Medieval gothic czech castle fridlant. Fridland Castle - the guardian of the northern borders of the Czech Republic Fridlant Castle Czech Republic

Hello friends! I suppose that Friedland Castle in the Czech Republic is not familiar to many of you. This is the northernmost tourist site in the Czech Republic, located outside the city of Liberec, and our compatriots are increasingly exploring the southern and western directions in this wonderful country, as if created for travel.

Friedland (or Friedlant) has ancient history and is the first among the castles of the Czech Republic, open as an excursion object.

Even the photograph makes it clear that this object is extremely interesting. Imagine, while other gentlemen lived happily in their mansions, arranged balls and hunting entertainment in the area, Frýdlant Castle has opened its doors for excursions since 1801. It was the decision of the owner Christian Glam-Gallas, and Friedland became the first castle museum in Central Europe.

Is Friedland far from Prague? No! Exactly the same distance as to Glubok nad Vltava, only in the opposite direction. And if it is unusually popular, and it can be called the southern flower of Czech architecture, then Friedland is the northern strict and respectable guardian.

I’ll tell you more about it, maybe you want to visit an old castle with authentic interiors of past centuries:

1. Basic information about the castle
2. Friedland Chapel

General description of Friedland Castle

Friedland is one of the oldest castles in the Czech Republic. The city was first built in the middle of the 13th century. For comparison, appeared a century later.

The variant of Frýdlant, which has survived to this day, consists of an early Gothic part, a Renaissance wing and a late castle, completed in the 19th century. The round tower stood for centuries, acting like the prow of a ship in front of the castle territory:

In the Middle Ages, the tower served as a lighthouse. A fire was lit in it, and it was a sign where the trade routes connecting the Czech Republic and Poland were located.

The upper part of the castle stands on a narrow basalt rock, nicknamed "Devil's Organs". The name is unsettling, but when looking at the layout of the city, it's impossible not to appreciate its elegant layout:

As you can see, the entire city consists of three levels. The middle courtyard is more spacious, the upper one is quite miniature. They are connected by flights of stairs, and this adds to the attractiveness of the entire architectural composition.

The castle was built by a noble family of Ronovtsy. The influence of the clan was so significant that it frightened Přemysl Otakar II. Therefore, the king found a reason in 1268 to take the castle from the Ronovtsy, after which he sold it to the Biberstein nobles. These nobles owned the Friedland estate for a long time and rebuilt the middle courtyard in the Renaissance style in the 16th century:

After 300 years of ownership of the castle, the Bieberstein family was left without direct heirs, and the royal chamber sold the castle again. This time the royal chamberlain Redern became the owner. The further arrangement of Fridlant was taken up by the son of Redern with his wife Ekaterina. They did a lot for the development of their possessions, and for the city, but the wife of Redern so diligently guarded only her own interests that she went down in history under the nickname "evil Catherine."

The castle has a round tower, beautifully decorated with Renaissance patterns on the outside, but its purpose was severe. This is a castle prison. There is a prison cell in the tower with 4 meters thick walls.

Not otherwise, as under the evil Catherine, this object appeared. The inhabitants of the small village of Friedland breathed a sigh of relief when Catherine Redern died and buried her secretly, without marking the place. This is the revenge of the locals.

The castle passed from one family to another, and the owners left impressive coats of arms. The symbolism was preserved both on the outer walls of the castle and inside the premises. This coat of arms is located in the upper courtyard of the castle:

In 1622, Friedland was acquired by Albrecht Waldstein, an outstanding and richest personality during the reign of Rudolf II. Wallenstein was built under the Prague Castle. But this was not enough for the imperial commander, and he ensured that Fridlant with the surrounding territories became a duchy, and Waldstein himself received the title of Duke of Friedland.

Fate in the person of the emperor punished Albrecht Waldstein for greed, and in 1634 the possessions again passed into the hands of the king. This time, Friedland was presented to Matthias Gallas (probably for loyalty to the emperor). A rather poor nobleman suddenly enriched himself by receiving both a castle and a palace in Prague, now known as Charles Street, as a gift.

