Vranov nad Dyjí Castle
When you find yourself in the south of our state by the river Dyje, you will be located near one of the most beautiful buildings of the Central European Baroque. The castle rises on a rock directly above the river and above the town of the same name. The dominant feature of the chateau is the Baroque hall of the ancestors, the original Gothic towers were also visible, a reminder of the original Gothic castle.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Vranov nad Dyjí Castle
See living in the 18th and 19th centuries
As visitors to the castle, you can see the Baroque hall of ancestors, which was built on the site of the original chapel. The decoration in the ancient spirit will surely amaze you. A baroque church was built instead of the chapel. In more than twenty rooms you can get acquainted with how people lived in Vranov in the 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibition is also dedicated to the earthenware factory, which was famous for its production both at home and abroad.
Vranov is mentioned in the Cosmos Chronicle
Vranov nad Dyjí Castle was rebuilt from the original Romanesque-Gothic castle, which is mentioned as early as 1100 in the Kosmov Chronicle. It was originally intended to defend the southern border of the country. Originally a royal castle, it later became the property of various aristocratic families. The castle was damaged by the Swedes during the Thirty Years' War and completely destroyed by fire in 1665. The then owners built an ancestral hall, which was to dominate the landscape, and built the castle chapel of the Holy Trinity. Additional courtyard buildings were built in the 18th century. Polish owners kept the castle until World War II, then it became state property.
The legend of Kočičí údolí belongs to Vranov
The lord of Vranov had a son who was afraid of cats. His father had all the cats in the area exterminated. The cats of a witch who lived under an oak tree by the lake were also killed. The witch promised revenge to the lord. When the master went to battle, his son stayed at home. The witch conjured a fairy lake and lured the boy to the lake. There she then pulled him into the water and drowned. The lord of the castle was looking for his son and hit the witch. She laughed and showed him what had happened. The lord of the castle captured the witch and had her tortured and executed. Soon, however, he fell ill himself and died. The castle began to decay, and the lake dried up, and on that day, on the anniversary of the castle lord's son's death, there was a cat meowing and a witch's laughter.
Author: Helena Syslová