Cesky Krumlov Castle: Home of the Kingdom of Bohemia

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Cesky Krumlov has one of the largest castles in Europe. Cesky Krumlov Castle, which has historically been both a castle and a residence for the leading families of the Kingdom of Bohemia or Prague, is now a museum open to visitors.

The castle, where Bohemia’s ruling families stayed for centuries, overlooks Cesky Krumlov and offers beautiful views of the town. In addition to the natural formations, the buildings are also works of art. The town is very small, but who would have thought that such a small town could have so much charm. Cesky Krumlov is full of streets, each of which you will want to walk again and again.

The castle has a huge area, but to reach the places you can visit, we first start from the 1st courtyard. As in all the courtyards, the 1st courtyard is quite large. In order to reach the castle, you must first pass through the 1st courtyard.

While passing to the 2nd courtyard of the castle, the gap between the 1st and 2nd courtyards was previously closed with a wooden bridge and the entrances to the castle were over the wooden bridge. Today, the 1st and 2nd courtyards are connected by the bridge with the statues of Mary and St. Josef. There is a bear in the space under the bridge. The practice of feeding the bear, which started in the last period of the Rosenberg family, still continues today. We didn’t see the bear either because it was resting or because it was out of season, maybe you will be lucky and see it walking around.

Cesky Krumlov Ayi Besleme

To the left of the 2nd courtyard entrance is a large and colorful tower. Decorated with various figures and architectural motifs, you can climb the 162-step tower. Below the tower is a museum, which you can visit for an extra fee. The tower is located right next to the Little Castle. Little Castle is the oldest part of the castle. It was built on a rock rising above the Vltava River.

Cesky Krumlov Kucuk Kale
Cesky Krumlov Kucuk Kale Kulesi

The big courtyard of the castle was originally the place where the soldiers used to guard the castle. On the right side you can see the cannons used in the past. The long building on the left serves more as a gallery. Some seminars and meetings were held here from time to time.

Cesky Krumlov Asker Alani
Cesky Krumlov Asker Toplari

Continuing on, we come to the main part of the castle called the Upper Castle. Surrounded by high walls, these areas contain well-preserved Renaissance paintings depicting mythological scenes in three dimensions.

Cesky Krumlov Yukari Kale Duvar Cizimleri
Cesky Krumlov Yukari Kale Binasi

We know that the Schwarzenberg family ruled the Kingdom of Bohemia for a long time. It is also known that this family stayed in the castle in Cesky Krumlov for many years. Today a member of the Schwarzenberg family, Karel Schwarzenberg, born in 1937, was a Duke of Krumlov. He is still alive and was a candidate in the 2013 presidential elections.

In the Upper Castle, one of the stone rooms houses the sculptures of the sculptor Miroslav Paral, whose sculptures can be seen around the corner in Cesky Krumlov. In the rooms where the works of the famous artist are exhibited, you can also see the materials used by the kingdoms.

Cesky Krumlov Kalesi Miroslav Paral
Cesky Krumlov Kalesi Kral Esyalari

The bridge on the west side of the upper castle is the Cloak Bridge connecting the 4th and 5th courtyards. The bridge is a very large structure and is enlivened with sculptures. This is one of the few spots with the best view of Cesky Krumlov.

Cesky Krumlov Kalesi Cloak Koprusu
Cesky Krumlov Kaleden Goruntu

When you cross the bridge, you enter a small terrace-like area. Every angle of the photographs taken here creates a spectacular result. It attracts a lot of attention from tourists because it is the best spot to watch the view. When you get to the terrace, don’t forget to examine the sundial on the structure behind you. You can tell what time it is by the shadow of the upright bar.

Cesky Krumlov Teras Manzarasi
Cesky Krumlov Gunes Saati

The most popular place to visit in Cesky Krumlov is Cesky Krumlov Castle. Tour services are also offered to tourists in this castle. With this tour service, it is possible to see the theater and other rooms of the castle and even the gardens. You can get information from the touristic centers at the entrance of the castle.