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 (2 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 (2 years ago)
Nice place

Zdeněk Šilhán (2 years ago)
Beautiful place, with nice historical path. Only sad thing is you can't look inside.

Michał Różycki (2 years ago)
Picturesque place with beautiful view and spirit of history - worth to visit if you are in Pilsen area.

Ivo Maryška (3 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 Monceau

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Kisimul Castle

Dating from the 15th century, Kisimul is the only significant surviving medieval castle in the Outer Hebrides. It was the residence of the chief of the Macneils of Barra, who claimed descent from the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages. Tradition tells of the Macneils settling in Barra in the 11th century, but it was only in 1427 that Gilleonan Macneil comes on record as the first lord. He probably built the castle that dominates the rocky islet, and in its shadow a crew house for his personal galley and crew. The sea coursed through Macneil veins, and a descendant, Ruari ‘the Turbulent’, was arrested for piracy of an English ship during King James VI’s reign in the later 16th century.

Heavy debts eventually forced the Macneil chiefs to sell Barra in 1838. However, a descendant, Robert Lister Macneil, the 45th Chief, repurchased the estate in 1937, and set about restoring his ancestral seat. It passed into Historic Scotland’s care in 2000.

The castle dates essentially from the 15th century. It takes the form of a three-storey tower house. This formed the residence of the clan chief. An associated curtain wall fringed the small rock on which the castle stood, and enclosed a small courtyard in which there are ancillary buildings. These comprised a feasting hall, a chapel, a tanist’s house and a watchman’s house. Most were restored in the 20th century, the tanist’s house serving as the family home of the Macneils. A well near the postern gate is fed with fresh water from an underground seam. Outside the curtain wall, beside the original landing-place, are the foundations of the crew house, where the sailors manning their chief’s galley had their quarters.

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Saints Peter and Paul Rotunda

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