The descendants of Matthias Gallas, both direct and Glam branches, owned the castle for the rest of the time and completed it in the 19th century. The last representative of the family, Clotilde Glam-Gallas, lived in the castle until 1945.

Tour inside the castle

The excursion in the castle starts from the Knights' Hall, which is equipped in the style of an art gallery, represented by portraits of the owners. However, almost every next hall is decorated with portraits and coats of arms. Pay attention to the symbolism above the fireplace:

Most likely, this is the coat of arms of the Glam-Gallas - the last owners. The image seems to consist of a double coat of arms. When the Gallas clan was interrupted in the male line, the nephew Christian Philip Glam received the entire inheritance on the condition that he retain both the Gallas family name and the coat of arms.

Christian Glam fulfilled all the conditions under the will and, moreover, opened part of the castle as a museum. A curious fact is that his wife was Karolina Spork, the great-granddaughter of the great art lover Frantisek Antonin Spork, the founder of the resort. Friends, if you don't know anything about it yet resort complex, check it out at least in the article.

And the following photo shows another famous heiress of the family - Josephine Glam-Gallas:

Josephine had a passion for theater and music. She was personally acquainted with Beethoven, and the great composer dedicated two works to her.

During the tour, visitors after the large halls inspect a number of narrow-purpose rooms. The offices and service rooms are followed by the Hunting Salon and original premises, such as the Target Room (for storing targets), a room for storing gilded harnesses and silver collars, an office and others.

Of great interest is the Armory Hall, which was founded by the Rederns in the 16th century:

Therefore, the hall is called so - the Redern Armourer. Several collections of weapons are exhibited in the room. There are both seventeenth and nineteenth century. Guns, rifles, swords, shields, helmets and many other exhibits are on display that are of interest in terms of improving weapons and artistic value.

The Renaissance graphics on the vaults of the hall also attract attention. Coats of arms and medallions resemble story paintings:

But Frýdlant has not only such masculine interiors in abundance. The castle has several salons created exclusively for ladies. They are located in the new part of the castle and furnished in accordance with the traditions of the nineteenth century. The only exception is the ladies' dining room, sheathed in wood and equipped in the Baroque style, typical of the 17th century:

In the ladies' dining room, a collection of Delft ceramics is on display, the furniture is inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl.

The next salon is called the Floral Salon because its walls are covered with colorful floral wallpaper in the style of Louis XVI. The salon is richly decorated with floral motifs, porcelain vases and portraits.

There is no need to introduce all the offices and salons of Friedland. There are only three or four art galleries open in the castle. Large and small dining rooms, kitchens and guest rooms. Unless I also mention the Blue Salon, adjacent to the library:

This room was designed to showcase luxury. There are gilded wallpapers, wall paintings, a handmade Persian carpet.

Friedland Chapel

I will dwell separately on the chapel, which was built in 1598-1602 by Melchior and Ekaterina Redernov (yes, the same “evil Catherine”). The couple invited an architect to rebuild the watchtower into a castle chapel. In 1609, a Liberec carver created a Protestant altar in the chapel. The chapel has retained its original design, but subsequent owners added to it. So another baroque altar appeared:

In 1871, murals from the Berlin artist Dittrich appeared in the chapel, an organ was installed, and balconies for the nobility were equipped:

In conclusion virtual tour In the Frýdlant domain, I would like to show you what wonderful landscapes surround the castle. A similar view opens from almost any window of the castle:

Frydlant Castle is located in a very attractive natural region of the Czech Republic - in the Liberec Region. It is interesting both directly and its surroundings with such a castle as Frýdlant. Friends, get interested in this region, and it will charm you. How to get there, I have already described in detail. From the city, getting to the village of Frydlant and its castle is also easy, but I will present a step-by-step guide for your convenience.

