Pecka Castle, Pecka, Czech Republic

Pecka Castle is a gem of the Podkrkonoší region. From the castle lookout, you can see the central massif of the Krkonoše Mountains with the peaks of Sněžka and Černá hora, or the highest point of the region, Zvičina.

Pecka Castle was founded in the early 13th century. In the late 16th century, the Gothic castle was rebuilt to a Renaissance residence. It flourished at the beginning of the 17th century when it was inhabited by Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice (1564–1621), an educated Renaissance intellectual. He spent his last and the most fruitful period of his life there. Kryštof Harant went down in Czech history as a traveller, composer, writer and politician.

The tour of Pecka Castle includes a tour of the reconstructed Harant Palace where there are seven interior rooms, a torture chamber and a basement vault. The exposition on the first and second floor focuses on the history of the castle, the life and work of Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice, and generally on the period of Renaissance and Early Baroque.

An interesting part is the tour of a stylish open-hearth kitchen with an operating Renaissance fireplace and the basement vault with the torture chamber. The best known instruments of torture are on display in the torture chamber, from the rack and windlass to the Spanish boot. The tour is livened up with an authentic demonstration of melodies from a hundred-year-old harmonicon. There is also an interesting well; it is illuminated and 56 metres deep.

References:

visitczechia.com

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Huong Pham (6 months ago)
Small beautiful castle ?

Karel Zadrobílek (4 years ago)
Beatiful calm place, nice countryside

Petr Litera (5 years ago)
Almost as empty shell as Karlstejn. Nevertheless, the interiors are well reconstructed and the cellars offer cool air even in the heatwaves. Unexperienced, but nice guides. Visit the sweetshop @ square!

venousek001 (5 years ago)
Good place to visit.

Václav Navrátil (7 years ago)
Nicely reconstructed castle ruins with great guides.

Pecka Castle

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus