HistoricalSites, Plzen

Baroque complex Svatá Hora (Holy Hill), the prominent Marian pilgrimage site of Czech Lands with central Basilica of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, is also an outstanding cultural, architectonic and historic monument of the country. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMVEBY_Svat_Hora_Baroque_Complex_Svat_Hora_u_Prbrami_Central_Bohemia

Originally a water keep, converted in the 16th century into a Renaissance chateau. A renaissance garden, a herb garden, and an English park surround the buildings. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/breznice-chateau/

Karlštejn Castle was founded in 1348 by the Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor as his private residence and a place of safekeeping royal treasures, especially his collections of holy relics and the Imperial Crown Jewels. In 1355 Charles IV stayed here for the first time, overseeing the construction and decoration work, especially in chapels. The construction was completed in 1365 when the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Great Tower was consecrated. Over the centuries the castle has always been in hands of the king or a state institution, never in private hands. Nowadays it is owned by the state. Very impressive is the preserved original stair-arrangement of individual castle buildings. The lower section with a small courtyard by the Well Tower and the Burgrave´s House continue through the majestic five-storey Imperial Palace and the Marian Tower. At the highest point, the construction of the castle culminates in a monumental, 60-meter-high Great Tower and its massive fortifications. A unique original 14th-century wall decoration, a set of 129 paintings created by Master Theodoric in the Chapel of the Holy Cross (the largest in the world), the largest portrait gallery of kings of Bohemia in the Czech Republic, a replica of the royal Crown of Bohemia, a unique castle well. The castle is also famous as a set to a comedy play Night at Karlštejn Castle by Czech poet Jaroslav Vrchlický. https://www.hrad-karlstejn.cz/en/about

Prague’s Jewish Quarter (“Židovské město” in Czech) is one of the most impressive places in the capital of the Czech Republic. Josefov, as the quarter is officially named, is at the same time beautiful and wrathful, due to its complicated history. It used to be the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe, and its Old Jewish Cemetery is the most remarkable of its kind on the continent. Many cities used to have – or still have – the so called “Jewish quarters”, where the Jewish minority lived. Apart from Prague, we can for example name Jerusalem, Seville, or New York. Those quarters were quite often in the form of ghettos. The Jewish quarter of Prague, since 1992 listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is definitely one of the most significant ones and if you are visiting Prague, you should definitely see it. Not only as a reminder of a tragic part of the world’s history, but also for its undeniable beauty and charm. http://www.praguego.com/attractions/jewish-quarter/

The Renaissance tower originally served as a watchtower and belfry. The building structure is 71.9 m tall and holds 5 bells and a clockwork. Once you conquer 225 stairs (height of 45 m) you will be rewarded with a strikingly beautiful view of České Budějovice and the surroundings. http://en.inbudejovice.cz/13_53197_black-tower-ceske-budejovice/

A Wonder of the World: The Stone Bridge. The people of Regensburg were obviously brilliant bridge-builders way back in the 12th century. The “Bruckmandl” however, the little statue on the bridge, didn’t take up his breezy position there till the middle of the 16th century. https://tourismus.regensburg.de/en/about-regensburg/sightseeing/more-sights-to-explore/architectural-monuments/old-stone-bridge.html

Today, after numerous additions and alterations, you can admire the three-section building complex dating from the 13th century which consists of the Town Hall tower, the Gothic Imperial Chamber building and the baroque Town Hall. From 1663 to 1806 the Perpetual Imperial Assembly met in the Imperial Chamber. It was there that the well-known expressions “to put something on the long bench” (to postpone something) and “to sit at the green table” (to take important decisions) originated. https://tourismus.regensburg.de/en/about-regensburg/more-sights-to-explore/architectural-monuments/old-town-hall.html

One of the oldest town halls in Germany and witness to the historical change in Jena. Admire the astronomical clock from the 15th century and "Schnapphans" (snatching Hans), one of the "Seven Wonders" of Jena. https://www.jenatourismus.de/en//353228

