Europe Explored » old castle https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Muskau Park – largest and one of the most famous English gardens of Germany and Poland https://europeexplored.com/2011/11/16/muskau-park-largest-and-one-of-the-most-famous-english-gardens-of-germany-and-poland/ https://europeexplored.com/2011/11/16/muskau-park-largest-and-one-of-the-most-famous-english-gardens-of-germany-and-poland/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:59:18 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=5426 If you plan to visit Germany or Poland, you should reserve at least a moment to see one of the most beautiful parks in Europe – Muskau Park (Muskauer Park in German or Park Mużakowski in Polish). Walking through this picturesque piece of nature can help you to forget about everyday stress and worries. Photo […]

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If you plan to visit Germany or Poland, you should reserve at least a moment to see one of the most beautiful parks in Europe – Muskau Park (Muskauer Park in German or Park Mużakowski in Polish). Walking through this picturesque piece of nature can help you to forget about everyday stress and worries.

Muskau Park, bridge, Germany, Poland
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.

Muskau Park, New Castle, Germany, Poland
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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Pierrefonds Castle – fairytale castle in France https://europeexplored.com/2011/07/04/pierrefonds-castle-fairytale-castle-in-france/ https://europeexplored.com/2011/07/04/pierrefonds-castle-fairytale-castle-in-france/#comments Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:38:34 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=4614 Pierrefonds Castle (Château de Pierrefonds) is a nice picturesque castle located in France, about 80km north-east of Paris. The old castle was built on the place of today’s castle in Pierrefonds already in the 12th century. This great military strength has undergone a number of refurbishment over the centuries as well as its owner changed […]

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Pierrefonds Castle (Château de Pierrefonds) is a nice picturesque castle located in France, about 80km north-east of Paris.

The old castle was built on the place of today’s castle in Pierrefonds already in the 12th century. This great military strength has undergone a number of refurbishment over the centuries as well as its owner changed frequently. In March 1617, during the troubled reign of King Louis XIII, the castle was conquered by troops of the Chief minister Cardinal Richelieu. He decided to demolish a castle. However thanks to a huge range of construction, the work of destruction was not completed. The roofs have been destroyed and the walls were devastated by the canons.


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Pierrefonds Castle then remained as a ruin for the next two centuries. Napoleon I bought the wreck in 1810 for just 3,000 francs. In the 19th century began a period of fashion traditions of medieval knights. The ruins of Pierrefonds Castle were captured between 1834 and 1866 by the French painter Corot in his paintings.

The future French emperor Napoleon III visited the castle in 1850. Later, as emperor, asked the architect Viollet-le-Duc in 1857 to carry out reconstruction of the castle. The project grew and later they wanted to build a royal residence here. Viollet-le-Duc built it much under the influence of his ideas about the Middle Ages. The fort was changed to the castle. Yet as a builder proved very good knowledge of military fortifications of 14th century.


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