Pernštejn Castle

P3

Pernstejn

The castle Pernsteins ( German castle Pernštejna, Bernstein, originally called Bear Stone ) is located about 40 kilometers north- west of Brno. It belongs to the municipality of Nedvědice in Okres Brno- venkov in Moravia and is one of the most important castles in the Czech Republic.

Location

The castle is located about two kilometers west of Nedvědice on a wooded rocky crag above the confluence of the creek in the Smrčecký Nedvědička on the eastern edge of the Bohemian- Moravian Highlands.

History

The Pernštejna castle was probably built early 13th century. First known owner was Stephen of Medlov ( Stepan z Medlová ), the first time in 1208 in a document of the Olomouc Bishop Robert, the son of Gothard ( " Stephano, viro nobili filio Gothardi " ) was mentioned and early 1220s royal Burggraf on the South Moravian castle Děvičky ( Maiden castle ) was. He whose predicate " of Medlov " from the south of Brno nearby village Medlov derives, is considered the progenitor of the later lords of Pernštejna whose predicate " of Pernštejna " ( Pernštejn ) is first documented around 1285 and is derived from the castle Pernštejna. The coat of arms Pernštejnové, the head of a Auerochsens, is located on the Buda Castle above the entrance.

William I of Pernštejna that is first documented in the year 1381, was in the service of the Margrave Jobst and was Governor of Moravia. His grandson of the same William II was one of the most important and influential nobles of Bohemia and Moravia. During his reign the castle was repaved and extended by a square tower. In addition, she received a new wall with a moat and drawbridges. His son Johann " the rich " prompted a reconstruction of the castle to a representative residence in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Through additional defense systems, a massive fortification with new towers, walls and bastions was built. John's son Vratislav, whose residences were among the noblest and most educated humanist of his time who at the castle library and art collections create, but left huge debts. Therefore, his son John in 1596 had to sell, among other things, the castle Pernštejna.

After frequent changes of ownership the castle in 1710 came to Franz Edler Stockhammer. He had partially remodel in the Rococo style, the castle. The castle chapel and the Chinese Pavilion was decorated with frescoes by Franz Gregor Ignaz Eckstein and the Brno sculptor Andreas Schweigel creating sculptures for the park. 1793 the castle came to Ignaz Schröffel of man mountain whose daughter Josepha to 1813 Wilhelm Graf Mitrowsky of Mitrowitz and Nemischl ( Vilém Hrabě Mitrovský z Mitrovic a Nemyšle; 1789-1857 ) wed. He received after the death of his father in 1818 a half of Pernštejna. In 1828 he acquired the second half of his wife's sister. After the castle and dominion Pernštejna remained until the expropriation in 1945 whose descendants. In the 19th century made ​​several structural changes. A scheduled from August Prokop reconstruction in the style of historicism, however, was not realized. The appearance of the castle largely corresponds to the state of the 16th century.

Location

The castle has been used as the filming location for several movies: