek Sychrov) is picturesquely located in the north of the Czech Republic in the Czech Paradise nature reserve, which in itself deserves a separate visit. Sychrov is a relatively young castle (built only in the eighteenth century) and has never been used as fortification. But it is often and deservedly called the "carved miracle of the Czech Republic."

History paragraph

In the 14th century there was a small settlement here, later a fortress was founded, later destroyed during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), like many other fortresses in the Czech Republic. In 1628 the commander Albrecht from Wallenstein became the owner of these lands. In 1690-1693, a French nobleman in the Austrian service, Lamotte de Frintropp, built a small baroque castle in Sychrov. The estate had many different owners until Charles de Rohan acquired it in 1820.

Sychrov is often and deservedly called the "carved miracle of the Czech Republic."

Representatives of one of the most noble families of France were forced to leave their native land after the revolution. Charles de Rohan entered the service of the Habsburgs and rose to the rank of field marshal. At the time of the purchase, the castle was half destroyed, so the duke began to restore Sychrov, and completed the reconstruction only by 1834. In 1862, Camille Rogan rebuilt the castle in accordance with the neo-Gothic spirit that came into vogue then, in this form the building appears before us to this day.

What to see

Sychrov was a small corner of France in the Czech Republic. The spirit of France was felt both in the exterior of the building and in its interiors. The castle belonged to the Rogan family until 1945, when the communists came to power and took the castle away, under the pretext that the owner of Sikhrov collaborated with the Nazis. Until 1950, as the communists like it, the castle was equipped with a collection point for confiscated property. On May 1, 1950, part of Sychrov was opened to the public.

One of the main attractions of the castle is an English-style park. In addition to rare species of trees, architectural objects are also interesting here, complementing and diversifying the landscape: water tower, conservatory, Arthur's castle (artificial ruin), guard house, dovecote and stone pump.

The "carved miracle of the Czech Republic" Sychrov is called for its interiors and furniture, on which the famous wood carver Petr Bushek worked. IN art gallery castle you can get acquainted with the portraits of the Rogan family and various historical figures. Also known is the Sikhrov Library, which contains a lot of old books. The castle houses the museum of Antonin Dvořák, who loved Sychrov very much and often visited here.

They say that in the cellars of Sychrov there are untold riches, which are guarded by the ghost of the former mistress of the castle Berta Rogan - the Black Lady.

The children's film "Three Nuts for Cinderella" was filmed in Sychrov Castle.

Coordinates

Address: Sychrov 1, Sychrov, 463 44 Liberec, Czech Republic. Phone: 482 416 011. How to get there: from Prague by car along the E65 (R10) highway, after 70 kilometers take the E442 (35) towards Liberec and after 3 kilometers there will be an exit to Sychrov. The distance is about 100 kilometers.

From Prague by bus: there are buses from the Černý most metro station to Liberec, the journey takes about an hour and a half. From Liberec about half an hour by direct train to Sychrov.

Castles and fortresses of the Czech Republic

Castles of North Bohemia

Medieval gothic castle Sykhrov

Just 20 kilometers south of Liberec and 85 kilometers northeast of Prague, there is an old neo-Gothic medieval castle, which, in addition to its beautiful architecture, interesting interiors and rich collections, it is attractive for tourists also with many legends associated with it - Czech castle Sychrov.

STORY

Medieval castle in the Czech Republic Sychrov dates back to the 15th century, when a small Gothic fortress was built on this site. In its place, in the 16th century, a noble stone house was erected, and then in 1690-1693 - a small medieval baroque castle, built by the French knight Lamott d'Frynthropp, who was in the service of the Austrian emperor and during the Thirty Years' War, the rewarded estate of Sychrov, confiscated from Czech nobles. In 1740 Medieval castle in the Czech Republic Sychrov was bought by František of Waldstein. The main residence of the Wallensteins was Mnichov, so Sykhrov ceased to be a place permanent residence nobles. For almost 80 years, the medieval castle of Sychrov was used mainly as an economic facility and accommodation for servants.

New times began on August 30, 1820, when the French Duke Karl Alain Gabriel Rogan became the new owner of the medieval castle of Sychrov. From this moment begins the hundred and twenty-year-old era of the Rogans in the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov and the time of the greatest glory of this medieval castle. The cradle of the family was Brittany, where the first mention of the Rogans can be found as early as 951. Gradually, the position of the Rogans was strengthened, the family was one of the ten most influential noble families in France, and was related to the French kings. The clan was made up of several lines, most of their members held important political, military and ecclesiastical posts. After the Great French Bourgeois Revolution, the Rogans left France and moved to the Austrian Empire. But, unlike other French fugitives who later returned to France, the Rogans remained in the Czech Republic, which at that time was part of the great Austria-Hungary.

The main refuge of the Rogans in the Czech Republic was the medieval castle of Sychrov. When purchased, a dilapidated medieval baroque castle was a sad sight, and, of course, did not meet the requirements assigned to the residence of dukes and princes. Therefore, already the first owner of the castle from the Rogan family, Prince Karl Alain Gabriel Rogan, carried out a magnificent reconstruction of this medieval castle, completed in 1834. Particular impact on appearance Sychrov Castle was rendered by its other owner, Prince Kamil Josef Idesbald Philip Rogan, under whom Sychrov acquired its modern neo-Gothic look. Inner courtyard and tower Neo-Gothic reconstruction of Sychrov Castle in the period 1847-1862, carried out according to the project of the professor of the academy fine arts Bernard Gruber, ranked Sychrov among the most significant Czech castles of the 19th century, such as Hluboka nad Vltavou and Lednice. All works were entrusted exclusively to local craftsmen and artisans. Among them special place occupied by Piotr Bushek, a carver who, with his creativity and original talent, gave the interior of the castle an incomparable atmosphere and high artistic value. In addition to Busek, other outstanding masters participated in the work on the castle - sculptors Emmanuel Max and Vincenz Smolik, upholsterer Ludwig Grein, carpenter Peter König, blacksmith Jan Nowak.

Special attention Prince Kamil Rogan also paid attention to the castle park in the English style. The park of the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov during his lifetime reached an unprecedented flourishing and was the prototype for the emergence of a number of botanical gardens known today, such as Pruhonice or Konopiste. Under Kamil Rogan, harmony was achieved in the medieval castle of Sychrov between the exterior of the castle, its interior and the park.