Your euro guide Tatiana

Towering in Czech city Friedland, a 30-minute bus ride from the city of Liberec, on a 60-meter cliff, is a unique architectural masterpiece. The Renaissance castle in combination with the medieval Gothic castle create a harmonious ensemble, emphasizing the beauty of each other.

The name of the castle in German means "keep the earth". According to legend, one day local bequeathed these lands to his seven sons. One of the cult writers of the last century, Franz Kafka, wrote his novel The Castle, inspired by Friedland.

In the 11th century, at the intersection of trade routes, a 50-meter tower was built, on the roof of which bonfires were kindled, which served as a beacon for merchants. Later, in the 13th century, the tower became part of the Gothic Old Town.

Traditionally for Czech castles, the owners Friedland Castle were constantly changing. For three centuries, the owners of the castle were the King of the Czech Republic Premysl Otakar, the Biberstein family and, finally, the Redern family, who were successful entrepreneurs and great connoisseurs of beauty. According to the project of the Italian architect Marco Spazio, a palace with sgraffito decoration and a chapel was built in the city.

During the Thirty Years' War, the castle passed to the Generalissimo of the Imperial Army, Albrecht von Wallenstein, and served as an ammunition depot. A sculptural portrait of the owner has been preserved in the courtyard of the castle. After his death, Friedland went to Count Matthias Clam-Gallas. After fires in 1676 and 1684, the castle was partially rebuilt. At the end of the 18th century, the Neo-Renaissance Castellan Wing was added to it.

In 1801 Friedland Castle was the first European castle to open its doors to visitors. It exhibited a collection of antique furniture, books and paintings of the 16th-17th centuries, knightly armor and weapons. Today, there is a museum on the territory of the castle dedicated to the history of the 30-year war and Albrecht von Wallenstein. In the art gallery you can admire the paintings of Czech masters Petr Brandl, Karl Shkreta, Vaclav Vavrzynets Rainer. The rooms of Friedland Castle house collections of weapons, smoking pipes, as well as a children's room with unique toys from the late 19th century.

Opening hours of Friedland Castle.

April – From 9.00 to 15.30
May, June - 9.00 to 16.00
July, August - 9.00 to 16.30
September – 9.00 to 16.00
October - From 9.00 to 15.30

Ticket price – Excursion 120 minutes.
Adults: 150 CZK
Children, students: 100 CZK
Family ticket: 400 CZK
The second tour - Armory - 60 minutes.
Entrance: 130 CZK
Family ticket: 370 CZK

How to get to Friedland Castle

Once upon a time, in a century that way at 11, a man named Zagvozd lived in these parts. He had seven sons. When the children grew up, the father gave each of them a plot along the Smeda River. This is how a village called Friedland arose, which means “keep the land” in German. The brothers carried out their father's orders as best they could, building big tower 50 meters high. Every night they kindled a fire on the roof, which served as a beacon for travelers who often passed by the village. The history of the castle began from this tower, although reliable information about the castle appeared only in the 13th century. This tower still stands in the Gothic part of the castle.

