![Friedland Castle in the Czech Republic. Friedland Castle is the guardian of the northern borders of the Czech Republic. Tour inside the castle](https://i1.wp.com/euro-provodnik.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/kruglaya-bashnya.jpg)
Friedland Castle in the Czech Republic. Friedland Castle is the guardian of the northern borders of the Czech Republic. Tour inside the castle
What will happen if you combine two castles - an old Gothic fortress and a completely new palace dating from the 17th century - into one complex? The result is the luxurious Frydlant Castle, which once belonged to one of the most powerful nobles in the Czech Republic - military leader Albrecht von Wallenstein. Interestingly, the castle has a permanent exhibition dedicated to Wallenstein. Here you can also admire an amazing collection of artistic paintings, among which there are real masterpieces made by Czech masters.
During a tour of the castle, visitors have the opportunity to see a selection of ancient weapons, smoking pipes, porcelain and glass. In the children's room, pay attention to the unusual toys of the 19th century.
There is an interesting legend associated with the area where the castle stands. It is believed that the town where the castle subsequently appeared was founded by a man named Zagvozd. He had seven sons, to whom he allocated an allotment. They all built houses, and Zagvoz named the resulting small settlement Friedlant, which translated from German means “Keep the land.” This became a kind of testament from Zagvozd to his sons.
Before the castle became the property of Wallenstein and then the Kram-Gallas family, it belonged to many famous personalities, among whom was one of the Czech rulers, Přemysl Otakar. All of them took care of its decent maintenance, allocating colossal funds for the decoration of the internal chambers.
Frydlant Castle is also widely known for being considered the first palace complex in the Czech Republic to open its doors to ordinary visitors. This happened in 1801. And since then it’s even difficult to imagine how many people have visited its vaults.
Greetings, friends! I assume that Friedland Castle in the Czech Republic is not familiar to many of you. This is the northernmost tourist site in the Czech Republic, located outside the city of Liberec, and our compatriots are increasingly exploring the southern and western directions in this wonderful country, as if created for travel.
Friedland (or Fridlant) has ancient history and is the first among the Czech castles to be opened as an excursion site.
Already the photograph makes it clear that this object is extremely interesting. Just imagine, while other gentlemen lived happily in their mansions, organized balls and hunting entertainment in the area, Frydlant Castle opened its doors for excursions since 1801. It was the decision of the owner Christian Glam-Gallas, and Friedland became the first castle museum in central Europe.
How far is Friedland from Prague? No! Exactly the same distance as to Hluboka nad Vltavou, only in the opposite direction. And if it is unusually popular, and it can be called southern flower Czech architecture, then Friedland is a strict and respectable guardian of the north.
I’ll tell you more about it, maybe you’ll also want to visit the ancient castle with authentic interiors of past centuries:
- Basic information about the castle
- Friedland Chapel
General description of Friedland Castle
Friedland is one of the most ancient castles in the Czech Republic. The castle was first built in the middle of the 13th century. For comparison, it appeared a century later.
The Friedlant version, which has survived to this day, consists of an early Gothic part, a Renaissance wing and a late castle, completed in the 19th century. The round tower has stood for centuries, protruding like the bow of a ship in front of the castle grounds:
In the Middle Ages, the tower served as a lighthouse. A fire was lit in it, and it was a sign where the trade routes connecting the Czech Republic and Poland were located.
The upper part of the castle stands on a narrow basalt rock, nicknamed “Devil's Organs”. The name is alarming, but when you look at the model of the city, it is impossible not to appreciate its elegant layout:
As you can see, the entire city consists of three levels. The middle courtyard is more spacious, the upper one is quite miniature. They are connected by flights of stairs, and this adds to the attractiveness of the entire architectural composition.
The castle was built by the noble Ronov family. The influence of the family was so significant that it frightened Přemysl Otakar II. Therefore, the king found a reason to take the castle from the Ronovtsy in 1268, after which he sold it to the Biberstein nobles. These nobles owned the Friedland estate for a long time and in the 16th century rebuilt the middle courtyard in the Renaissance style:
After 300 years of ownership of the castle, the Biberstein family was left without direct heirs, and the royal chamber sold the castle again. This time the owner was the royal chamberlain Redern. Redern's son and his wife Ekaterina took over the further development of Friedlant. They did a lot for the development of their possessions, and for the city, but Redern’s wife looked after only her own interests so zealously that she went down in history under the nickname “evil Catherine.”
The castle has a round tower, the outside is beautifully decorated with Renaissance patterns, but its purpose was harsh. This is a castle prison. The tower with 4-meter thick walls houses a prison cell.
It was only during the reign of the evil Catherine that this object appeared. Residents of the small village of Friedland breathed a sigh of relief when Catherine Redern died and buried her secretly, without marking the place. This is the revenge of local residents.
