Libochovice Castle, Libochovice, Czech Republic

Libochovice castle is one of the most significant Early-Baroque castles in the Czech Republic. The castle stands at the place of the former Gothic fort, rebuilt by the new owner Jan z Lobkowicz in 1560-1564 to a Renaissance castle. At the end of the 16th century, the castle was confiscated and belonged to the royal family. In 1613, the Libochovice demesne was bought by the High Burgrave Adam ze Štenberka. The House of Šternberk sold the castle in 1676 to Gundakar z Dietrichsteina, who had the castle rebuilt into a Baroque style in 1682-1690. Architect and builder was Antonio della Porta.

In 1685, the decorative gardens were established at the chateau subject to French style gardens. After 1853, the gardens were extended and were changed to the Englisch style gardens. The castle offers exhibition of the interior furnishings of the period with the collections of valuable tapestries, glass, porcelain and a unique Baroque tile stove. The chateau is also famous as being a birthplace of a significant Czech scientist Jan Evangelista Purkyně.

References:

Zamek Libochovice

Castles and fortifications in Czech Republic

User Reviews

Паша Цомпель (18 months ago)
Great park for a walk in a weekend.

Josefína Pacovská (2 years ago)
I really love it here

Sean Dunker-Bendigo (2 years ago)
Beautiful little town and Castle off the typical tourist path.

Mykyta Skuratov (2 years ago)
Nice castle to see if you are around. Old but there are just two rooms that attract the interest. Saturn's hall is amazing, especially if you are into astrology a bit. Other rooms are not so interesting. Has a nice garden. However as the garden as the castle are quite neglected and need a fundamental renovation

Natalia Danilovich (2 years ago)
They say that it’s one of the favorite places for filmmakers in Czech Republic. And it is indeed a very beautiful early-baroque castle with very nice green park designed in French style. This castle exists from the 17th century and is a National Cultural Heritage. It is worth to take an excursion inside, interior is very impressive. When you plan a visit, it’s better to make a reservation for an excursion and also check on their website if castle isn’t closed on that day because of filmmaking.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

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Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

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