Like many castles, Frýdlant changed its owners. Often this happened after wars or because of the ruin of the owners. The greatest contribution to the current appearance of the castle complex was made by the Bieberstein family, who owned the castle for three centuries. Under their strict guidance, the Gothic part of the castle was erected.
At the end of the 16th century, Melchior Redern and his wife Kateryna not only restored the old part of the castle, but also built a new chic Renaissance palace nearby.
In 1801, when the castle belonged to the Clam-Gallas family, the first castle museum in Europe was opened within its walls. In it, the Clam-Gallas demonstrated an extensive collection of weapons and antiquities related to history. medieval castle Czech Republic Fridlant.
On the Knight's path, in full armor to inspect the museum, I go up to the ticket office. Having received a ticket, a booklet and a complete ban on photography, I am waiting in the wings to visit the castle. This waiting is something to take. Panoramic photos, a souvenir shop and an inspection of the defensive wall with a moat - this is an incomplete list.
The hour of X comes unnoticed. The guide unlocks the gate with an old key and through the wooden bridge, I and a group of companions enter the territory of the castle. The first courtyard of the castle makes you gasp and groan with admiration. Before us is a younger Renaissance palace. Its walls are covered with numerous "sgraffito" drawings. This courtyard is called Swedish because in 1648, when the Swedes captured the castle, they built a large horseshoe-shaped wall and hung a plaque with the inscription in Latin "Peace is stronger than war, I go where it leads me fate.Swedish captain Benjamin Magnus Nortmann.There is also a 300-year-old yew, planted at the same time.
We go up the stairs to the old part of the castle, built on a basalt rock. A small courtyard and now we go into the holy of holies of this institution in the old part of the castle. The tour is designed in such a way that, moving from room to room, the visitor learns the history of the castle and its owners from the original source to the present day. To the left of the entrance is the coat of arms of the first owners of the castle of the Ronovtsy family. It has two crossed branches.
In 1278 the castle was sold to the nobleman Roulek from Bieberstein. This family owned the castle for 300 years. Their antler coat of arms can also be seen in this room. Under the coat of arms are plaster casts of the heads of the knights of this family.
The following paintings were dedicated to the owners of the castle, Melchior Redern and his wife Katerzyna, who built the Renaissance palace. More precisely, they depict Katerzhina, who, after the death of her husband, zealously undertook to restore the power of the family. Suffered from such agility, as usual, the peasants and working people. In all the surrounding affairs, she found her own benefit. Even introduced a monopoly on brewing beer. The people called her Evil Catherine. The money earned was used not only for the palace, but also for the trips of Krishtof's son abroad. This was necessary to maintain the image of the nobility. There are only remains from the old owner in the room. The epic of this kind ended sadly. The younger Redern took part in the mutiny on the wrong side. They were defeated at the Battle of White Mountain. Krystof flees abroad. The castle is confiscated by the government.
next room and again new owner. This time Albrecht from Wallenstein. This gentleman was able to buy a confiscated castle. Under him, there was no new construction in the castle. But in terms of the interior, Albrecht did a great job. His piece of glory and closeness to the King of the Czech Republic, a subject of His Majesty acquired courage in the battle at the White Mountain. The battle on the side of the emperor allowed him to amass a large fortune, which he subsequently increased through various frauds. In the end, the desire to be on top, that is, to be king, led to a deplorable result. A conspiracy with the Swedes against the Habsburgs was revealed, and the conspirator was killed.
In the next hall, called the Knight's Hall, we were met by a new branch of the Clam-Gallas owners, who received the castle. Each portrait of a nobleman is accompanied by a portrait of his wife. The picture epic continues in the hall called At the Piano. It was not placed here by chance. The owner of the castle at that time, Josephine, and her husband were very fond of and supported the theater and music and were personally acquainted with Beethoven. Their portraits hang over the piano.
The next generation of owners is represented by their son Eduard. The man went to the military path. He took part in many battles in the Austro-Prussian War of 1868. In his office you can see the highest European order - the Order of the Golden Fleece.
An excursion flows through the back rooms like a river. Stretcher, targets, hunting trophies, canteen. So we slowly move towards the Armory Hall. Here is the oldest exposition of weapons, starting from the 16th century.
On this tour of the Gothic wing came to a logical end. Across the street we go to the Renaissance wing. There are ladies' and men's rooms, children's rooms and servants' rooms. They are located along a long corridor. By the second hour, the tour had already begun to get a little fed up and my attentiveness had decreased to a minimum. A small sketch of what we managed to shoot will complete the tour of the castle.
The way back passed along the hill and opened the view of the castle in all its glory.

What will happen if you combine two castles - an old Gothic fortress and quite new palace, dated to the 17th century, - in one complex? You will get a luxurious Fridlant castle, which once belonged to one of the most powerful nobles in the Czech Republic - commander Albrecht von Wallenstein. Interestingly, the castle has a permanent exhibition dedicated to Wallenstein. Here you can also admire a stunning collection of art paintings, among which there are real masterpieces made by Czech masters.

