Orlik Castle in the Czech Republic
Rating: 8,2/10 (1674 votes)  Orlik Castle nad Vltava is located on a promontory on the Vltava River, not far from Prague. The castle was built during the reign of King Premysl Otakar II in the XIII century. Initially, the castle was built as a royal fortress to guard the ford across the Vltava river and had only one floor. At that time, it was necessary to pay a fee to use the ford, so Orlik Castle was the personification of the might of the royal power. During archaeological excavations carried out here in 2000, fragments of a settlement were discovered, which, according to scientists , existed here in the second half of the XIII century. In the XIV century, a fortress wall was erected around the castle. At that time, the building consisted of a residential part and a fortress tower located in the center of the western wall. The tower controlled the entrances to the castle. Later, a chapel was built near the southern wall of the castle. Until the 16th century, the castle underwent frequent renovations. In 1508, a great fire broke out in Orlik, after which the castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style. Several years later, with the permission of the king, the castle passed into the possession of the Schwambergs family. At the same time, large-scale reconstruction began in the castle, during which the building was increased by one floor, the interior of the castle was also changed. In 1620, after the confiscation of the property of the Schwambergs, the castle passed to the Eggenberg family. In 1719, Orlik inherited Adam Francis Schwarzenberg from his aunt. During the creation of the Czechoslovak Republic, Orlik Castle, including all the property of the Schwazenbergs, was confiscated. However, after the velvet revolution, the castle returned to the Schwarzenberg family, which still belongs to. The grandeur of the castle was lost after the construction of the Orlicka dam on the Vltava river. The castle was originally located on the edge of a cliff. But now, the waters of the river, having risen a few meters, have come close to the castle. Nowadays, Orlik Castle is open to tourists. The castle displays a rich collection of awards and weapons of the Schwarzenberg family, dishes and candlesticks XV – XVII centuries, as well as old books. One of the most valuable objects of the ancient library is the Le Mus é We also recommend reading Krivoklat Castle in the Czech Republic Topic: Orlik Castle in the Czech Republic. |
