Hluboká Castle and Holašovice Historic Village

On a day trip from our base in České Budějovice, a short drive brought us to the beautiful Hluboká Castle, one of the most famous castles in the Czech Republic. Originally built as a royal Gothic castle in the 13th century, it was rebuilt several times over the centuries before becoming the property of the Schwarzenberg family in 1661. The castle was given its present romantic Neo-Gothic appearance between 1840 and 1871, inspired by the Schwarzenbergs' travels in England and particularly by Windsor Castle.

With its white walls, turrets, battlements, balconies and elaborate carved details, Hluboká looks almost like something from a fairy tale. We took the English-language Representative Rooms tour (though once again our guide's English was difficult to understand), which took us through the lavishly furnished rooms of the castle, filled with beautiful woodwork, paintings, chandeliers and other decorative details.
After the tour, we wandered around the courtyards and castle grounds. The views over the surrounding countryside from behind the castle were wonderful! We decided to skip the castle tower, though. After all the climbing we had already done in Prague and České Budějovice, I had had quite enough of great heights for one holiday!

A 30-minute drive from Hluboká Castle brought us to Holašovice Historic Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most picturesque villages in South Bohemia. The village dates back to the middle of the 13th century, and its original layout has remained remarkably unchanged, with 17 farmsteads still arranged around the large village green, just as they were when they were recorded here nearly 500 years ago.

Holašovice is particularly famous for its beautifully preserved rural architecture, known as "peasant Baroque". The farmhouses have white-painted façades with ornate, colourful gables, arched gateways and red-tiled roofs, with large barns and courtyards behind them. Most of the buildings have been well preserved, largely untouched by the developments of the communist era, giving the village a wonderfully old-fashioned feel. Together, they create a picture-postcard scene that feels quintessentially South Bohemian.

We wandered around the village green, admiring the beautiful façades and all the little details, including the small chapel and wayside cross, as well as the historic blacksmith's workshop. The village pond and old water pumps added to the charm. We stopped for an ice cream along the way.

It was such a peaceful and photogenic little village, and I was very happy to have my camera with me!

* This post has been shared on Thinking Out Loud Thursday, Skywatch Friday and Mosaic Monday.