Brandýs nad Labem Castle, Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, Czech Republic

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:

chatuna.cz

User Reviews

Jeff Briscoe (8 months ago)
Tour of the castle and the opportunity to learn about its fascinating history was very interesting.

Mia Marce (10 months ago)
Beautiful and very well-kept castle dating back to the 16th century. The guided tour is very interesting, particularly to learn about Habsburg history and Austro-Hungarian battles (including specific weapons and uniforms). Very historically significant, informative, and a lovely day-trip site close to Prague!

Nigel Albon (2 years ago)
Visited Brandy's for a wedding, perfect venue. Really nice setting and building. Pretty good facilities.

Win Tai (3 years ago)
Beautiful castle with rich history of different owners and kings and queens. Very well maintained good staff friendly and off the beaten track. Good place for tourists to visit. They provide English book which explains the castle history as you walk through the castle. Must visit if you are near this area

Dmitry I (4 years ago)
Beautiful castle with peacock garden open to public. We are frequent visitors of this place. The energy around it is amazing! ❤️

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