At the end of the Second World War, in accordance with the decree of President Beneš, the medieval castle of Sychrov was confiscated and became a state monument. The Rogans were forced to go into immigration. At first, the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov was used as a collection point for confiscated property. May 1, 1950 a limited part of the castle was opened to visitors. In the 70s, the eastern wing of the Czech Sychrov castle and the corridor of the southern wing with a monument to Antonin Dvorak became available to visitors. Since the early nineties of the twentieth century, the castle has been undergoing a large-scale restoration of the exterior, interior and park of the castle, the purpose of which is to bring the medieval castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov as close as possible to the time of its greatest prosperity in the second half of the 19th century.

LEGENDS

The Legend of the Black Lady

As in any self-respecting Czech castle, there is a ghost in the medieval castle of Sychrov. This is the Lady in Black - Bertha Rogan - the daughter of the first owner of Sikhrov, who belonged to a glorious French family, Charles Alain Rogan. It is believed that it is she who appears in the castle as a ghost and is its keeper. Because without exaggeration we can say: this woman sacrificed her life to her family. Berta was the only child in the family, and so that the lineage would not be interrupted in the male line, she was married to her father's younger brother. But the marriage remained childless. And in order to continue the line of the "Czech" Rogans, the couple adopted her husband's nephews. The eldest of them - Camille Rogan - later became the owner of the castle. And after her death, she took up the fact that she began to guard the countless treasures of the Rogans hidden in the cellars of this castle in the Czech Republic, which they took out of France after the French Revolution, but did not manage to take them out of the Czech Republic after the arrival of the Communists and the nationalization of this medieval castle.

One can believe in the authenticity of the existence of these treasures or not, but the fact remains that any violation of the order established in the castle of Sychrov - rearranged furniture, an open door or window - causes an extremely negative reaction from the Black Lady, and in the morning all the moved objects are in their places. And the ghost of the Black Lady likes to scare too curious tourists winking at them from numerous portraits of women in black dresses hanging on the walls art galleries Czech castle Sychrov.

WHAT TO SEE

The collections of Sychrov Castle consist of treasures that the Rogans managed to take out of France, and they took out almost everything they had. The portrait gallery alone has 242 exhibits, it contains portraits of all representatives of this family, starting from the 16th century. By the way, this is the largest collection of French portraiture in Europe outside of France. Among the portrait images there are many faces familiar to us from the historical novels of Stendhal, Hugo, Dumas. In addition to the kings, for example, there is a portrait of Cardinal Richelieu and Madame Marie Aimé Rogan, who bore the title of Duchess de Chevreau. This lady became famous in her time for intrigues, intrigues and love affairs. It was she who served as the prototype for Milady Winter from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

The castle library contains more than one and a half thousand folios published in the 16th-17th centuries, as well as nine old handwritten books. The local collection of antique furniture is one of the best in the Czech Republic. And the set of miniatures from the 16th century is absolutely unique.

Noteworthy is the English park of the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov, the children will be interested in the aquarium and the exhibition " fairy world". Well, do not forget that the medieval castle of Sychrov belongs to the famous region of the Czech Republic Czech Paradise, famous for its numerous medieval castles, such as Kost, castle-hotel Gruba Skala, unforgettable nature and ski resorts.

Photo of the interiors of the Czech castle Sychrov

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The road from Liberec to the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov is quite simple - we drive south along the road E442(35) in the direction of Prague and Hradec Kralove ( Praha, Hradec Kralove ) after 19 kilometers turn right into the turn 41 follow the signs to Sykhrov and Pacherzhitsa ( Sychrov, Packerice ), then again to the right to Sychrov, we pass the town of Husa and after one and a half kilometers we arrive in Sychrov. Paid parking located right at the main castle gate.

It is also easy to get to the medieval castle of Sychrov from Prague - for this you have to go to the northeast along the highway E65(R10), after 70 kilometers to move to E442(35) in the direction of Liberec and after 3 kilometers take the same exit 41 to Sychrov.

When public transport the most convenient way to get from Liberec to the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov is by direct train - it goes to 8.31, 10.31, 12.31 etc. every two hours. IN reverse direction the train leaves for 8.49, 10.49 etc. until 22.49. Travel time 35 minutes, one-way ticket price - 45 CZK. There are also direct bus, however, it follows only once a day from the bus station NISA MHD V 11.15 . From Sychrov to Liberec this bus goes to 9.08.

For tourists, the medieval castle of Sychrov is open all year round from 9.00 before 16.30 , in April, September and October - up to 15.30 , from November to March - from 10.00 before 14.00 seven days a week. Entrance ticket for the main route for adults - 150 CZK, for children and persons over 65 years of age - 100 CZK, family ticket is worth 400 CZK.

More full information about this medieval castle and its expositions can be found on the website of the castle of the Czech Republic Sychrov "www.zamek-syhrov.cz"

Hello friends! Excursions to the castles of the Czech Republic are an exciting activity, and if you can photograph the interiors, then it is doubly interesting. Photos allow you to repeat the journey, albeit virtually. Now we will carry out such a virtual tour of the Sychrov castle.

You examined the castle from all sides, and also walked in the garden. Now let's take a look at the apartments, where everything is decorated with the help of the best woodcarvers who have created a unique interior. As an example, such a ceiling depicting the heraldic signs of the Rogan family - the owners of the Sychrov castle:

It seems that the owners were guided by the principle that everything in their castle should be beautiful - from the hall to the bedroom. Each hall, private apartment or corridor is decorated with elegance and style. A separate wing of the building is occupied by a chapel. The tour in the castle is organized in such a way that visitors first of all visit the chapel, and then inspect the chambers. I will still find an opportunity to tell about the chapel, but now we will start directly from the residential part of the castle:

1. Lobby with stairs
2. Prince's territory
3. Princess' apartment
4. Salons of the castle

Lobby with stairs

Visitors are greeted in the lobby by the most significant representative of the French family, Rohan, albeit in the form of a life-size marble sculpture…

The military leader and diplomat Heinrich de Rogan was the cousin of Henry of Navarre. And although the illustrious duke could not have been in this castle, since he lived in a more early time, the descendants of the family emphasized that it was they who followed the Bourbons in inheriting the throne of Navarre. And the corresponding knightly paraphernalia opposite:

In the lobby there is a staircase with magnificent railings, which are made of oak wood, complemented by stands for lamps, impregnated with special resins and paints so that they look like cast iron:

The photo shows not only a staircase with patterned railings, but also wooden coffered ceilings. All wooden cladding in the castle and wood products are the work of craftsman Piotr Bush and his sons Dominik and Konstantin.

