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The town of Hlubok� nad Vltavou is situated on both banks of the Vltava River, 11 km north of �esk� Bud�jovice. The surrounding area is graced with ponds, the river and last but not least with extensive forests. The dominant feature of the town is the chateau, one of the most prominent and frequently visited buildings of its kind in the Czech Republic.

The chateau, built in the Windsor Neo-Gothic style, is surrounded by beautiful gardens and situated in the middle of a large English park. Adjacent to the castle is the Ale� South Bohemian Gallery with a unique exposition of Bohemian medieval art (a well-known collection of Gothic Madonnas) and no less attractive collection of twentieth-century art. The Gallery is also a venue of traditional classical-music concerts.

A stunning Romantic chateau, originally a Gothic castle. In 1562, king Ferdinand I. sold the castle to the lords of Hradec who subsequently had it rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. One century later, Hlubok� was purchased by Jan Adolf I of Schwarzenberg. At the beginning of the 1700s, Adolf’s grandson, Prince Adam Franti�ek, gave the chateau a Baroque appearance. In the latter half of the 19th century, Prince Jan Adolf II and his wife Eleonora decided to rebuild the chateau once again, this time in the romantic style, following a plan designed by architect Franz Beer. The architect had the old buildings pulled down and replaced with a charming Tudor Gothic-style chateau. Hlubok� is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful chateaus in Bohemia. Its largest hall contains a library with a coffered ceiling, which was brought there from the Schwarzenberg family castle. The walls and the ceilings of the chateau’s stately halls feature panelling made from rare kinds of wood. The interiors are adorned with paintings by 16th - 18th century European masters, beautiful chandeliers and late Renaissance lead glazing. The chateau’s most valuable items of furniture can be found in the Morning Lounge. The walls of the Large Dining Room display a magnificent collection of tapestries dating from the first half of the 17th century.

Other attractions include the glazed conservatory, riding hall, English park having an area of 190 hectares.

Every year, a Music festival is held at the chateau.

The Hlubok� chateau with its complex of buildings and sensitively landscaping ranks among the most prominent chateaus of the Romanticism period in Central Europe.

WWW: www.hluboka.cz