The castle passed from one family to another, and the owners left impressive coats of arms. The symbolism was preserved both on the external walls of the castle and inside the premises. This coat of arms is located in the upper courtyard of the castle:
In 1622, Friedland was acquired by Albrecht Wallenstein, an outstanding and richest personality during the reign of Rudolf II. Waldstein was built under Prague Castle. But this was not enough for the imperial military leader, and he ensured that Friedlant and the surrounding territories became a duchy, and Wallenstein himself received the title of Duke of Friedland.
Fate, in the person of the emperor, punished Albrecht Wallenstein for greed, and in 1634 the possessions were again at the disposal of the king. This time Friedland was presented to Matthias Gallas (probably for his devotion to the emperor). A rather poor nobleman became rich overnight, receiving as a gift both a castle and a palace in Prague, now known as Charles Street.
The descendants of Matthias Gallas, both direct and the Glam branch, owned the castle for the rest of the time and completed its construction in the 19th century. The last representative of the family, Clotilde Glam-Gallas, lived in the castle until 1945.
Tour inside the castle
The tour of the castle begins with the Knights' Hall, which is equipped in the style of an art gallery, presented with portraits of the owners. However, almost every next room is decorated with portraits and coats of arms. Please note the symbolism above the fireplace:
Most likely, this is the coat of arms of the Glam-Gallas, the last owners. The image seems to consist of a double coat of arms. When the Gallas family was interrupted in the male line, the nephew Christian Philip Glam received the entire inheritance on the condition that he would retain both the family surname Gallas and the coat of arms.
Christian Glam fulfilled all the conditions of the will and, moreover, opened part of the castle as a museum. An interesting fact is that his wife was Karolina Špork, the great-granddaughter of a great art lover, Frantisek Antonin Špork, the founder of the resort. Friends, if you still don’t know anything about this resort complex, check it out at least in the article.
And on next photo another famous heiress of the family is depicted - Josephine Glam-Gallas:
Josephine had a passion for theater and music. She knew Beethoven personally, and great composer dedicated two works to her.
During the tour, visitors, after the large halls, examine a number of narrow-purpose rooms. The offices and service rooms are followed by the Hunting Salon and original rooms, such as the Target Room (for storing targets), a room for storing gilded harnesses and silver collars, an office and others.
Of great interest is the Armory Hall, which was founded by the Rederns in the 16th century:
That’s why the hall is called the Redern Armourer. Several collections of weapons are displayed in the room. There are both seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Shotguns, rifles, swords, shields, helmets and many other exhibits are on display that are of interest from the point of view of improving weapons and of artistic value.
The Renaissance graphics on the vaults of the hall also attract attention. Coats of arms and medallions resemble plot paintings:
But Friedlant has an abundance of not only such masculine interiors. The castle has several salons created exclusively for ladies. They are located in the new part of the castle and are furnished in accordance with the traditions of the nineteenth century. The only exception is the ladies' dining room, paneled in wood and equipped in the Baroque style characteristic of the 17th century:
The ladies' dining room displays a collection of Delft ceramics, and the furniture is inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl.
The next salon is called the Floral Salon because its walls are covered with wallpaper with a colorful floral pattern in the style of Louis XVI. The salon is lavishly decorated with floral motifs, porcelain vases and portraits.
There is no need to introduce all of Friedland's offices and salons. Alone art galleries There are three or four open in the castle. Large and small dining rooms, kitchens and guest rooms. I'll just mention the Blue Salon adjacent to the library:
This room was designed to demonstrate luxury. There is gilded wallpaper, wall paintings, and a handmade Persian carpet.
Friedland Chapel
I will separately dwell on the chapel, which was built in 1598-1602 by Melchior and Catherine Redernov (yes, the same “evil Catherine”). The couple hired an architect to rebuild the watchtower into a castle chapel. In 1609, a Liberec carver created a Protestant altar in the chapel. The chapel has retained its original design, but subsequent owners have added to it. This is how another baroque altar appeared:
In 1871, paintings by the Berlin artist Dittrich appeared in the chapel, an organ was installed, and balconies were equipped for the nobility:
In conclusion virtual tour In the Fridlant estate I want to show what wonderful landscapes surround the castle. A similar view opens from almost any window of the castle:
Frydlant Castle is located in a very attractive natural region of the Czech Republic - in the Liberec Region. It is interesting both directly and in its surroundings with a castle such as Friedlant. Friends, take an interest in this region and it will enchant you. I have already described in detail how to get there. From the city, getting to the village of Frydlant and its castle is also easy, but I will present a step-by-step guide for your convenience.