You probably noticed the exquisite combination of carved railings and emblems and symbols regularly depicted on the walls of the lobby? I note that from the very first steps in this castle you involuntarily ascertain the importance of its owners.

The royal living room and bedroom is not just a metaphorical name for the most beautiful apartments. These rooms, indeed, are intended for the most eminent persons who often visited Sychrov. They are called royal because they are decorated with portraits of French kings. Here are large portraits of Louis XIII (left) and his son Louis XIV, who went down in history as the Sun King:

Be sure to take a look at the beautiful ceilings - the work of Piotr Bush. The master worked in the castle for 38 years and created in every room unique ornaments on the ceiling and on the walls, made parquet floors and furniture. Everything is done with such skill that the castle of Sychrov has become a favorite place for filmmakers, and its salons and halls are in several films.

Sofa amazing beauty also made by this master. And above the sofa is another portrait of the Sun King.

The living room is followed by the bedroom of the royal apartments, where the main object is a carved bed with a luxurious canopy:

It seems that such a bed would be more suitable for a princess or a duchess, but mostly men stayed here. And the French king Charles X visited, and the Prussian king Wilhelm I called in, and the emperor Franz Joseph I stopped ...

An interesting picture depicts three grandsons of Louis XIV with a governess:

The Chinese salon, furnished with objects delivered from Japan and China, is also referred to the royal apartments. In the 18th century, a boom in oriental products began throughout Europe, which were necessarily supposed to be shown to guests or visitors. In Dresden, thanks to such a surge, appeared. Every self-respecting European owner of the castle had his own small collection. Of course, a Chinese room appeared in Sychrov:

But this does not mean at all that all the oriental paraphernalia was collected in one salon. There are products from China and in other apartments.

Prince's territory

Curiosity is already undermining how the rooms of the owner of the castle look like. As you can see, the guests in Sychrov were very taken care of, but what are the prince's apartments like? The castle has preserved the furnishings that were created in the middle of the 19th century by Camille Rogan. The prince became the owner of Sychrov in 1846 and immediately set about reconstructing the castle in the Romantic Gothic style, and the reconstruction concerned both the architecture of the building and the interiors.

The prince's office reflects his business and research character. There is a microscope on the table and an encyclopedia of plants is open, which indicates the prince's strong passion for biology:

It was Camille de Rogan who ennobled the large castle garden and created an arboretum in Sychrov.

In the prince's office, as in almost all the halls of the castle, there are paintings. Among the portraits in the center is the wife of Prince Adele.

The prince's bedroom is not as luxuriously decorated as in the royal apartments, but no less worthy:

As for the unusual object in front of the window, this is a vessel for fumigating the bedroom with aromas. The family portrait next to the window also attracts attention. The marriage of Camille and Adele was childless, and the painting depicts the family of Prince Benjamin's younger brother.

Needless to say, this is also a work of Piotr Bush. The stairs lead to the third floor, where the guest rooms are equipped.

Princess' apartment

Ladies' apartments include a chapel, a bedroom, an office and an entrance hall. The bedroom of the Countess is decorated with a huge tapestry made in the 19th century by French masters. The tapestry tells about the touching love of a shepherd and a shepherdess:

The princess's office is more like a secular salon. However, it was here that Adele de Rogan worked: she wrote letters, received visitors.

According to a good tradition, in the princess's office, you can continue your acquaintance with the Rogan family. In the central painting, which depicts a girl in a dark blue dress, you can see Louise Julie de Rogan, who was ranked among the most beautiful women in the court of the Sun King.

Salons of the castle

In Sychrov Castle, residential apartments alternate with salons that can be found for every taste. All of them, basically, are created for a cozy pastime and are somewhat similar. But there are some stylized rooms. One of them is the Hunting Salon:

Here, too, everything is in order with comfort, but how many trophies are attached to the walls! Probably, there was not enough space in the cabin to show their hunting heritage, so heads with branched horns are also placed in the corridors:

I remember a large number of such decorations in the castle, but still there is far from Sychrov's abundance.

There is also a salon with a fireplace, which also served as a living room in the princess's apartment. And there is also a large salon with a beautiful figured ceiling:

Skillful wall cladding, patterns on the floor and ceiling - everything here reflects the symbolism of the Rogan family. The large saloon has direct access to the park.

Among the row of dining rooms should be one where quite a lot of guests can gather. Of course, there is such a festive dining room in the castle:

The large table can seat 24 people. Although for such a rather big castle, this is not so much. For example, in a miniature similar table looks more impressive.

The walls in the dining room are also decorated with portraits of representatives of the family. The owners of the castle are depicted here in the attire of the knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece.

Friends, I have already visited many castles in the Czech Republic, and I can say that Sychrov has a rich and sophisticated interior. The castle and Sychrov have something in common in their design in the sense that wood decoration is used in abundance in both castles. What impression did the apartments and salons of these properties make on you? There are still many details that I would like to note. Therefore, the theme of Sikhrov continues on my blog. And if you are interested in the castle, explore and go on a tour!

Your euro guide Tatiana

About the castle

Sychrov Castle is located 100 km from Prague, it is called the pearl of the picturesque North Bohemian region. This castle is shrouded in mystery and legends about ghosts and belongs to one of the most significant historical buildings in the Czech Republic. It was in this castle that the children's film "Three Nuts for Cinderella" was filmed in 1972.

Story

The history of the place where the castle is located dates back to the 15th century. At that time there was a fort, which was the property of the Czech royal chamber. In its place in the 16th century there was a stone manor, built in 1690 - 1693 in the Baroque style, built by the knight Lamotte d "Frynthropp. In 1740, the estate was bought by Frantisek from Wallenstein. For almost eighty years the building was used for agricultural purposes and to accommodate employees The situation changed radically on August 30, 1820, when Duke Carl Alain Gabriel Rogan became the new owner of Sychrov.Sychrov, however, did not meet the requirements for the residence of dukes and princes, being a dilapidated baroque castle. Duke Carl Alain Gabriel Rogan started the restoration (completed in 1834) The reconstruction of the castle, however, continued, however, by Prince Philippe Rohan, thanks to whom the neo-Gothic style appeared in Sychrov. Gruber, in the 19th century Sychrov becomes the most important monument and historical styles. All works were exclusively entrusted to domestic artists and craftsmen. The turn of the 20-30s of the 20th century brought certain alterations to the castle, which not only partially changed the appearance of the building, but also its interiors. Many rooms were decorated with rich carvings, French embossed wallpapers made of pigskin. The neo-gothic furniture was replaced with new, modern furniture.

