Sometimes I wonder if I might have been born in the wrong century, particularly after my recent trip to Europe. There’s so much magic surrounding all those castles dotting the European countryside.
Today’s McMansions (my moniker for the palatial homes replacing the older teardowns in my community) just don’t cut it. Maybe it’s the postage stamp sized lot on which today’s castles are built or the dozen or so feet separating one McMansion from the next that simply makes it all gaudy rather than grand.
I know every man’s home is his castle, but who knew so many of my neighbors would take this figure of speech so literally despite the fact we Americans have always been a little short on lords. Jimmy is nonetheless a prince for treating me like the lady I aspired to be (no more lady in waiting for me!).
Yes, in Europe, there is no shortage of lords. And the rule of thumb years and years ago suggested only one castle per town was necessary to create all the magic needed to sustain serfdom. The Krumlov Castle in the Czech Republic certainly has its share of magic.
Today’s McMansions (my moniker for the palatial homes replacing the older teardowns in my community) just don’t cut it. Maybe it’s the postage stamp sized lot on which today’s castles are built or the dozen or so feet separating one McMansion from the next that simply makes it all gaudy rather than grand.
I know every man’s home is his castle, but who knew so many of my neighbors would take this figure of speech so literally despite the fact we Americans have always been a little short on lords. Jimmy is nonetheless a prince for treating me like the lady I aspired to be (no more lady in waiting for me!).
Yes, in Europe, there is no shortage of lords. And the rule of thumb years and years ago suggested only one castle per town was necessary to create all the magic needed to sustain serfdom. The Krumlov Castle in the Czech Republic certainly has its share of magic.
The Krumlov Castle sits atop a promontory carved out of rock high above the astonishingly
Now that's a stately mansion. No nouveau rich in Europe to sully the blood lines.
beautiful and well-preserved medieval town of Cesky Krumlov.
Who knew our bus would carry us all the way back to the 18th century.
Money has always been good for buying things, but it can’t buy a pedigree or the magic that comes with building a castle in such a lofty position, much less the ensuing city that followed in the wake of such wealth. I’m talking dynasty here folks, minus indoor plumbing of course.
The Rozmberk dynasty (the Bohemian aristocratic House of Rozmberk, the most powerful clan in Bohemia in the day, one notch down from king) lasted for roughly 300 years, from 1302 to 1611. Our tour of the castle and city lasted only 4 hours. I considered hiding out at the top of the oldest structure in the castle, the tower known as the “Little Castle” so I could stay an extra day or two to really do the place justice, but Jimmy wouldn’t hear of it. Not very princely behavior if you ask me!
The Rozmberk dynasty (the Bohemian aristocratic House of Rozmberk, the most powerful clan in Bohemia in the day, one notch down from king) lasted for roughly 300 years, from 1302 to 1611. Our tour of the castle and city lasted only 4 hours. I considered hiding out at the top of the oldest structure in the castle, the tower known as the “Little Castle” so I could stay an extra day or two to really do the place justice, but Jimmy wouldn’t hear of it. Not very princely behavior if you ask me!
The magic included a little mayhem now and then too, what with all the marauding armies to keep out.
I gotta give those Bohemians credit for their visionary role in creating this Gothic fortress. Their castle turned Renaissance chateau in the 16th century when Jan Zrinsky of Seryn, nephew to Peter Wok von Rosenberg, was gifted the castle. A sundial adorned the new Renaissance House, undoubtedly so guests could make a timely entrance. We arrived just after eleven. Maybe that's why we were never escorted inside the castle.
One must not keep royalty waiting!
Undoubtedly renovations were in order considering the Upper Castle area had burned down almost 100 years earlier, leaving only the Lower Castle. Jan did his uncle proud, adding graffito (that just means classy, picturesque frescoes depicting Greek and Roman history in lieu of today’s graphic words of wisdom) to the walls of the four inner courtyards.
You could house a small army in the courtyards of the castle.
He managed a few updates inside too, but despite repeatedly knocking in hopes of gaining entrance, Jimmy and I were left to wander the courtyards and grounds.
Maybe Jimmy and I weren't dressed for the occasion.
I’ve always said paint is the easiest and cheapest way to add some sparkle to a drab room, especially when you have 300 to renovate.
My personal favorite when it came to the decorative touches was all the archways. Those Bohemians certainly knew how to create drama. I couldn’t resist the lure of each passageway, each new twist and turn of this magnificent medieval mansion. It was a city within a city with everything from a theatre to a hospital, salt house and stables not to mention the staff needed to support the royal family.
My personal favorite when it came to the decorative touches was all the archways. Those Bohemians certainly knew how to create drama. I couldn’t resist the lure of each passageway, each new twist and turn of this magnificent medieval mansion. It was a city within a city with everything from a theatre to a hospital, salt house and stables not to mention the staff needed to support the royal family.
The playground of the rich and famous was a labyrinth of tunnels and courtyards.
Even the stone bridge linking the Upper Castle with its Theatre boasted arches for panache. The Theatre was rebuilt in 1682 by Prince Johann Christian Eggenberg when his possession of the castle ended the Rozmberg dynasty. The Theatre is home to one of the most extensive and well preserved collections of furnishings, costumes and stage machinery from medieval times.
This is one of those "how did they do that?" structures.
I bet the arches were a favorite of Perchta von Rosenburg too, the daughter of Ulrich II von Rosenburg. Legend has it this White Lady, unhappy in an arranged marriage during the late 15th century (when life was a game of chess and the children pawns easily sacrificed in the name of a dynasty), has been wandering the castle ever since her demise announcing the status of coming events via the color of her clothing (a white dress foretells favorable events; a black dress means things are destined to be doom and gloom). Apparently she was last seen just before World War II wandering the halls in a black dress, unhappy about the Nazi flag hanging on the tower.
There were even arches carved into the fortifying wall of the Upper Castle. They made the view of the tower in the Lower Castle that much classier. No boring rectangular slits to sully the magnificant view.
There were even arches carved into the fortifying wall of the Upper Castle. They made the view of the tower in the Lower Castle that much classier. No boring rectangular slits to sully the magnificant view.
The Gothic tower known as Jakobinka is still reigning over this medieval town 700 years later.
There’s certainly no better way to capture the essence of this quaint medieval town of Cresky Krumlov than with a gracefully arched frame of stone.
Picture perfect is the best way to describe the magic of this medieval town.
Of course all my ramblings about medieval magic and births in the wrong century are predicated on a royal pedigree. Jimmy’s grandfather did hail from the nearby town of Pisek where he made a living tending horses for royalty, but that’s about as close as either one of us are going to get to blue blood.
We undoubtedly would have been living in the shadow of Krumlov Castle, in the quaint medieval town of Cesky Krumlov situated below the castle. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to that town, the Czech Republic’s “Little Prague.” The town's charming narrow streets and rustic bridges literally stepped out of the 18th century.
We undoubtedly would have been living in the shadow of Krumlov Castle, in the quaint medieval town of Cesky Krumlov situated below the castle. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992. Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to that town, the Czech Republic’s “Little Prague.” The town's charming narrow streets and rustic bridges literally stepped out of the 18th century.
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