Castle Strakonice
Have you visited one of the most famous South Bohemian castles with a fascinating history? If not, do not hesitate and go to Strakonice Castle. You will certainly be satisfied with its visit, even though this monument has undergone several building modifications, which were not always sensitive and disturbed the uniform impression of the castle. Nevertheless, it is an extremely valuable historical and architectural monument, which is closely connected with both the famous Czech Bavarian family from Strakonice and the Order of the Knights of Malta.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Castle Strakonice
Castle in the center of Strakonice
The castle itself can be found right in the central part of today's Strakonice. The castle complex consists of two parts connected by a passage. You can visit a large number of exhibitions throughout the complex and you will definitely not be bored. In the Great Knight's Hall you can admire the original decoration and memories of the patriots who were connected with Strakonice. There is an old school class and monuments from the history of our education, examples of old crafts and puppets. Other collections are located in the Small Knight's Hall, where you will certainly be thrilled, for example, by the ship cannon of the Knights of Malta. Other exhibitions are dedicated to the bagpipe tradition, the production of fezzes, which made Strakonice famous, or the production of ČZ motorcycles and weapons.
The Knights of Malta lived here until the last century
The history of the castle is a bit untraditional - already after the foundation of the castle at the beginning of the 13th century, Bavor I of Strakonice donated part of the castle to the Order of the Knights of Malta and a command was created here. From the beginning, it was an extensive building, which was further modified. The order of St. John's, which acquired the entire castle at the beginning of the 15th century, also continued with the building modifications, until the 18th century, when the castle's Baroque extension was built. The castle was also conquered and damaged several times - in 1620 and during the Thirty Years' War.
The White Lady and Švanda the bagpiper
If you are interested in a white lady, you could meet one in Strakonice. The daughter of Oldřich of Rožmberk allegedly appeared in Strakonice as a white lady. The smile on her face meant happiness for the inhabitants of the castle, but if she was sad, someone from the Rosenberg family should have died. In her memory, honey was given honey porridge. Helping the poor in memory of the White Lady did not end until the 18th century. Perhaps the most famous legend is the story of Švanda the bagpiper, who managed to cheer everyone up with his game and even played devils. To recover from their power, he hung the bagpipes behind the church altar. The bagpipes have disappeared, but they say they still play once a year.
Author: Helena Syslová