The new Castle Museum exhibition was opened in 2011 by the National Heritage Institute. Museum visitors have a unique opportunity to peek into the secrets of the castle depositories relating to the most important events connected with the Rožmberk, Eggenberk and Schwarzenberg owners of the Krumlov estate. Entry to the Castle Museum exhibition is individual, without a guide but with the option to rent an audioguide. This rounded six-storied tower, surrounded by the residential palace of the Little Castle, is situated on a narrow rocky promontory towering above Latrán and the Vltava River between the Ist and IInd Courtyard of Český Krumlov Castle. The origins of this structure are partly Gothic and partly Renaissance, as is evident from the tower's external appearance. The tower as well as the Little Castle is a segment of a structure dating from the first half of the 13th century. Castle Tower The oldest part of it is the groundfloor and first floor. The origin of the second floor is around the 14th century, while the third floor is part of the Renaissance belfry. We can not eliminate the Gothic origin, however, due to the bell dated 1406. Under the architect Baldassare Maggi of Arogno, the castle was remodelled and converted from a plain Gothic palace into a Renaissance residence, and the tower was provided with an arcaded gallery at the top in 1581. In 1590 the tower was decorated with mural paintings and figural and architectural motifs by Bartoloměj Beránek - Jelínek. Castle Tower The Tower is the symbol of the town of Český Krumlov, of its history and beauty. It is "The towerest of all towers" as once characterised by Karel Čapek. The tower is publically accessible and offers a beautiful view over Krumlov and surroundings. https://www.zamek-ceskykrumlov.cz/en/visitors-information/tours/1077-castle-museum-and-castle-tower

Český Krumlov State Castle with its architectural standard, cultural tradition, and expanse ranks among the most important historic sights in the central European region. Originally Gothic castle from 13th century was enlarged in 14th century and it was rebuit in the Renaissance style in 16th century. http://www.ckrumlov.info/docs/en/atr3.xml

Several kilometres outside the town, the Hermitage Palace, which later became known as the Old Palace, dominates the extensive park with its tree-covered slopes that rises above the Roter Main river. http://www.bayreuth-wilhelmine.de/englisch/hermitag/a_schloss.htm

The Cathedral of St Barbara, a jewel of the Late Gothic period and one of the four cathedral-type buildings in Bohemia, was incribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and St John the Baptist and the historical centre of Kutná Hora. http://destinace.kutnahora.cz/d/cathedral-of-st-barbara

Dačický House, located on a sloping square in sight of the Stone Fountain, is a unique exhibit in itself. At its core is a pre-Hussite house, which was generously reconstructed after 1500 for the Utraquist bishop Filip de Villanuova, and was the birthplace of the chronicler Mikuláš Dačický of Heslov in the mid-16th century. http://destinace.kutnahora.cz/d/dacicky-house-interactive-exposition-about-kutna-hora-and

This historical building is, as its name suggests, associated with Josef Kajetán Tyl, an important figure of Czech theatre and the National Revival movement. J. K. Tyl, a native of Kutná Hora, was the first person to publicly formulate the idea to build an independent theatre in Kutná Hora for the then Tyl Amateur Theatre Company, which was based in Kutná Hora and of which Tyl was himself a member. http://destinace.kutnahora.cz/d/kutna-hora-tyl-municipal-theatre

Castle was built in the first half of the 14th century. In the 1570s Zacharias of Hradec carried out a major reconstruction and ordered two enclosures for deer nearby. From 17th century to beginning of the 20th century it was used as a hunting castle. http://www.telc.eu/tourist_attractions/rostejn_castle

The castle, located above Landshuts and visible from afar, has only been called "Trausnitz" since the 16th century. Until then, it had the same name as the city itself. According to this, the castle was to grant the country "protection" and protection. Under Ludwig the Kelheimer, the founder of Burg and Stadt Landshut in 1204 and an important historical figure at the time of the Crusades, the Wittelsbach main castle had grown to the extent of today's core castle. In 1235, when Emperor Friedrich II was visiting Landshut, the castle was essentially completed. Today the tour takes visitors to the castle through medieval halls such as the impressive vaulted hall of the Alten Dürnitz and the castle chapel with their important sculptural decoration and the winged altars of the rich dukes. Arched cabinets, panelled parlours and the famous stairway with the monumental painted scenes from the Italian Commedia dell'arte represent the era of the Renaissance. The culmination of the castle tour is the view from the Söller on the city. https://www.burg-trausnitz.de/deutsch/burg/index.htm

