In the forest south of Prague, there is a UNESCO-listed fairy tale castle nestled in the forest. The castle is called Konopiště and was first built in 1280 in French Gothic style by a bishop. The reason why there are so many castles in the Czech Republic is partly the country's strategic location in central Europe and partly that in the Middle Ages they found plenty of silver here which meant that the country became rich. A little more than 400 years after the Konopiště was built the castle was plundered and occupied by the Swedes, so you can probably find one or another treasure from here in a Swedish museum. Konopiště was rebuilt again in 1725 in a slightly different style in which they built a stone bridge over the moat instead of having a drawbridge there. Therefore, the castle looks much younger than its 800 years.
Today it is a more or less well-known destination for Prague's inhabitants about an hour south. In the castle moat lives two bears (who happened to sleep in their dens when we were there), and around it there is a lake, a park, a rose garden and a terrarium in which one can see spiders and chameleons. Inside the castle there is a large collection of medieval weapons and horns that can be seen during guided tours - for us it was enough with what was on the outside of the castle. Perfect for getting away from Prague's city pulse when you want to experience nature and be able to check out some castles as well.
Here you will find practical information to get there. You can go by the train to Benesov and then walk 2.5 km if you dont have a car.
 |
| The castle is located at a hilltop above the treetops. |
 |
| No castle visit during a hot day is ever complete without an ice cream break! |
 |
| Henry found a knight of the same size as himself! |
 |
| In the park there are statues and small trees scattered here and there. |
 |
| The beautiful lake just by the entrance. |
 |
| These kinds of statues can be expected to be found in the garden. |
 |
| The castle gnome takes a break with the pipe. |
 |
| The rolling landscape on the way there. |
Stunning photos of the sky and natural areas! Your kids are adorable, I especially liked the photo of Henry next to the knight's armor. Very interesting post, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
Delete