Po hradech a zříceninách Českého středohoří
Chateau Libochovice
The early baroque chateau in Libochovice is located right in the middle of the town, which is spread out in the picturesque Lower Poohří area. Architecturally the two-story building belongs among the most well-known of its kind in the Czech Republic. The present apperance of the chateau is the work of the Italian builder Antonio della Porta in 1683 – 1690. The reconstruction work came about after a fire which affected a large part of the town on 16 September, 1676. The building has 4 wings, which surround a rectangular courtyard in the center. At that time the owners of the chateau and the surrounding estates were the Dietrichsteins, who held it until the middle of the 19th century. The chateau buildings were built between 1690 –1697 and the baroque portal of the chateau chapel was placed there in 1902, when it was brought to Libochovice from the old Dietrichstein palace in Vienna. Above the entrance to the chateau is a stone coat of arms, which was made to order by stonemason Jan Brokoff in 1690 for 150 gold florins. In the middle of the 19th century the last of the Dietrichstein family heirs died out and Libochovice came into the hands of Jan Bedřich Count of Herberstein, the husband of Terezie of the Dietrichsteins. His family owned the chateau until the end of the Second World War. Interesting sights right at the start of the chateau are two rooms, whose different character sets them apart from the rest of the rooms. The first is the garden hall (in Italian ‚sala terrena‘) connecting the chateau to the park, decorated with a large number of shells and a conspicuous stuffed crocodile, which was reportedly hunted by Count Josef Herberstein. The second is the largest room in the chateau, known as the Saturn hall, which was built two stories high and holds an impressive fireplace. At the chateau, in addition to the usual chateau interior tours, there are also wedding ceremonies, exhibitions and concerts. One exhibition, which you surely won't want to miss, records a wide variety of different historical fashions and styles, from the late Renaissance through Baroque and up to the 19th century. The exposition also displays a rich collection of porcelain, an assortment of rare wall tapestries, and paintings. Both the chateau and Libochovice offer many other interesting places for tourists.
Chateau courtyard
View of the chateau and Hazmburk
Chateau Libochovice from the park
