Jičín

Jičín
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The city's information centre is located in the castle building in the Valdštejnovo náměstí square in Jičín. Today the castle has rather administrative character, also financial authority, artistic primary school, Regional museum and a gallery reside here.

Entry to the city's information centre

Castle interiors can be seen if we visit individual expositions in the museum, and seasonally it is possible to participate in commented tours. The castle in Jičín was built after 1608, in 1620 after an explosion it burnt out and was heavily damaged. Under Albrecht of Valdštejn (Wallenstein) it was reconstructed in baroque style in the year 1633. The castle complex also includes three courtyards, which belong to the urban conservation area, together with more significant objects. Already during the rule of the Trčkové z Lípy family at the end of 15th century, building of a new mansion in Jičín started. Until the year 1587, renaissance city castle arose on three joined parcels at the western corner. It was again rebuilt, mainly under Jaroslav Smiřický of Smiřice (this building formed 1/4 of today's castle area). From the times of Smiřický family a cruciform arched arcade preserved in the castle. In some rooms we can also find the original vaulting, and renaissance portals leading to arcades. The Smiřičtí ze Smiřic was one of the most rich nobility families in Bohemia. Under their rule trade and crafts developed, however part of the castle blew up after a gunpowder's explosion on February 1st 1620. In this way disputes over the inheritance between Eliška Kateřina and Markéta Salomena of Smiřice tragically culminated. After the battle on Bílá hora the property was not confiscated, because Albrecht Václav Eusebius z Valdštejna (Wallenstein) applied his entitlement for it. He was the most distinct personality, who changed the character and size of the castle to the present form. On the castle construction participated also significant architects, like A. Spezza, G.B. Pieroni or N. Sebregondi. On June 15th 1813 a discussion of František I. and the top Austrian commanders happened in the Jičín's castle. They agreed on the „Holy alliance“ against Napoleon. The city's information centre (MIC) resides in the castle since the year 2006. In 2010 its activity was widened by operation of the gallery „Rumcajsův svět“ (named after Rumcajs, a popular hero of fairy-tales as a brigand near Jičín).

Interior of the information centre

The services of MIC: possibility to buy tickets via Ticketportal, Ticketart, Ticketstream, Eventim; copying, scanning, faxing, charged public internet, hifi, advance sale of tickets for the cinema „Biograf Český ráj“ and for Masaryk theatre in Jičín, tourist information about the whole Bohemian paradise region, information from the fields of culture and sports, information about bus- and train connections, about companies, offices and services in the city, information about accomodation in hotels, pensions, lodgings and camps, trip recommendations, sale of maps, travel guides and souvenirs, sale of gift items with motives of Rumcajs, Manka and Cipísek. Information can be also afforded in two world's languages (English, German). The MIC also sells a newspaper for tourists („Turistické noviny Český ráj“), which contains opening times of castles, bus- and train timetables and other actual information from the whole Bohemian paradise.