After World War II, the castle was confiscated in 1945. under the Beneš decree. Now it belongs to the state. Initially, acting as a collection point for confiscated property, from May 1, 1950 it became available to the public. During the 70s, the tours were extended to the east wing and the corridor in the south wing of the castle of the Antonin Dvořák Museum. Since the beginning of the nineties, a major overhaul and restoration of the exterior, interior and park has been carried out.

English park

The original Neo-Gothic castle was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1840, when the Rohan family settled here. Duke Camille Rohan was an avid botanist and collector and focused all his interest on the park, amassing rich dendrological and botanical collections. He created a new park, building it on three main axes of space that extend from the front of the castle park. A unique path, along which pyramidal oaks stretch, goes beyond the gate and reaches the tower of the church. On the right side there is an arboretum with now non-existent greenhouses. Here is a rich collection of rare plant species, especially many varieties of oaks and beeches. Currently, the dendrological collection of the state is being updated, professional tree care is being carried out, as well as the gradual replacement of old and the addition of new trees on the oak alley.

Brief description of the buildings located in the park

Cylindrical shape of bare stone walls. From the outside, it consists of three floors. The first floor with massive stone slabs is divided by horizontal stripes. Entrance is possible by stairs, the railings of which are decorated with two huge balls. The ground floor has box arches. The roof is conical, with a lantern in the center. This tower was built in 1891 according to the design of F. Vordren. It was an integral part of the castle's water supply system. At the top of the tower there is a huge reservoir for water, which was supplied from the river and further distributed throughout the park.

Greenhouse
The greenhouse is the dominant architectural form of the park. The style of this building does not fit into the Gothic character of Sychrov's buildings, as it was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance. It was designed by Joseph Prouvot and approved by Duke Kamil Rohan in 1852.

Arthur's castle
Completes the Park in the northwest. Arthur's castle can be described as an artificial ruin. It is still in question when exactly this building was built, since it was already on the cadastral map from 1843 to 1868. Its modern look was designed by Josef Prouvot in 1876. Previously, however, this building was called "Alte Burg" (Old Castle). Arthur's castle today consists of two cylindrical towers, which are connected by a wall with a gate in the form of a Tudor arch. The northeast tower is wider and lower than its counterpart. The entrances to the towers are in the form of pointed arches.

stone pump
This is an interesting addition to the park. Also located in the northern part of the park. The pomp is made of thick sandstone entwined with ivy leaves and ends in a huge crown of branches and foliage.

Dovecote
This is the second element in the village park. Located close to northern facade parka. This is a wooden shingle roof.

guard house
Two guard houses in the southeast of the park. The exact time of their construction is unknown. However, they were mentioned as early as 1843. These are square one-story buildings, decorated with mirrors. The southern facade of both buildings in the middle of the bay with a pyramidal roof. Other facades are biaxial.

No. 7 - Residential building
This house is located in the southwestern part of the park and belonged to the director of the park. Currently used as a residential building. The one-story house has a rectangular shape. The house is plastered with red-tinted plaster.

In addition to the above objects, the park has five pools, a Chinese lake, a stone fountain for birds and a sandstone chapel of the Mother of God.

An interesting addition is a cast-iron bridge in the so-called Chinese lake, which was created at the suggestion of Prouvotov after 1874.

Tourist information

Available for viewing
Route A is one of the main types of excursions, visitors are provided with access to the interiors of the first floors on the south, west, north and east wings of the castle. Visitors in wheelchairs will need assistance to climb the stairs to the first floor.

Route B or Bertha Wing and Interior Development Exhibition. This route is on the ground floor, via narrow stairs and therefore not accessible to wheelchair users.

Jewelry - an exhibition of sculptures and jewelry made of precious metals and stones by the Czech jeweler Frantisek Khinla, donated Czech Republic, is located on the ground floor of the East Wing and is wheelchair accessible without restrictions.

Opening hours
Sychrov Castle is open to visitors all year round, every day, including Mondays.
From January to March 10:00 – 14:00
April 09:00 – 15:30
May-August 09:00 – 16:30
September-October 09:00 – 15:30
November-December 10:00 – 14:00

Closed:
December 24
On December 25 and 26, open only for a pre-booked group of 10 or more people.
Route B is only open in July and August
During non-working hours, visits are possible by prior reservation for groups of 10 or more people.

Prices
in Czech
Route A:

• Full 150, - CZK
• Abbreviated 100, - CZK
• Family 400, - CZK

• Full 150, - CZK
• Abbreviated 100, - CZK
• Family 400, - CZK

• Full 60, - CZK
• Children 6-15 years 30, - CZK

• For all 30, - CZK
• Children 3-15 years 20, - CZK

• Full 40, - CZK
• Children under 3 - free

• Full 20, - CZK
• Children under 6 years old - free of charge

• Full 250, - CZK
• Children 6-15 years old, students under 26 years old 200, - CZK

Photographing during a visit to the interior of the castle on route A or B 100, - CZK
Video filming during a visit to the castle interiors route A or B 100, - CZK
Audio guide for route A (EN, DE, RJ) 80, - CZK
Tourist visits outside working hours on route A (single price, at least 10 visitors) 280, - CZK
Excursion visits on route A
(single price, at least 10 visitors) 400, - CZK

