Cesky Krumlov Castle: The Renaissance in the Czech Republic

The original Little Castle, as seen from the town’s historic center, shows its transformation into a Renaissance chateau. Forward and to its left is the Mint, originally used for minting coins. While the two buildings are stylistically similar, the color of the Mint’s exterior walls is more in keeping with Bohemian baroque aesthetics. Diana Hlachova/Shutterstock

Less than 50 miles from the tripoint border of Austria, the Czech Republic, and Germany, the town of Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic, embodies the region’s architectural heritage. The historic center of the town has street layouts and many ordinary buildings that date back centuries. Larger architectural works, including two magnificent monasteries, add to the beauty and historicity.

Most impressive of all is Cesky Krumlov Castle. Overlooking the town from a promontory across the Vltava River, the 17-acre complex includes some of the finest examples of Bohemian Renaissance and baroque architecture.

Oldest of all is the modest 13th-century Little Castle. Expansion began 100 years later when Peter of Rosenberg built the palatial Upper Castle, still the largest part of the complex. Outer defensive walls, later used as a base for additional residential and storage buildings, date from approximately the same time.

But the castle didn’t appear as it does today until it became the primary residence of William of Rosenberg (1535–1592) in 1551. A devoted patron of the arts, literature, and scholarship, William was determined to make the castle a regional center of culture. Over the next 40 years, the castle was renovated and expanded in the style of the Bohemian Renaissance that combined classicist symmetry and proportions with colors and materials of the region’s Gothic architecture.

The last major additions and renovations date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Following Bohemian baroque standards, they closely conform to Italian models—ornate, dramatic, and fluid. The most notable is now the world’s best-preserved baroque theater. Limited 19th-century alterations in a variety of styles completed the castle as it is today.

The round six-story tower above the Little Castle is perhaps the most famous part of the entire complex. It narrows as it rises and is taller than the Upper Castle. Inside the pink-and-white fourth story is the tower’s belfry. Christoph J/Shutterstock

Located within the Upper Castle, the walls of the Third Courtyard are decorated with frescoes. The frescoes, by Dutch Renaissance painter Gabriel de Blonde, depict a variety of events and individuals taken from the history and mythology of ancient Greece and Rome. Belen95/Shutterstock

Known as the Bulchhalterie (a center for local business), this part of the castle was built from the ground up in the style of the Bohemian Renaissance. While the color and texture of the materials are common in Bohemian Gothic architecture, the symmetry and proportions are unmistakably grounded in Renaissance classicism. Diana Hlachova/Shutterstock

The lowest level of a covered bridge connecting the Upper Castle and the theater is decorated with 18th-century sculptures of saints, topped by three fully enclosed stories, and gives a beautiful view of Cesky Krumlov’s historic town center. Mario Savoia/Shutterstock

A nighttime scene of the cloak bridge. Against the dark background and illuminated by yellow lighting, the contrast between white and gray stone stands out with particular visual force. Arches between the pillars combine decoration with added structural support. The low wall angling off to the left encloses the castle’s Fifth Courtyard at the top of the promontory. George Trumpeter/Shutterstock

Reminiscent of Versailles, the garden’s four-level Cascade Fountain and surrounding double staircases are among the most ornate baroque structures in the entire complex. The statues, in both Viennese rococo and classical styles, depict characters from ancient mythology. Steven Phraner/Shutterstock

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