Brandýs nad Labem town was originally named Boleslav by Boleslaus I who built here his castle at the beginning of the 10th century. The originally medieval castle was expanded in the early 14th century and later adapted in the Renaissance style for Ferdinand I.
In 1581 Brandýs nad Labem it was promoted to the rank of royal city, and the castle became the summer residence of Emperor Rudolf II. The castle became its primary residence outside of Prague. The emperor often went there, strolled through the gardens, and held parties there. Among his friends who frequented the castle was the famous astronomer Ticho de Brahe, who also saved the Stara Boleslav region from the 30 years war, and Emperor Charles VI used it as a hunting castle. Maria Theresa met her husband here and from there went to Prague for the royal coronation.
Emperor Franz I established the headquarters in the castle during the Napoleonic Wars and received in 1813 a visit of Tsar Alexander I and the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm III in order to plan the establishment of a coalition against Napoleon which led to victory in the battle in Leipzig.
The last owner of the castle, until 1918, was the Austro-Hungarian emperor and the last Czech king, Karl I, who stayed in the castle as a young officer in the army. In 1911, he brought his wife Empress Zeta from Parma.
In 1918, the castle was nationalized by the state and in 1995 it was transferred to the municipality of Brandys nad Labem and underwent massive renovation.
Today the castle serves as the city’s city center. In the banquet hall of the castle, official ceremonies of the city and the district are held, including ceremonies for the awarding of certificates of appreciation, appointments and coronations, and of course weddings. Around the castle there are 2 impressive gardens and is a magnet for the region’s residents
References:The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest church in the city, it is the seat of the Patriarchate of Lisbon. The cathedral has survived many earthquakes and has been modified, renovated and restored several times. It is nowadays a mix of different architectural styles.
The site where it stands was the principal mosque of Lisbon when it was an Arab settlement. The construction of the cathedral started around 1150, three years after the city was conquered from the Moors during the Second Crusade. Shortly after the victory the English knight Gilbert of Hastings was named bishop of the city of Lisbon.
One good reason to visit the Cathedral is to visit its charming cloisters located in the back. There are several tombs in the cathedral, the most notable of which is the beautifully sculpted tomb of Lopo Fernandes Pacheco and his wife.