Brandýs nad Labem town was originally named Boleslav by Boleslaus I who built here his castle at the beginning of the 10th century. The originally medieval castle was expanded in the early 14th century and later adapted in the Renaissance style for Ferdinand I.
In 1581 Brandýs nad Labem it was promoted to the rank of royal city, and the castle became the summer residence of Emperor Rudolf II. The castle became its primary residence outside of Prague. The emperor often went there, strolled through the gardens, and held parties there. Among his friends who frequented the castle was the famous astronomer Ticho de Brahe, who also saved the Stara Boleslav region from the 30 years war, and Emperor Charles VI used it as a hunting castle. Maria Theresa met her husband here and from there went to Prague for the royal coronation.
Emperor Franz I established the headquarters in the castle during the Napoleonic Wars and received in 1813 a visit of Tsar Alexander I and the King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm III in order to plan the establishment of a coalition against Napoleon which led to victory in the battle in Leipzig.
The last owner of the castle, until 1918, was the Austro-Hungarian emperor and the last Czech king, Karl I, who stayed in the castle as a young officer in the army. In 1911, he brought his wife Empress Zeta from Parma.
In 1918, the castle was nationalized by the state and in 1995 it was transferred to the municipality of Brandys nad Labem and underwent massive renovation.
Today the castle serves as the city’s city center. In the banquet hall of the castle, official ceremonies of the city and the district are held, including ceremonies for the awarding of certificates of appreciation, appointments and coronations, and of course weddings. Around the castle there are 2 impressive gardens and is a magnet for the region’s residents
References:Saint-Émilion is a picturesque medieval village renowned for its well-preserved architecture and vineyards. The town and surrounding vineyards was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, owing to its long, living history of wine-making, Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.
An oppidum was built on the hill overlooking the present-day city in Gaulish times, before the regions was annexed by Augustus in 27 BC. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine.
Because the region was located on the route of the Camino de Santiago, many monasteries and churches were built during the Middle Ages, and in 1199, while under Plantagenet rule, the town was granted full rights.