Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Tag: Baroque Theater

Cesky Krumlov Castle – The Castle Theater

One of the gems of the Cesky Krumlov Castle complex is the Baroque Castle Theater.  This performance hall is in incredible condition after its renovation in 1997 and is currently in use after its 300 year origin.  Many of the original scenes and props are still used!

As a music major, I studied these theaters.  It was amazing to be able to actually walk into the theater and see how it worked.  There are only two in such amazing condition left in the world.  The other is in Sweden.  The predominant reason there are only two theaters such as these left in the world is mainly due to fires.  Most of the theaters burned down to the ground.  The theater was lit by open flames candles and pyrotechnics were also used to achieve certain theatrical effects.   The tour guide said that during the performances, there were firefighters on call, just in case…  It is a miracle there are two theaters left.

Theater Poster

Theater Poster

When we visited, there were tours in Czech and English, but we could not make the English tour, so a Czech tour it was.  Being in the Czech Republic only 4 days at that point, we only knew words such as “yes”, “no” and “thank you”.  So the tour was not going to be super helpful, but it was the only way to see the theater.  Thankfully, the tour guide knew some English and filled us in when she could.  It was very generous of her!

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Český Krumlov Castle – Overview & Tour

Perched high on a cliff above the Old Town is the imposing Český Krumlov Castle, constructed to control an important river crossing on the Vltava below.  The Round Tower pierces the sky with its pastel-colored Renaissance façade.  Cross the draw bridge over the bear pits at the entrance, and walk steadily uphill through a sequence of courtyards until you cross a multi-leveled bridge and reach a Baroque theater.  Pleasant English and French style gardens add one additional layer of sophistication to the experience.

The Round Tower from the Courtyard

The Round Tower from the Courtyard

If you find yourself in Český Krumlov, this Castle and the complimenting beauty of its surroundings is likely what brought you here.  The best word I can find for this UNESCO World Heritage Site is picturesque!  There are no words, no pictures that can accurately capture the splendor of this small town in the southwest corner of the Czech Republic.

Well, now that I have set myself up with an impossible task, let me tell you more about this place…with words and pictures. Continue reading

Český Krumlov Town Overview

After two full days enjoying Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, Rebekah and I were looking forward to a change of pace as we explored a small portion of the Czech countryside!

We boarded a train at Praha Hlavní Nádraží Train Station in Prague’s New Town, and were on our way to Český Krumlov, a small town located in the Bohemian area of the Czech Republic.

With an early departure, we wanted to make sure we had everything prepared.  The day before our departure we purchased one-way tickets for 240 Crowns each, roughly $11.50.  Overall, we found the rail tickets  to be very reasonable as long as we did not cross country lines, which can escalate the prices.

The four hour train trip was comfortable.  Rebekah LOVES trains, and this leg of the trip was a highlight as we watched the Czech countryside pass before our eyes!  The only disturbance from the peaceful views was a large group of college-aged students having an overtly good time with alcohol.  We changed trains once in České Budějovice, where we found the locals extremely helpful in successfully making our connection.

At 1:00 PM, we arrived in the Český Krumlov! The main attraction of Český Krumlov is the town itself, dominated by its imposing Castle.  We loved exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site!  Český Krumlov is situated on a double oxbow on the Vltava River, with the Castle Town occupying the larger oxbow, and the Old Town occupying the smaller oxbow.

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