Today it was the turn of the castle, visited on one of the days of rest. We chose for a very long time which castle to go to, because there are just dozens of options - Gluboka nad Vltavou, Karlstejn, Konopiste, and many others. But in the end, we chose Sychrov Castle. Let's just say, we did not lose) Although I also really want to visit the rest, but this is in the future. The interiors of the castle and the collection are simply amazing! The only small minus is the external one is quite simple classic look(not gloomy medieval, not standing on a rock, on a cliff and with a bunch of turrets), but this did not interfere at all. For the first castle - just fine (previously, I actually didn’t have to bring real castles, except perhaps -, but it was not so well preserved).
And so, one day, we bought a ticket towards Turnov on the train, and there - a ticket from Turnov to Sychrov by the local "rural train". Well, then adventures began - according to the classics of the genre, we boarded a local small train that did not stop in Sychrov, and suddenly swept to the city of Rychnov (Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou). We couldn't get out earlier. By the way, it turned out that the Czech "rural trains" are not some old wrecks for you, but a modern mini-train with all the amenities (!). This fact amazed me. We left in the city of Rikhnov and walked around the neighborhood. Before the train, we had 1.5 hours, we sat in a cool local cafe and enjoyed the cleanest air. But more on that in a separate report. Then we got on the right train and arrived in Sychrov. Walk for 15-20 minutes and we are there. We bought a ticket for photography, a Russian guide book, waited a bit and joined the new excursion. It was very interesting (although they were told in Czech, it was quite possible to understand everything from the book). Everything is strict inside - they open one room, they close the second one behind, they don’t let you get stuck) Now I’ll tell you a brief history castle and move on to the photos. Photo captions will be short mine and long excerpts from the guide book.

"Sychrov Castle is located 100 km from Prague, it is called the pearl of the picturesque North Bohemian region. The history of the place where the castle is located dates back to the 15th century. At that time there was a fort, which was the property of the Czech royal chamber. In its place in the 16 th century was a stone manor, built in 1690 - 1693 in the Baroque style, built by the knight Lamott d "Frynthropp. In 1740 the estate was bought by František from Wallenstein. For almost eighty years the building has been used for agricultural purposes and for the accommodation of employees, without any significant changes. The situation changed radically on August 30, 1820, when Duke Carl Alain Gabriel Rogan became the new owner of Sychrov. Sychrov, however, did not meet the requirements for the residence of dukes and princes, being a dilapidated baroque castle. Duke Carl Alain Gabriel Rogan started the restoration (completed in 1834). The reconstruction of the castle, however, continued, by Prince Philip Rohan, thanks to which Sychrov had a neo-Gothic style. Romantic Neo-Gothic style in 1847-1862, appears within the framework of the project of the Academy of Fine Arts of Bernard Gruber, in the 19th century Sychrov becomes the most important monument of historical styles. All works were exclusively entrusted to domestic artists and craftsmen. The turn of the 20-30s of the 20th century brought certain alterations to the castle, which not only partially changed the appearance of the building, but also its interiors. Many rooms were decorated with rich carvings, French embossed wallpapers made of pigskin. The neo-gothic furniture was replaced with new, modern furniture.
After World War II, the castle was confiscated in 1945. under the Beneš decree. Now it belongs to the state. Initially, acting as a collection point for confiscated property, from May 1, 1950 it became available to the public. During the 70s, the tours were extended to the east wing and the corridor in the south wing of the castle of the Antonin Dvořák Museum. Since the beginning of the nineties, a major overhaul and restoration of the exterior, interior and park has been carried out.

1. In order to get to the castle from the Sychrov railway platform, you need to climb a little uphill and stomp on foot for 20 minutes. But the views here are luxurious, the air is clean, and in general - the soul rejoices.

2. We reach the entrance to the territory of the castle, we see a map of the area. The towers of the castle are already visible nearby.

3. Directly in front of the castle itself, we meet such a small tower building, unfortunately, I can’t say exactly what it was intended for.

4. Western facade of the castle.

5. Let's get closer to the main entrance. Neo-gothic style immediately catches the eye =)

6. And here is the gate. It's time to buy a ticket and go to the courtyard.

7. But let's take a closer look at the door handles. It's just wonderful!

8. And also pay attention to the floor - a kind of "wooden paving stone".

9. Inner courtyard of the castle.

10. On the walls are coats of arms of representatives of the Rogan family. By the way, throughout the entire walk around the castle, the coats of arms of the family are found everywhere - on the walls, on the tree, on the furniture.

11. Camille Joseph Philip Idesbald Rogan (1800-1892) erected two powerful towers, which were supposed to give the castle the appearance of an ancient fortress. Prismatic, on south side, is called Austrian; cylindrical, on north side, Brittany (in honor of the homeland of the Rogan family - Bertani). cylindrical tower. Attracts a weather vane on a spire in the form of a boy with a bugle.

12.Potius Mori Quam Foedari. "Better death than dishonor." Motto of Brittany. In the galleries of the courtyard you can find many similar coats of arms.

13. We go inside the castle. The first thing we see is a lobby with a staircase, but so far behind glass.

"The vestibule was intended to demonstrate the antiquity and nobility of the family of the princes of Rouen. The princes of Rouen are considered one of the oldest noble families. The history of the family dates back to the 10th century. The family got its name from the name of the town of Rouen in French Brittany. Over time, the family acquired everything more influence, expanded its possessions and became one of the richest and most influential French noble families.In 1789, a revolution began in France, which later turned into terror.Everybody hated the aristocracy, many members of the nobility were executed, so for those who remained, flight was the only way to save life Among those who left France was the Rouen family, who sought refuge in the territory of the then Habsburg monarchy. Sychrov, who turned into a new magnificent It's a nest of sorts. The dominant feature of the lobby is a marble sculpture by Emmanuel Max, which represents one of the most famous
ancestors of the princes of Rouen, Henry 2nd, Duke of Rouen and Prince of Leon. He was not only a famous general and a successful diplomat during the Thirty Years' War of the 17th century, but also a cousin of the French king Henry 4th of Navarre. Rouen at that time were connected by family ties and with the French royal family of the Bourbons. Climbing the stairs, you can see the richly carved railings. This is the first work of the workshop of Piotr Bush, made for the castle of Sychrov. As a result of the fact that the railing was covered with a special mixture of resin, sand and paint, the illusion is created that the railing is not made of wood, but of cast iron. "

