Castle of Duchcov

Duchcov Castle

The Castle of Duchcov (German: Dux), is a castle located about 8 km from Litvínov, in northern Bohemia, Czech Republic.

History

The castle was founded as a fort in the 13th century by the Hrabišic family, which resided at Castle Osek. Not earlier than 1527, the Lobkowicz family replaced the fort with a one-wing Renaissance palace. Marie Polyxena of Talmberk and Lobkowicz, the daughter of the František Josef of Lobkowicz, the last member of the family, married Maxmillian, Count of Waldstein in 1642. Their son Jan Bedřich, Count of Waldstein, later the Archbishop of Prague, was apprised with the French architect and painter Jean Baptiste Mathey, and brought him to Duchcov for the purpose of rebuilding the castle.

Mathey designed a huge Baroque complex, including a large park and a hospital. The decoration of the castle was provided by the best baroque artists in Bohemia like the sculptors Matyáš Bernard Braun, Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff, and painter Václav Vavřinec Reiner.^[1] Between 1785 and 1798 , Giacomo Casanova, the so-called secretary of the 18th century, spent the last thirteen years of his amazing life in Duchcov.^[2]

In the 19th century the castle was rebuilt in the classicist style and the garden in the romantic style. The Waldstein family sold the manor to the state and left the castle in 1921. At present the castle is state-owned and open to visitors.

See also

• Waldstein family
• List of castles in the Ústí nad Labem Region

References

1. ^ Ehrenberger, Tomaš (2003), The 88 Most Beautiful Castles, pg. 43, Kartografie Praha a.s., ISBN 80-7011-745-1
2. ^ Rob Humphreys, Tim Nollen (2002), Rough guide to the Czech & Slovak Republics, Rough Guides, 6thed. p. 254. ISBN 1858289041

External links

Media related to Duchcov Castle at Wikimedia Commons

• Castle of Dux, aerial photo

Coordinates: 50°36′08″N 13°44′39″E / 50.60222°N 13.74417°E / 50.60222; 13.74417