Saints Peter and Paul Rotunda, Starý Plzenec, Czech Republic

Pre-Romanesque Rotunda of Saints Peter and Paul dates from the late 10th century and is the oldest preserved sacral structure in Czech Republic. The first mention of the rotunda dates from 976. It collapsed in the 15th century, but was restored later. Inside the rotunda there is an exhibition of archaeological finds.

User Reviews

Alma Šťáhlavská (3 years ago)
Rotunda pochází z 10 století a zřejmě je nejstarší stojící stavbou v západních Čechách. Rotunda byla několikrát opravovaná. Současný stav je výsledkem průzkumu a oprav z r. 1975. Okna jsou zasklena hutním sklem. Podlaha je osazena kopiemi původních dlaždic s Neronem a gryfy. Střecha je břidlicová a původní železný kříž na vrchu střechy byl nahrazen symbolem čtyř spojených slovanských sekyrek. Poslední oprava vnějšího pláště rotundy byla uskutečněna v roce 2008.

Anton Zhuchkov (3 years ago)
Nice place

Zdeněk Šilhán (3 years ago)
Beautiful place, with nice historical path. Only sad thing is you can't look inside.

Michał Różycki (3 years ago)
Picturesque place with beautiful view and spirit of history - worth to visit if you are in Pilsen area.

Ivo Maryška (4 years ago)
One of the oldest christian buildings in the region, it hides some ancient historic gems as well as shows origins of christian culture mixed with pagan influences - such as original floor cobbles depicting cesar Nero. The place is mystical, offers wonderful views over the nearby town of Stary Plzenec. A few steps away you find restored foundations of the midevil administration seat of Old Pilsen, dating to 10th century.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright nikonaft

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Cesis Castle

German crusaders known as the Livonian Brothers of the Sword began construction of the Cēsis castle (Wenden) near the hill fort in 1209. When the castle was enlarged and fortified, it served as the residence for the Order's Master from 1237 till 1561, with periodic interruptions. Its ruins are some of the most majestic castle ruins in the Baltic states. Once the most important castle of the Livonian Order, it was the official residence for the masters of the order.

In 1577, during the Livonian War, the garrison destroyed the castle to prevent it from falling into the control of Ivan the Terrible, who was decisively defeated in the Battle of Wenden (1578).

In 1598 it was incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Wenden Voivodship was created here. In 1620 Wenden was conquered by Sweden. It was rebuilt afterwards, but was destroyed again in 1703 during the Great Northern War by the Russian army and left in a ruined state. Already from the end of the 16th century, the premises of the Order's castle were adjusted to the requirements of the Cēsis Castle estate. When in 1777 the Cēsis Castle estate was obtained by Count Carl Sievers, he had his new residence house built on the site of the eastern block of the castle, joining its end wall with the fortification tower.

Since 1949, the Cēsis History Museum has been located in this New Castle of the Cēsis Castle estate. The front yard of the New Castle is enclosed by a granary and a stable-coach house, which now houses the Exhibition Hall of the Museum. Beside the granary there is the oldest brewery in Latvia, Cēsu alus darītava, which was built in 1878 during the later Count Sievers' time, but its origins date back to the period of the Livonian Order. Further on, the Cēsis Castle park is situated, which was laid out in 1812. The park has the romantic characteristic of that time, with its winding footpaths, exotic plants, and the waters of the pond reflecting the castle's ruins. Nowadays also one of the towers is open for tourists.

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