Castle Hluboka rises from the Bohemian countryside in a vision of white turrets and ornate gables that look more like a fairy tale illustration than a real fortress. Originally built as a Gothic castle in the 13th century, it was completely rebuilt in the 19th century to resemble Windsor Castle in England. The Schwarzenberg family, who owned the estate for centuries, filled the interiors with carved wood panelling, Flemish tapestries, and an enormous library of over twelve thousand volumes. The English-style park surrounds the castle with manicured lawns, exotic trees, and a network of walking trails.
Castle Hluboka rises from the Bohemian countryside in a vision of white turrets and ornate gables that look more like a fairy tale illustration than a real fortress. Originally built as a Gothic castle in the 13th century, it was completely rebuilt in the 19th century to resemble Windsor Castle in England. The Schwarzenberg family, who owned the estate for centuries, filled the interiors with carved wood panelling, Flemish tapestries, and an enormous library of over twelve thousand volumes. The English-style park surrounds the castle with manicured lawns, exotic trees, and a network of walking trails.
The castle Hluboká is located in the town Hluboká nad Vltavou in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, near České Budějovice. Chateau Hluboká is one of the most visited castles in the Czech republic. The town Hluboká nad Vltavou was a favourite place of Charles IV, who often visited when residing in České Budějovice. It is best known for its famous Windsor style chateau.
The original royal castle of Přemysl Otakar II from the second half of the 13th century was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century by the Lords of Hradec. It received its present appearance under Count Jan Adam of Schwarzenberg. In 1940, the castle was seized from the last owner, Adolph Schwarzenberg by the Gestapo and confiscated by the government of Czechoslovakia after the end of WWII.
Hluboká castle is opened to the public and it is recomended to visit also the inside of the castle, that is really beautiful, as well as from the outside. The extremely rich interior amenities include a valuable carvings and plaster work, a collection of tapestries, paintings, glass, porcelain, weapons, etc. Around the castle there is a large English park with baroque hunting lodge.
Hluboká castle is open daily except for Monday in June and every day from July to October. The full tour price is 130CZK / approx. €5 in 2010.
The castle has been used in a scene of Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson’s Shanghai Knights.
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The Interior Tours and Collections
The castle offers three separate guided tour routes, each focusing on different aspects of the interior. Tour Route A covers the state rooms, including the dining room set for 24 guests with Bohemian crystal and Meissen porcelain, the library with its 12,000 volumes in carved rosewood shelves, and the armory displaying weapons from the Thirty Years War. Tour Route B focuses on the private apartments of the Schwarzenberg family, including the boudoir with original silk wall coverings and the bedroom where Prince Johann Adolf II slept. Tour Route C takes visitors through the service areas, including the original 19th-century kitchen with its copper pots and roasting spits, the laundry rooms, and the servants quarters. Each tour lasts approximately 50 minutes and costs between 220 and 320 Czech koruna. The most famous room is the Golden Cabinet, a small study entirely covered in gold-leafed carvings of hunting scenes and mythological figures. The castle also houses a collection of paintings that includes works by Dutch and Flemish masters, as well as portraits of the Schwarzenberg family that chronicle their rise from minor nobility to one of the most powerful families in the Habsburg Empire. English-language tours are available daily during the main season from April to October.
The Castle Park and Surrounding Region
The English-style park surrounding Hluboka Castle covers an area of 190 hectares and features a carefully designed landscape of winding paths, artificial ponds, and groupings of exotic trees that create a series of picturesque views. The park was laid out in the 19th century and includes over 100 species of trees, among them giant sequoias, tulip trees, and Japanese maples. A network of walking trails connects the castle to the nearby town of Hluboka nad Vltavou, which offers restaurants serving Czech cuisine and shops selling local crafts. The Ohrada Game Reserve, a 10-minute drive from the castle, houses a hunting museum with over 5,000 trophies. The larger regional attraction is the town of Ceske Budejovice, 10 kilometres away, famous for its brewing tradition and the Budweiser Budvar beer. The railway station in Hluboka connects to Prague with a travel time of approximately two hours, making the castle a popular day trip destination from the capital. The castle is open year-round except for Mondays in winter, and the park is always accessible without admission.
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Getting to Castle Hluboka
Castle Hluboka is located in the town of Hluboka nad Vltavou, approximately 10 kilometres north of Ceske Budejovice and 140 kilometres south of Prague. By car from Prague, the journey takes approximately two hours via the D1 motorway to the exit at Mirovka, followed by the I/34 road toward Ceske Budejovice. By train, direct services from Prague to Ceske Budejovice run hourly and take approximately two hours and 15 minutes. From Ceske Budejovice railway station, local buses to Hluboka depart every 30 minutes and complete the journey in 20 minutes. The castle is well signposted from the town centre. Parking is available near the castle entrance at a cost of 50 Czech koruna for the day. The castle is open Tuesday through Sunday from April to October, with reduced hours and Monday closures in winter. The nearby city of Ceske Budejovice offers a wide range of accommodation from budget hostels to four-star hotels.
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