During a tour of the castle, visitors have the opportunity to see a selection of ancient weapons, pipes, porcelain and glass. In the children's room, pay attention to unusual toys of the 19th century.

With the area on which the castle stands is connected interesting legend. It is believed that the town where the castle subsequently arose was founded by a man named Zagvozd. He had seven sons, whom he singled out by allotment. They all built houses, and the resulting small settlement, Zagvozd, named Friedlant, which means “Keep the Earth” in German. This became a kind of covenant Zagvozd to his sons.

Before the castle became the property of Wallenstein, and then of the Cram-Gallas family, it belonged to many famous personalities, among whom was one of the Czech rulers - Premysl Otakar. All of them took care of its worthy maintenance, allocating colossal funds for the decoration of the inner chambers.

Fridlant Castle is also widely known for being considered the first palace complex in the Czech Republic, which opened its doors to ordinary visitors. This happened in 1801. And since then it is even difficult to imagine how many people have been under its arches.

Frýdlant Castle- a unique architectural masterpiece, towering on a 60-meter cliff in the Czech town of Liberec.

Attractions

Today, there is a museum on the territory of Friedlant, which is dedicated to Albrecht von Wallenstein and the history of the Thirty Years' War.

The art gallery contains paintings by Czech masters Václav Vavřinec Rainer, Karl Škreta, Petr Brandl, and others.

The rooms of the castle house collections of smoking pipes, weapons, as well as a children's room with unique toys of the late 19th century.

History of the castle

The castle is made in the Renaissance style and was first opened to visitors in 1801.
Translated from German, the name of the castle means "keep the earth." As the legend says, one local resident once bequeathed these lands to his sons. , a cult writer of the last century, wrote the novel "The Castle" being impressed by Frýdlant.

The owners of Frýdlant changed very often, which is traditional for all Czech castles.
For 3 centuries, the owners of the castle were the Bieberstein family, the Redern family and even Premysl Otakar, the king of the Czech Republic. All of them were great connoisseurs of beauty.

During the 30 Years' War, Frýdlant passed into the possession of Albrecht von Wallenstein, Generalissimo of the Imperial Army, and for a long time served as an ammunition depot. After his death, Frýdlant passed to Count Matthias Clam-Gallas.
The castle was rebuilt several times after the fires.

At the end of the 18th century, the Neo-Renaissance Castellan wing was added to it.

Castle opening hours

• In April - from 9:00 to 15:30 seven days a week;
• In May, June - from 9:00 to 16:00 seven days a week;
• In July, August - from 9:00 to 16:30 seven days a week;
• In September - from 9:00 to 16:00 seven days a week;
• In October - from 9:00 to 15:30 without days off.

Ticket price

• For adults - 150 kroons;
• For children and students - 100 kroons;
• Family ticket - 400 kroons.

How to get to the castle

Address: Zamecká 4001, 464 01 Frydlant, Czech Republic
Telephone: 482 312 130
Stop: Frydlant v Czechach
GPS: 50.914722,15.083611

By car
First you need to get from Prague to Liberec. You can get to the city with your own car on the R10 highway through Mladá Boleslav (Mladá Boleslav). Travel time - 1.5 hours

From Liberec you need to head north along the road 35 (E442). After three kilometers, turn off onto road number 13 in the direction of Straž nad Nisou, Liberec Makhnin, Frýdlant. You drive along this road for approximately 20 km and arrive at the castle grounds. The parking lot is located 100 m from the Frýdlant gate.

By bus
Every 30 minutes from bus station The Black Bridge leaves the bus. Travel time is approximately 2.5 hours, 125 km. One change in Direction city Frýdlant.

From the bus station to the castle is a tourist route, which is marked with red icons.

By train
You can take the train on. Trains leave almost every hour. Travel time is approximately 4 hours. Most cheap ticket 113 crowns. Direction city Frýdlant v Čechách. There are 2 changes along the way, in Turnov and Liberec.

As you can see, the castle can be easily reached, which means that Frýdlant Castle is a must visit!