Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Udo Schröter

Muskau Park is located on the border between Poland and Germany, along the Neisse River. It covers an area of over eight hundred hectares, thus it is one of the largest and certainly the most famous English parks in both countries. The park includes also two magnificent castles – An Old Castle, dating back to the 13th century and two centuries younger New Castle. Right here, beside those two castles, was Muskau Park founded in 1815. The founder was Prince Hermann Ludwig Heinrich von Pückler-Muskau, whose name is probably not missing in any publication of the garden architecture. He was an excellent artist in landscape gardening and wrote also several great publications about a harmony between a nature and human activity. In 1834 he summarized his ideas and findings into the publication, which meant a complete breakthrough in this area. Unfortunately, not all plans could be implemented. The cost of construction of the park and extensive reconstructions of the adjacent castles greatly exceeded the architect’s investment options. In 1845 Pückler was forced to sold a park and the adjacent estate and the new owner engaged for completion works the famous landscape architect Eduard Petzold.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Udo Schröter

Muskauer Park was seriously damaged during the World War II. Both castles and surrounding structures, including bridges, were destroyed by bombing. In addition, the park was in 1945 divided into two parts, which made its reconstruction very complicated. More than two thirds of the area fell to Poland and and the rest to Germany. The closer cooperation between those two parts started in the 90′s of the last century, while the reconstruction work is still being done.

Not only the life-work of Hermann von Pückler, but also the way how Muskau Park was created, greatly influenced the development of landscape architecture in Europe and America. This is why the park was in 2004 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The park is now open for visitors every day from 10 to 18 hours, winter months excluded. The admission is free.

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The first castle on this place was built around the year of 1280 by Count Floris to secure the mouth of the river Vecht. In 1296 the Count was kidnapped, held captive and later killed, the castle was destroyed. A new castle here was built on the ruins by Duke Albrecht in 1370. At this time Muiden Castle was used as an aristocratic residence, served also as a court and state prison.

At the beginning of the 19th century the castle fell into disrepair, and for a while it seemed like the castle will be demolished and sold out for building material. But King Willem eventually didn’t allow demolition, and the castle was restored in 1895. In the years 1948-1972 Muiden Castle underwent reconstruction, which repaired some previous inadequate treatment. Today the castle serves as a national museum and a venue of many cultural events.

Pieter Hooft Corneliszoon
The most famous inhabitant of the castle was known Dutch writer, poet and historian Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, who lived at the castle in the years 1609-1647. He was also a Knight in the Order of Saint Michael. Hooft used to invite other well-known artists here with whom he enjoyed and worked. The interiors of the castle are just surviving from this period. At the end of the 17th century Muiden Castle was integrated into a new and enlarged earthwork fortress .

The castle is now open to the public all year round with guided tours only. From April to November it is open from monday till saturday from 10:00 till 17:00. On Sundays from 13:00 till 17:00. Then from November till April only on weekends from 13:00 till 16:00. No photography is allowed inside the castle.

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Kolossi Castle was probably built already in 1210 by the King Hugh I of Cyprus, also known as the Knight Hospitaller who built the main residence here.

Later the castle became the center of the order of the Knights Hospitaller and Templar Knights. In the years of 1425-1426 the castle was damaged after a large invasion of Mameluke raids. In 1454 was at the place of original castle built a new castle. It was built by Louis de Magnac whose coat of arms can be still seen on the eastern walls of the castle.

In 1933 the castle was reconstructed. The castle is now open all year round and is accessible by a small drawbridge. Following the stone staircase it is possible to get to the roof of the castle, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surroundings.

Already in the days of knights the castle was a place of production of a delicious sweet wine known as Vins de la Commanderie, one of the traditional Cypriot brands.

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