14. Through these doors we pass into the chapel of the castle.

15. And here is the chapel itself.

"The chapel of the castle of Sychrov is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Scenes from her life are presented on stained-glass windows. Their author is the glass and porcelain artist Jan Zachary Quast. Windows on the left: Annunciation and Visitation; windows on the right: Nativity of Christ and the Flight into Egypt; window above the altar: Assumption of the Virgin Mary.The chapel is divided into several independent parts.First there is the vestibule of the chapel, intended for servants.The nave of the chapel - for employees and two oratories, for the prince's family.The so-called small
the oratory (above the entrance to the sacristy) was intended only for the princess, and in the second, so-called large oratory (above the threshold of the chapel) were the rest of the family. Sychrov Castle is famous for its carvings by Piotr Bushk, who was born in Prague. In 1856, he accepted the offer of Prince Camille of Rouen to make carved furniture and carved decorations for the castle. Piotr Bushek worked at Sychrov Castle for 38 years until his death in 1894. In the castle chapel there are shops made by his workshop, a church
pulpit and crucifix in front of the chapel. In addition to wood, marble was used to decorate the castle chapel. The white Carrara marble altar was made by Joseph Vishka. The sculpture of the ancestor of the prince of Rouen and the leader of the crusade Gottfried of Bouillon, was made from the same marble in the workshop of the famous Czech sculptor of the 19th century Emmanuel Max. Commemorative plaques are also made of marble, which are built into the walls of the chapel under the windows. The board on the right reminds
about the visit to Sychrov Castle by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1866. The plaque on the left commemorates a visit to the castle by his son, the heir to the throne, Rudolf, who first visited Sychrov Castle in 1871 and again in 1880. The sounds of the organ played by the world-famous Czech composer Antonin Dvořák can still be heard today. He visited Sychrov Castle a total of nine times. The composer was on friendly terms with Alois Goble, the personal secretary of Prince Camille of Rouen. Today, we are reminded of visiting the castle of Sychrov Dvořák not only by a memorial plaque on one of the buildings of the castle, but also by the music festivals "Turnov and Sychrov Dvořák", which take place here every year.

16. The vestibule of the chapel, intended for servants. In the report, by the way, there will be a lot of ceilings of the halls, because all of them are simply amazing.

16. We pass into the lobby, pay attention to the design of the walls.
The vestibule painting is a series of ermine ponytails, which in the old days were considered signs of noble origin.
An interesting metal plate, which depicts a certain battle.

17. Stunning wooden lion on the railing of the main staircase.

18. We go up the stairs.

"The next work of Bush in the lobby is the cassette ceiling. Separate fields of the ceiling in the original were filled with neo-Gothic ornaments. They were removed in the 30s of the 20th century, because Princess Margarita, the wife of the last owner of the castle, Dr. Alain of Rouen, they seemed too tasteless."

19. General view of the stairs and interiors.

"Emine tails are also an integral part of the coat of arms of Rouen. In the lobby we can see the coats of arms four times, always under the lamps between the windows. The white (silver) part of the coat of arms is filled with ermine tails, and the red part is filled with nine roses, which were considered a sign of wealth. Under the coat of arms on a white ribbon the motto of the Rouen family is written "Better to die than to live without honor". The motto can also be seen on the door handles, which are made in the form of the head of a lion - the Rouen armorial bearer. In the lobby, you should pay attention to the busts of Rouen from white marble(the first bust on the right on the windowsill is Prince Karl Alain Gabriel of Rouen). The sculptures on the sandstone walls represent the famous Rouen ancestors.""

20. Always dreamed of seeing something like this in a real castle.

21. We begin our inspection of the second floor from the south wing. Salon or lounge for ladies.

"The rooms in the south wing are very small, so we can only look into them. The first three rooms are apartments
mother princess, i.e. mother of the owner of the castle. This is the entrance hall, bedroom and salon."

22. "The rest of the rooms are a hunting salon and an ancestral museum, in which the Rouen collected exhibits reminiscent of
about their glorious past (commemorative coins and awards, weapons, seals, and other items). "

23. "At the end of the south wing hallway, in the corner, is a tall wooden cabinet containing a freight elevator mechanism.
they lifted firewood for heating, clean linen or food upstairs.

24. Hunting trophies are everywhere.

25. We pass along the corridor to the premises of the western wing.

26. We find ourselves in the first room of this wing - the hallway-salon of the so-called royal apartments.

"The rooms of the western wing of the castle (the so-called royal apartments) were intended for the most distinguished guests who came to the castle of Sychrov. After the death of Prince Camille of Rouen (in 1892), noble guests no longer came to the castle, so the owners decided to rebuild the unused rooms of the royal apartments into children's rooms.
At the same time, the salon of the royal apartments has changed beyond recognition. It was divided by a partition into two smaller rooms. The cassette ceiling by Piotr Bush was covered with a new stucco ceiling to save heat. The red wallpaper has been removed. Wooden wall panels were also destroyed, paintings were hung on the walls of the lobby, and neo-Gothic furniture was replaced with more modern designs. A similar fate befell the rest of the rooms in the west wing. Only the parquet floors and wood paneling at the doors and windows have survived. They began to think about the reconstruction of the royal apartments only in 1982, when, when dismantling the partition, a cassette ceiling by Piotr Bush was accidentally found. But the reconstruction itself began only ten years later. It lasted from 1992 to 1999, after which the royal apartments received their original appearance, known until that time only from historical photographs 1892.
During this seven-year reconstruction, the cassette ceiling, decorated with the coat of arms of Rouen, was completely restored. According to the surviving fragments of furniture upholstery, a fabric was woven, which matched both the pattern and color of the original furniture upholstery and wallpaper. According to historical photographs 6, wooden panels were carved on the lower part of the walls. Restored paintings, renovated furniture were again placed in the rooms as they were in the photographs. Some pieces of furniture, unfortunately, did not survive and were re-made from photographs. For example, a circular sofa made during
reconstruction. "

27. Let's admire the restored luxurious ceiling.

28. Let's go to the bedroom of the royal apartments.

"The bedroom of the royal apartments after the death of Camille of Rouen suffered the same fate as the previous room. During the reconstruction in the 90s of the 20th century, the stucco ceiling with gilded Bourbon lilies had to be restored here in accordance with photographs of that time. The wooden panels.Wallpaper on the walls is a copy produced in our time.
The canopy over the bed was also made anew, which was also destroyed during the reconstruction of the premises into the children's room. Many of the famous personalities for whom this apartment was intended have slept on this bed. During the reign of Prince Charles Alain Gabriel of Rouen, the deposed French king Charles X (brother of the executed Louis XVI) with his family and courtiers visited Sychrov Castle. Charles X also brought his niece Marie Teresa, daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Also famous guests of Sychrov Castle, who visited it during the reign of Prince Camille of Rouen, were the Austrian ex-emperor Ferdinand I. or the Prussian King Wilhelm I, who used the castle as a general headquarters during the Prussian-Austrian war of 1866. After the end of the war in the same The castle was also visited by the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I."

