Český Krumlov Castle and Chateau

Currently, visitors can explore two guided tour routes with authentically furnished interiors from the 16th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the cylindrical castle tower with an observation gallery and dungeon, and the lapidarium with a collection of Baroque sculptures. The most significant attraction, a true jewel of theatrical heritage, is the world-famous Baroque Castle Theatre, which is one of the best-preserved 18th-century theatre stages in Europe, with almost complete equipment including decorations, costumes, props, and stage technology.

The original Gothic castle was founded sometime before 1250 by the lords of Krumlov, a branch of the powerful Vítkovci family with a coat of arms featuring a five-petaled rose. In 1302, the lords of Krumlov died out, and their property was inherited by their relatives, the Rožmberk family. The period of Rožmberk rule, lasting three centuries, is associated with the greatest flourishing of the town and castle, which was transformed into a magnificent Renaissance residence.

In the second half of the 16th century, under the rule of Vilém of Rožmberk, the family became heavily indebted, which was the main reason they sold the estate, including the castle and chateau, to Emperor Rudolf II. Emperor Ferdinand II of Habsburg gave the royal property in 1622 to Prince Jan Oldřich I of Eggenberg, a representative of the Austrian princely family. Only in the third generation of the Eggenberg family, thanks to Prince Jan Kristián I of Eggenberg, did the chateau come alive again, becoming a grand and representative Baroque residence. The Eggenbergs died out without heirs in 1719, and a new dynasty, the princely Schwarzenberg family, took over the castle, owning it until 1947.

In 1963, the historic town centre was declared an urban monument reservation, and in 1989 the castle complex was declared a national cultural monument. In 1992, the entire historic complex was inscribed on the prestigious UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.