Baroque jewel of Moravia
Slavkov Castle is one of the largest Baroque castles in Moravia and is the dominant feature of the town of the same name. Its history begins in the 13th century, when there was a command of the Teutonic Knights. At the end of the 16th century, a Renaissance chateau was built on older foundations. At the end of the 17th century, Dominik Ondřej Kounic gave the impetus for the Baroque reconstruction of the Renaissance mansion. He entrusted the task to the Italian architect Domenico Martinelli from Lucca. After the death of the last male descendant of the Kounice family, Count Eugene, in 1919, the chateau became the property of the Pálffy family. After the Second World War, the castle became the property of the Czechoslovak state. Today the owner is the town of Slavkov u Brna.
The interior of the castle
The castle was built in the shape of the letter U. At present, the entire first floor of the castle is open to the public as part of the tour. The rooms of the west wing belong to the most valuable castle interiors. Their ceilings are richly decorated with stucco and frescoes. Particularly noteworthy is the so-called Hall of the Ancestors, decorated with a monumental ceiling fresco representing the gods on Olympus. It is also worth mentioning the so-called Historical Hall, in which an armistice was signed between Austria and France after the Battle of Austerlitz.
Chateau park
Slavkov Castle Park is one of the most important historical gardens in Moravia. Its area is 15.5 ha. The central motif of the architectural composition are two garden pools installed on the axis of the western entrance with a pair of water reservoirs placed symmetrically off-axis. This space is completed by freely situated baroque sculptures with mythological themes. The strictly organized geometric composition includes solitaires of mature conifers and deciduous trees.
Small buildings
In the castle park you can observe small picturesque buildings in the form of gazebos or shelters.
Present
At present, a number of wedding ceremonies take place at the chateau. If you fancy, you can have a snack in the chateau café. The town of Slavkov organizes various cultural events in the castle park.
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