Lednice Castle in the Czech Republic
Rating: 7,8/10 ( votes)  Lednice Castle is located near Brno Airport, 250 kilometers from Prague. The castle is part of the Lednice-Valtice area and is one of the most popular attractions in the Czech Republic. The castle is located on the banks of the Dyje River, surrounded by a picturesque park, which is considered the largest castle park in Europe. In 1996 Lednice Castle was included in the UNESCO list. According to historical documents, from 1222 to 1414 the castle was called Izgruobi or Eissgrube, which means"glacier, ice pit". In the Old Bohemian language, the word Lednice or Lednice denoted a river on which ice floes float. During the early Middle Ages, the castle was a Gothic fortress belonging to the influential Sirotka family. This clan received from King Premysl Otakar I vast territories in South Moravia. In 1332, the castle passed to the Liechtenstein family, in whose possession it remained until the end of World War II. In the 16th century the Liechtenstein rebuilt the castle-fortress, as a result of which it acquired the Renaissance style. At the same time, Lednice Castle was merged into a single complex with the adjacent Valtice Castle, acquired by the Liechtenstein family in 1395. During the Thirty Years War, both castles were seriously damaged, and therefore the entire complex underwent a large-scale reconstruction. After the reconstruction works, the palace complex was turned into a baroque residence. Johann Bernard Fischer became the project manager, and later the architect Dominic Martinelli. The complex was completely rebuilt, only the wing of the castle, where the riding hall and stables were located, remained intact. At the same time, a beautiful park was laid out between the castles. The castle acquired its present form in 1846-1858, the project was designed by the Viennese architect Jiri Wingelmuller. In the course of the work, new decorative elements were added to the facade of the building - arches, turrets, columns and balconies. The baroque walls of the castles remained intact. The neo-Gothic style is also supported in the interiors of the building: there is an ornate staircase in the library, in the Blue Hall - a cassette ceiling made of linden wood, marble fireplaces and an ivory relief of the"tree of life". The park between the castles has also undergone a major renovation - two alleys have been built connecting residences. The complex was supplemented by a Moorish-style minaret, and many new buildings appeared in the park, such as the Temple of the Three Graces, the Temple of Apollo, the Manor on the Pond, an aqueduct, etc.   
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