Konopiste
From World travel guide
Contents |
Get in
The best way to get to Konopiště from Prague is by train. You will need to catch a train to Benešov and from there walk 2km to the castle. To get from the Benešov train station to the castle find the yellow tourist trail and follow the markers to the Castle. The departing train schedule is posted very clearly in the train station and you may want to review it to choose a departure time prior to heading up to the castle.
History
Konopiště was the residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne). He purchased the castle and took up residence several years prior to his assassination in Sarajevo. Archduke Ferdinand married a woman of Czech nobility (a scandalous affair due to her only being a duchess). Feeling ostracized from the nobility in Vienna, he chose Konopiště as his residence instead.
See
The castle itself, as far as Czech castles go, is not overly impressive. It does have a large tower, a mote with two live bears, extensive gardens as well as a lake. Inside of the castle you can see Archduke Ferdinand's large collection of weapons, guest room, living quarters, etc. all of which are also not too unique. The weapon's and armor collection though is quite impressive. The aspect of the castle that does differentiate it from other castle's in the Czech Republic is that the castle tour will touch on issues that are very much relevant to 20th century history. The guide will go into some detail about the mysterious death of Crown Prince Rudolph, information about the assassination and the relevance of these events to the decline of the Austro-Hungarian empire in the early 20th century. For those interested 20th century European history, the castle is definitely worth a visit.
There are three tours of the Castle
- Basic - Currently no information available
- Section II - A tour of Ferdinand's living quarters, guest area, 'harem' gifted to him by the Turkish Sultan, his arms collection and a modern 'elevator.'
Cost: 140kč for tours in foreign languages
- Section III (extensive tour) - Currently no information available
Cost: 250kč for tours in foreign languages
The castle is open from 9:00AM to 5:00PM during the summer. During the off season it is open during most of the day (with varying hours by month) except for the months of January and February, during which time the castle is closed.
Eat and Drink
U Ferdinanda
- This is a great pub located near the castle's lake. There is an outdoor barbecue where Czech sausage with horseradish and mustard is served among other great meals. A small local brewery produces 'Ferdinand' beer which is definitely on par with some of the other larger more well known Czech breweries. The prices for both beer and food are very reasonable.
Get out
To get back to Benešov train station follow either the yellow or red tourst trails back to the town. Train's leave from Benešov to either České Budějovice or back to Prague almost every hour.
External links
www.zamek-konopiste.cz - (Only in Czech)