Your euro guide Tatyana
- Address: Zámecká 4001, 464 01 Frýdlant, Czech Republic
- Telephone: +420 482 312 130
- Website: zamek-frydlant.cz
- Working hours: 9:00-16:00, Mon – closed
In the very north stands the amazing ancient castle Friedland (Fridlant). The history of its existence goes back more than 700 years, which will undoubtedly interest any history buff. Despite the fact that popular tourist routes cover the southern regions of the state, it is Friedland that often forces travelers to change their intended course and go to the north of the country.
The Legend of Friedland Castle
According to ancient legends, the castle got its name from the lands on which it stands. One nobleman, bequeathing them to his seven sons, proclaimed: “Keep the land!”, which translated into German sounds like “Fried Land.”
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Construction
Initially, on the site of the current castle there was a watchtower 50 m high. Every night a fire was lit on it, which served as a guide for travelers, since this area is located right at the intersection of the main trade roads from the Czech Republic to Poland. This happened in the 11th century. Later, other buildings of the castle complex began to appear around the tower, but it is still noticeably different from their background.
Friedland Castle was completed several times. Around the watchtower, an early part (city) gradually emerged, built in gothic style, and then the left wing was added in the Renaissance style. The late castle was completed already in the 19th century. The majestic structure is located in one part on a cliff 60 m high, gradually descending to the plain.
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Castle Chronicles
The first owners, or rather, the founders of the castle, were the Ronovtsy, a noble Czech family. The growing influence of the family alarmed the royal authorities, and soon the family fell out of favor, and Friedland Castle became the property of the crown. Subsequently, it was owned by such famous families as the Biebersteins, Rederns, and Waldsteins. Friedland's last owner was Clotilde Glam-Gallas, who lived there until 1945.
Interior decoration
Visiting Friedland Castle means getting to know its rich history and admiring its luxurious furnishings. For a while (if you wander through the castle corridors, halls and boudoirs for a long time), you can feel like a royal person. Places worth visiting include:
![](https://i0.wp.com/womanadvice.ru/sites/default/files/tempos/rycarskiy_zal_0.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/womanadvice.ru/sites/default/files/tempos/tyurma_zamka_0.jpg)
How to get to Friedland Castle?
The first castle in Europe that opened its doors like this is located not far from the city, so getting here won’t be difficult. You can travel by train or bus, which depart every hour; the journey will also take 1 hour. The shortest way here is by car. Driving along highway No. 13, you can get there in just half an hour, and leave your car in a paid parking lot.
There are a lot of beautiful castles in the Czech Republic and in my blog I will show you the most interesting of them and tell you how to get to them and what interesting things you can see in them. And my first story will be about Czech castle Fridlant.
Frydlant Castle (Zámek Frýdlant) is a town and a castle, which became the first castle to be opened to tourists in 1801.
The castle is located 130 km from Prague and 20 km from the city of Liberec, almost on the border with Poland. The castle was built on a 60-meter rock and due to the difficulty of building a castle in width, it was built in height.
You can get to the castle on your own or by public transport. We first took the Studentagency bus to the city of Liberec, and then changed in the city to a train to the city of Frydlant, in terms of time this is the most optimal route.
On the Czech Republic server there is now a train replacement program sponsored by the European Union and now new comfortable trains are running there.
From the castle you can see the Jizera Mountains, which are a 40-kilometer mountain range on the border of the Czech Republic and Poland. Coniferous forests grow on the mountain slopes and after a cold I could breathe well in this place.
You can only get into the castle with a guide; you can’t just walk around the castle. On the day we went to the castle, the tours were in Czech, Polish and German. If you buy an excursion from Russian travel agencies, the excursion will be in Russian. But you can easily join any group, because at the ticket office you will be given a booklet in Russian, which contains all the information that the guide tells.
The castle is open from April to October; in winter it is closed, like most Czech castles.
The downside of most castles is the ban on photographing the interior of the castle. There really is something to see in Frydlant and the tour lasts 2 hours!
What you can see in the castle:
- Gothic castle and castle in the Renaissance style;
- Many well-preserved rooms displaying antique porcelain, glass, and furniture;
- A rich collection of weapons from the Hussite wars to the 19th century, as well as hunting trophies;
- An art gallery with works by Baroque artists and a unique collection of smoking pipes;
- A kitchen in which antique dishes and utensils have been preserved; by the way, this collection of utensils is the largest in the Czech Republic.
The main exhibition of the castle is dedicated to the history of the 30-year war and historical events, related to the owner of the castle, Duke Albrecht Wallenstein.
There is a legend that Franz Kafka was so impressed by this castle that he later wrote the novel “The Castle”. Although it is known that he began work on the novel at the popular Czech ski resort Spindleruv Mlyn.
Once upon a time, in the 11th century, there lived in these parts a man named Zagvozd. He had seven sons. When the children grew up, the father allocated a plot of land along the Smeda River to each of them. This is how a village arose called Friedland, which translated from German means keep the land. The brothers carried out their father’s orders as best they could, building a large tower 50 meters high. Every night they lit a fire on the roof, which served as a beacon for travelers who often passed by the village. The history of the castle began with this tower, although reliable information about the castle appeared only in the 13th century. This tower still stands in the Gothic part of the castle.