29.
"In addition to the carved furniture by Piotr Bushka, the salon is decorated with large canvases depicting members of the French
royal dynasty. The group portrait represents the three grandsons of Louis XIV with their tutor Louise de Lamotte. This is about
Louis of Burgundy (in a group portrait a boy in red clothes, to the right of the front door, he is already an adult), his younger brother
Philip of Anjou, who in 1700 became King Philip V of Spain (in a group portrait a boy with a black dog, on the left
from the front door he is already an adult). The last person depicted in the portrait is Duke Charles of Berry. "

30. The ceiling is gorgeous again.

"During the Rococo era, the nobility began to show interest in the culture of the East. So-called oriental (sometimes Chinese or Japanese) salons and offices began to appear in many castles. This interest in the circles of the nobility continued into the 19th century, and therefore Prince Kamil
Rouen wished to equip a room in this style in the castle of Sychrov, where objects of art and everyday life of oriental origin were later collected and exhibited.
The furniture, decorated with expressive carvings covered with red and black lacquer, was made in the last third of the 19th century in Japan. Notice the large embroidered painting, and the three kakemon (Japanese scroll hangings) on the opposite wall, which represent court scenes. There is also a large collection of porcelain from China and Japan. The exception is part of the tea service on the table (the rest is in the sideboard in the opposite corner), which was made at the porcelain manufactory in the town of Berezovaya near Karlovy Vary and only imitates the oriental style. You can also see the oriental element (door handle with a Chinese head motif) on the door in the wall opposite the window, this is a wonderful work of the master's blacksmith Jan Nowak."

33. The office of the prince.

"The rooms of the northern wing of the castle served as the apartments of Prince Camille of Rouen, who gave the Sychrov castle its current neo-Gothic look. The first room of the apartment is a study, also furnished with carved furniture from the workshop of Bush. Prince Camille Joseph Philip of Rouen (life from 1800 to 1892) year) was married to Adelaide Lowenstein. Their marriage was not happy, and they remained childless. Therefore, the next owners of Sychrov Castle were the descendants of Kamil Benjamin's younger brother. The family estates passed to Prince Kamil in 1846.
By further acquisition of plots of land, the manor was further expanded, and as a result of building and cultural activities, the manor was landscaped.
Camille of Rouen was a philanthropist, he worked not only in northern Bohemia, he also had considerable merits in the development of the cultural life of Prague. Four portraits to the right of the window represent close relatives of Prince Kamil. Two small paintings depict his nephews Alain and Victor. In the portrait of the "gardener" - his uncle Viktor Ludwik Meriadek. The portrait of a lady in a rich frame depicts his wife Camila Adelaide. Prince Kamil was known as a keen and educated botanist. In the castle of Sychrov, his passion was manifested by the laying of a beautiful castle park. In the office itself, this hobby of the prince is reminiscent not only of the herbarium and the microscope of the 18th century on the desk ...

34. ... but also a four-volume encyclopedia of botany and zoology of 1734 on the table on the left.

35. Dressing room.
"The toilet room served at the same time for washing and changing clothes. On the dressing table, next to the porcelain wash set, there is also a men's travel bag with shaving accessories. A porcelain vessel on the floor was used for washing feet. By the window there is a paravane of 1820, some fields of which are filled engravings depicting representatives of the Austrian nobility. The engravings on the walls represent French cathedrals."

36. Bedroom of Prince Kamil.
"Prince Camille's bedroom is one of the few rooms in the castle in which a tiled stove has been preserved. Such stoves used to be in many rooms. But in the 20th century, the Dukes of Rouen lived in the castle all year round. In winter, the heat of tiled stoves was not enough. Therefore, in many rooms these the stoves were destroyed and replaced with modern radiators, which were hidden before the castle was opened to the public.
Pay your attention to an interesting exhibit located near the window - a chased device for fumigating with aromatic herbs. Dried flowers were thrown on hot coals, which spread a pleasant aroma in the room. At the bottom of the night table is a copper vessel in the form of a frying pan, which was used to warm the bed. Hot coals were also poured into it. "

37. We pass into the next room. Prince's living room. Let's love the ceiling...

38 .... coat of arms above the door ...

39. ... and the general view itself. Another interesting preserved oven.

"In this living room, the prince received his guests. The walls of the room are decorated with portraits of prominent members of the Rogan family, as well as historical weapons, as evidence of the antiquity and glorious history of the family. The upholstered furniture, with preserved original upholstery, was made by the workshop of the carver Peter Bush. The plates on the walls were brought East Asia, and the two yellow vases on the floor are made in Munich and only imitate the oriental style."

40. Portraits around the perimeter of the room.

41. The corridor of the eastern wing of the castle.

"The corridor of the eastern wing of the castle is divided into three parts. In the first part, opposite the windows, there is a large picture representing a meeting of the French Parliament, something like a royal council. The middle part of the corridor served as an entrance hall big saloon. The paintings in round frames between the windows depict the Archbishop of Strasbourg, Armand Gaston of Rouen, and Philippe of Orleans, regent of France during the minority of King Louis XV. "

42. Another shot of the castle lobby.

43. "In the last part of the corridor, let's pay attention to the portrait of a lady with a magnificent ring around her neck. This is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England."

From myself - a stunning and catchy picture.

44. Vestibule in front of the large oratory.

“From this vestibule we get into the so-called large oratory, in which the princely family sat during divine services. The vestibule itself played a communicative role, because it connected the 1st and 2nd floors of the castle. For this, a carved spiral staircase was made in the workshop of Peter Bush, which is decorated trembling tongues of 12 flames and motifs of the vine."

45. Oratory, where members of the Rohan princely family took part in the services held in the castle chapel. The walls of the chapel are decorated with carvings of saints, made in the late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles.

46. ​​One of my favorite frames. The private rooms of the princess.
Ladies' apartment, where Camille's wife, Adele, lived in the second half of the 19th century. The dominant feature of the bedroom, which is famous for having one of the most beautiful stucco ceilings in the castle, is a 19th-century French tapestry depicting a shepherd couple in love.

