Written by Katerina Cernikova
Telc Chateau is a Renaissance-style chateau. This chateau has been a UNESCO monument since 1992. It is situated in Moravia in Vysocina Region in the town call Telc. This chateau is very often used for filming Czech classic fairy tales. This castle exhibits both Czech and Italian culture. The castle also has a beautiful French garden. It is a very famous chateau in the Czech republic.
Telc Chateau was a Gothic chateau. The transformation of the Gothic chateau into a Renaissance residence took place mainly during the reign of Zachary of Hradec. In the year 1551, Zachary took part in the famous expedition of Czech nobles to Italy. He returned from Italy influenced by the Italian Renaissance.
The reconstruction of the Telc Chateau took place in two stages under the leadership of Italian masters. In some of the chateau interiors, older so-called cellar vaults with original decorative decoration have been preserved. These come from the stonemason and builder Leopold Esterreicher from the nearby Village of Slavonice.
The reconstruction of the chateau and other construction business were undoubtedly extremely financially demanding. These projects and, especially, rich yields from the silver mines helped maintain the good economic conditions of the Telc Chateau estate. A demanding Renaissance-style renovation of the oldest part of the Telc Chateau was undertaken in 1553, when Zachary of Hradec married Katerina of Valdstejn. She provided the mentioned good yields from the silver mines with her dowry. On the portals, facades, and in the interiors of the chateau, we find a large number of coats of arms of the newlyweds.
The most majestic interior of the Telc Chateau is the Golden Hall. Low arcade galleries frame the Renaissance garden. The architect who imprinted the final shape of the whole area was probably Baldassare Maggi from Arogni. The last construction activity was the building of the funeral chapel of All Saints, which was finished in 1580.
The original condition of most of the chateau premises has not been disturbed, which is why today Telc Chateau is one of the few preserved Renaissance-style chateau in the Czech Republic. The castle was never sold; it was inherited from family to family.
For more information about Vysocina Region, from which this chateau comes, click here and here.