Like many castles, Friedlant changed its owners. This often happened after wars or because of the ruin of the owners. The greatest contribution to the current appearance of the castle complex was made by the Biberstein family, which owned the castle for three centuries. Under their strict guidance, the Gothic part of the castle was erected.
At the end of the 16th century, Melchior Redern and his wife Katerina not only restored the old part of the castle, but also built a new luxurious Renaissance palace nearby.
In 1801, when the castle belonged to the Clam-Gallas family, the first castle museum in Europe was opened within its walls. In it, the Klam-Gallas displayed an extensive collection of weapons and antiquities related to the history of the medieval Czech castle Frydlant.
Along the Knight's Path, fully armed for exploring the museum, I approach the ticket office. Having received a ticket, a booklet and a complete ban on photos, I wait in the wings to visit the castle. There is something to occupy this wait. Panoramic photos, a souvenir shop and a tour of the defensive wall with a moat - this is an incomplete list.
The X-hour comes unnoticed. The guide unlocks the gate with an old key and, through a wooden bridge, I and a group of companions enter the castle territory. The first courtyard of the castle makes you gasp and groan in admiration. Before us is a younger Renaissance palace. Its walls are covered with numerous drawings in the sgraffito style. This courtyard is called Swedish because in 1648, when the Swedes captured the castle, they built a large horseshoe-shaped wall and hung a plaque with the inscription in Latin “Peace is stronger than war, I go where it leads me destiny. Swedish captain Benjamin Magnus Nortmann. There is a 300-year-old yew tree planted at the same time.
We go up the stairs to the old part of the castle, built on a basalt rock. A small courtyard and now we enter the holy of holies of this establishment in the old part of the castle. The tour is structured in such a way that, moving from room to room, the visitor learns the history of the castle and its owners from the original source to the present day. To the left of the entrance is the coat of arms of the first owners of the castle, the Ronovtsy family. It has two crossed branches.
In 1278 the castle was sold to the nobleman Rulek from Biberstein. This family owned the castle for 300 years. Their coat of arms, antlers, can also be seen in this room. Under the coat of arms are plaster casts of the heads of knights of this family.
The following paintings are dedicated to the owners of the castle, Melchior Redern and his wife Katerzyna, who built the Renaissance palace. More precisely, they depict Katerzina, who, after the death of her husband, zealously began to restore the power of the clan. As usual, peasants and working people suffered from such agility. She found her own benefit in all surrounding affairs. She even introduced a monopoly on beer brewing. People called her Evil Catherine. The money earned went not only to the palace, but also to the trips of his son Krishtof abroad. This was necessary to maintain the image of the noble class. There are only remains of the old owner in the room. This kind of epic ended sadly. The younger Redern took part in the rebellion on the wrong side. They were defeated at the Battle of White Mountain. Krystof flees abroad. The castle will be confiscated by the government.
The next room and again a new owner. This time Albrecht from Wallenstein. This gentleman was able to buy a confiscated castle. Under him, there was no new construction in the castle. But in terms of the interior, Albrecht did a great job. His Majesty’s subject acquired his piece of glory and closeness to the King of the Czech Republic with his courage in the battle of the White Mountain. The battle on the side of the emperor allowed him to amass a large fortune, which he subsequently increased through various frauds. In the end, the desire to be on top, that is, to be a king, led to disastrous results. The conspiracy with the Swedes against the Habsburgs was discovered and the conspirator was killed.
In the next hall, called the Knight's Hall, we were met by a new branch of the Clam-Gallas owners, who received the castle. Each portrait of a nobleman is accompanied by a portrait of his wife. The epic epic continues in the room called At the Piano. It was not placed here by chance. The mistress of the castle at that time, Josephine, and her husband were very fond of and supported theater and music and were personally acquainted with Beethoven. Their portraits hang above the piano.
The next generation of owners is represented by their son Eduard. The man went on the military path. He took part in many battles in the Austro-Prussian War of 1868. In his office you can see the highest European order - the Order of the Golden Fleece.
The tour flows through the back rooms like a river. Stretchers, targets, hunting trophies, canteen. So we slowly move towards the Armory Hall. Here is the oldest exhibition of weapons, dating back to the 16th century.
This brings the tour of the Gothic wing to its logical end. Across the street we go to the Renaissance wing. Here are the ladies' and men's rooms, children's and servants' rooms. They are located along a long corridor. By the second hour, the excursion had already begun to get a little boring and my attentiveness had decreased to a minimum. A small sketch of what we managed to film will complete the tour of the castle.
The way back passed along a hill and revealed the castle in all its glory.