47. "In the office, which was very often called the blue office due to the predominant color, the princess wrote letters, in comfortable chair- on a deck chair (in French - a long chair), the princess read the received mail. Samples of valuable porcelain, mostly made in Meissen, are exhibited in the corner windows and on some pieces of furniture. On the table is a porcelain service made in the Klastereck porcelain factory around 1850. "

48. Fireplace salon.
"In the entire castle, only in the only room in the princess's reception room is a fireplace, which is why it is called a fireplace. The fireplace was made in the 19th century from white Carrara marble. But it was used only occasionally, because the fireplace salon and two adjacent rooms were heated hot Air rose from below through openings in the walls and entered directly into the living room through beautiful grilles (to the left of the fireplace in the panels and above the fireplace). including the frame of a large mirror, also made in the workshop of Piotr Bushk, with the exception of the Renaissance bench to the right of the front door, which was made in the 16th century. of different ages: a panel depicting a preaching bishop in the middle, 16th century, a clockwork of the 18th century, and the rest The al parts were made in the workshop of Busch in the 19th century."

49. Ceiling decoration.

50. Large salon.
"The owners of the castle received their guests in this salon. They got into the room directly from the park through the glass door (in good weather). After the solemn reception, the princess with the ladies went to the salon with a fireplace, and the prince with the men went to the game room. Rich carved decorations The rooms were again made by Bushek, and motifs from the arms of the Rogan family were used on the ceiling, on the wall cladding, and on the parquet."

51. The ceiling of the large salon.

52. "The library of Sychrov Castle contains more than seven thousand volumes from the 15th to the 20th century. Foreign literature prevails here, there are very few Czech books in the library (these are the works of Karl Gynka Macha and Karolina Svetla). Among foreign writers one can meet for example, Shakespeare, Dumas the Elder, Zola, Balzac, and many others.Prince Camille of Rouen, being an avid botanist, enriched the library with a number of books on botanical subjects.
The bookcases, which are also made in the workshop of Piotr Bushk and his assistants, are too high to reach books from the upper shelves. For such a case, there is a special chair in the library, if you lower its armrests, you get a classic staircase. Next interesting exhibit is a page of a 15th-century cantorial or coats of arms on glass by Quast, which, like the coats of arms on the walls in the courtyard, were tribal signs of women who married representatives of the Rouen family. Worthy of attention and a stucco ceiling, one of the most beautiful in the castle."

53. Furniture in a large salon.

54. Ceiling in the library.

56. "The most magnificent and also the largest room on the inspection route is a large dining room. Peter Bushek and his assistants worked on the decoration of the dining room for four whole years. The result of their work is a particularly pompous carved cassette ceiling with 77 fields, again decorated with Rouen coat of arms motifs, as well as two canopies, which are part of the wall panels.On the dining table there is a porcelain service made in Gorny Slavkov, complemented by other exhibits of tableware.If necessary, the table can be moved apart with the help of additional parts and it could accommodate the 24th guest .
Six large portraits are embedded in the wall panels. Three darker portraits by Karl Yavurka represent the famous ancestors of the Rouen family: the founder of the family, Alain I, the commander Jan I and Henry II. Other famous members of the family are depicted on stained glass windows by Quast. The other three portraits represent the owners of the castle of Sychrov, who in these paintings are depicted in the robes of the knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. "

57. Stained-glass windows with members of the Rogan clan on the windows of the large dining room.

58. The ceiling itself is a skillful work!

59. Dining table closer.

60. From the corridor you can look into the room in which the prepared food was laid out on dishes and decorated before serving them to the guests. We get to the exit spiral staircase, the so-called Brittany tower.

61. Then we went to the castle treasury, it was behind a heavy and massive airtight door under the supervision of a dozen cameras) It was impossible to take pictures there, so it remains only to add that there are many luxurious gold and silver items. Let's go to the park now.
East facade of the castle, stairs. The Austrian Tower is clearly visible in the background.

62. The original Neo-Gothic castle was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1840, when the Rohan family settled here. Duke Camille Rohan was an avid botanist and collector and focused all his interest on the park, amassing rich dendrological and botanical collections. He created a new park, building it on three main axes of space that extend from the front of the castle park. A unique path, along which pyramidal oaks stretch, goes beyond the gate and reaches the tower of the church. On the right side there is an arboretum with now non-existent greenhouses. Here is a rich collection of rare plant species, especially many varieties of oaks and beeches. Currently, the dendrological collection of the state is being updated, professional tree care is being carried out, as well as the gradual replacement of old and the addition of new trees on the oak alley.

63. Balcony of the castle.

65. Brittany clock tower, go around the castle and take a picture on it from the outside.

67. The park is just gorgeous. Clean, comfortable, and sometimes deaf and mysterious.

68. Walking along it, they suddenly came to observation deck and an obelisk with an eagle.

70. This small monument was very surprising - apparently, one of the count's favorite dogs is buried here. Spock, 1912. Unexpectedly found in a park in the distance.

71. We pass on, soon a beautiful tower appears in front of us - a water tower.
"Cylindrical in shape made of bare stone walls. From the outside, it consists of three floors. The first floor with massive stone slabs is divided by horizontal stripes. Entrance is possible by stairs, the railing of which is decorated with two huge balls. On the first floor there are box-shaped arches. The roof is conical, with a lantern in the center. This tower was built in 1891 according to the design of F. Vordren. It was an integral part of the water supply system in the castle. At the top of the tower there is a huge reservoir for water, which was supplied from the river and further spread throughout the park."

72. "The orangery is the dominant architectural form of the park. The style of this building does not fit into the Gothic character of Sychrov's buildings, as it was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance. It was designed by Joseph Prouvot, which was approved by Duke Camille Rohan in 1852." Here we had a little snack in a cafe (attention, expensive!)

73. Alpine hill.

74. Fountain with angels.

75. We return back. Passing through the courtyard of the castle, we take pictures of an old well.

76. Another fountain. Looking towards the greenhouse at the end of the long lawn.

77. Let's admire the castle goodbye from the eastern facade and hit the road.

78. In a local souvenir shop you can buy a model of the castle - I bring it here to make it clear how it looks from above from the eastern facade)

79. On a cozy road we return back to the station.

80. Quiet and calm. I remembered the movie "Far in the Neighborhood", maybe someone watched it. There are no hands on the clock and this adds a special atmosphere.

Soon a train arrived and took us back to Prague via Turnov. And we were full of impressions. The castle is just amazing!

Thank you very much site