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Cesky Krumlov: a charming old town along the Vltava

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Cesky Krumlov is a charming village in the Czech Republic, nestled in a bend of the Vltava river, not far from the Austrian border. The historic center of Cesky Krumlov, in 1992, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first mention of Cesky Krumlov is made in a document from 1253 where the place is referred to as “Crhumbenowe”. The development of the town took place with the rule of the lords of Rozmberk, starting from the beginning of the fourteenth century and up to the whole of the sixteenth century. During this period new churches, monasteries and palaces were built, Cesky Krumlov became an important commercial city. In 1601 the town was ceded to the emperor Rudolf II. During the Thirty Years War it suffered the occupation of foreign troops (imperial, bavarian and swedish) several times.

WHAT TO SEE: MAIN ATTRACTIONS OF CESKY KRUMLOV

Located on the banks of the Vltava river, halfway between Ceske Budejovice and the Lipno lake, the city of Cesky Krumlov was built around the 13th century castle. It represents an important example of a small medieval urban center in Central Europe, whose architecture has remained intact over the centuries.

Most of the buildings in the historic center, in medieval, Renaissance and Baroque style, date back to the 14th-17th centuries. Many buildings are decorated externally with frescoes or graffiti.

A MAGNIFICENT CASTLE

The 13th century castle dominates the town and the Vltava from the top of a rocky wall, and is the second largest in the nation, after that of Prague, in size and importance. This castle consists of two buildings connected to each other and flanked by eighteenth-century gardens. The castle can be visited, and inside there are frescoed rooms and halls, a beautiful decorated courtyard, an ancient Baroque theater (1766), a Renaissance tower entirely frescoed.

This beautiful town contains over 300 historic buildings in an absolutely incomparable atmosphere. The town is small and can be visited easily in one day, but to appreciate its atmosphere it is advisable to stay there at least one or two nights. Among the museums to remember the one dedicated to the painter Egon Schiele, who lived here for a period of his life.

Nearby there are interesting excursions to do, such as that to the ancient monastery of Zlatá Koruna, with a Gothic church and cloister of the thirteenth century, which is located only 10 km from the town. In Vyssi Brod there is an ancient cloister with library and art gallery. While Prachatice is a characteristic medieval town. Hluboká Castle is 30 km away from Cesky Krumlov. Beautiful walks can be done in the nearby Sumava Mountains National Park, which is the largest national park in the Czech Republic.

The climate of Cesky Krumlov.

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