ZvÃkov Castle

Zvíkov

The Zvíkov ( German Klingenberg, latin Zuecov ) is in Okres Pisek at Zvíkovské podhradí in the Czech Republic at the confluence of the Vltava and Otava.

History

On a promontory above the confluence of the Vltava and Otava rivers already existed during the Celtic period, a fortified settlement, probably an oppidum.

King Ottokar I acquired in 1226 the Sprengel Oslover in exchange for six other villages from Doksany monastery and was then allowed to build on the spur of rock a royal castle. The first written mention of the castle and its castle of Count Conrad Janovice was made in 1234 to the time of King Wenceslas I. In the following period the castle was expanded into one of the main strongholds of the Bohemian kings. Especially under Přemysl Ottokar II received the castle to the tower already built a four-wing palace. By the end of the 13th century was followed by defensive walls and bastions. Their heyday was the castle at the time of Charles IV, who had converted the castle on and also inhabited himself. Until the completion of the new castle Karlstejn the imperial regalia were temporarily stored at Klingenberg.

In 1429 the castle was unsuccessfully besieged by encampments. Once again in 1430 Hussite troops Klingenberg besieged, pledged by King Sigismund the castle and dominion in 1431 on the mighty Ulrich von Rosenberg because he feared that his Burggraf Kunata Kapler would soon spill over to the insurgents. Henry V of Rosenberg, who had taken over the indebted estate in 1472, sold on September 28, 1473 a quarter of the possessions of the house Rosenberg, among them, the Klingenberg Pawn, his cousin Bohuslav V. of Swan Mountain. In 1575, Maximilian II sold the castle and lordship Klingenberg hereditary Christoph of swan mountain on Worlik that connected the rule Klingenberg Worlik. Among the gentlemen of Švamberk large parts of the castle belonging to Klingenberg goods of the castle Worlik were slammed.

After the Battle of White Mountain, the 150 men of the garrison Schwanberger could withstand almost two years of siege by mercenaries in 2500 of the imperial army commander of Baltasar Marradas who camped at Jickovice and Varta. After the surrender of the castle was plundered in summer 1622 by imperial troops. The confiscated property of Peter of Swan Mountain received the Eggenberger. The castle was abandoned after 1646 and fell into disrepair. Only the farm buildings were still in use. After the outbreak of the war against the Turks in 1663, the castle was again placed in the state of defense. In August 1683 asked several neighboring noble families because of the renewed Turkish threat, the Prince Eggenberg for the use of the castle as a refuge. After 1717 the Eggenberger extinguished in the male line, the Haus Schwarzenberg inherited their possessions. 1751 destroyed by the great fire parts of the castle. With the division of the Princely House of Schwarzenberg in two lines, the castle in 1790 fell to the younger line. The owner Karl Philipp zu Schwarzenberg, who lived on the neighboring castle Worlik let set in the early 19th century, the castle chapel repaired and secure the late Gothic wall paintings. In 1829, the New Gate collapsed, and shortly afterwards slipped a part of the palace into the valley. From 1880, the Prince of Schwarzenberg began with the restoration of the royal palace and the castle walls, which was continued in the 20th century. 1948, the Schwarzenberg family was expropriated, since then the ruin is owned by the state.

Construction of the castle

Zvikov has a somewhat peculiar style. In the courtyard there is a arcade. In the eastern part of a unique in Europe prismatic tower was created. From the first fortifications are still a hump square tower, which was erroneously referred to as Marcomannic tower because of its stone marks, and receive sections of the wall. The chapel is decorated with French paintings from the 15th century. Overall, the building has a Gothic style with covered battlements and low towers.