The Telč´ House on the square of Zacharias from Hradec 31. The permanent exhibition about history and legends of Telč and surroundings. http://www.telc.eu/tourist_attractions/house_of_telc

Near the Hrádek village, the Hrádek u Nechanic Castle was built between 1839 and 1857 on so-called Lubenský hill. It was built as a prestige summer residence of the county family of Harrach by František Arnošt, the count of Harrach, an important representative of the Jilemnice family line. http://www.kralovehradecko-info.cz/en/atraktivity/hradek/hradek-u-nechanic.php

In 1418, Ludwig the Bearded laid the foundation stone for the Neue Veste (New Citadel), in the centre of which rises the Neues Schloss. Today, 17 richly decorated cannons in the castle courtyard reflect the scale of the weapons arsenal at that time. http://www.ingolstadt-tourismus.de/en/exploreingolstadt/sightseeing/new-castle.html

The most beautiful of all the city's preserved gates, the cross gate, leads from the west into the Old Town. Four small corner towers and sparingly used limestone decorations embellish the red brick gateway tower from the late 14th century, a Romantic witness to medieval architecture. http://www.ingolstadt-tourismus.de/en/exploreingolstadt/sightseeing/kreuztor-emblem-of-the-city.html

Altenburg castle is perched on top of Bamberg's highest hill and is one of Bamberg's major landmarks. https://en.bamberg.info/poi/altenburg_castle-4647/

The Leatherer (Ledererturm) Tower remained the only one of the four city towers, while the other three were demolished in the course of the 19th century. Today it is THE trademark of Wels. The name of the gateway through the Ledererturm, mentioned for the first time on 24 July 1326, comes from the suburb district "Unter den Lederern", “Amongst the leatherers”, (today's Fabrikstrasse and Schwimmschulgasse), where there were numerous leather workshops. In 1610, the tower was heavily damaged during a vain attack on the town by the "Passauer Kriegsvolk" and threatened to collapse. Through a reconstruction in the years 1616 to 1619 by the Wels master brick mason Marx Martin Spaz from Linz, the Leatherer-Tower got its present form (wedge stone of the gate with the date of the year 1618). The nearly 38-meter-high building on an almost square floor plan consists of horizontal floors, each with a window on the east and west sides in three of its four floors. On the fourth floor is the clock tower. The gate has a row of rustic tiles, which are pointed at the arch, and the corners of the tower are emphasized by cuboids just as well. https://www.wels.at/en/welsmarketing/tourism/sightseeing/sights/austria/poi/400641/ledererturm-tower.html

On June 1st, 1695, the first foundation stone was laid for one of the few remaining 17th century city fortifications to be found in Germany. Today the Petersberg Citadel is an impressive example of European fortification construction dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. http://www.erfurt.de/ef/en/sightseeing/part2/index.html

The orphanage founded in the year 1700 by August Hermann Francke, with its subsequent framework building ensemble, also Europe’s larges framework house, is a remarkable cultural monument at European level with it being included on the list for selection as a world cultural heritage. http://www.halle.de/en/Culture-Tourism/Points-of-Interest/Culture-wherever-o-06059/

Overlooking the Danube from its scenic location, this 12C castle features a chapel, a 17C convent, and a relief of "The Last Supper." https://www.routeperfect.com/austria/schonbuhel-castle

The Znojmo Underground extends over several levels and is one of the largest underground labyrinths in Central Europe. Decide whether you would rather take the traditional tour, which mainly introduces you to the history of the city, or have a spookier experience on a less traditional tour along an alternative route. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/znojmo-underground/

W. A. Mozart was born in 1756 in the “Hagenauer Haus” at No. 9 Getreidegasse in Salzburg. Today, Mozart’s Birthplace is one of the most visited museums in Austria and is an absolute highlight, above all for Mozart fans. The museum invites you to take a tour lasting about an hour through original rooms. Also amble through a middle-class apartment reconstructed as authentically as possible. Discover items of everyday life as well as furniture from the 18th century, and feel as if you have personally been transported back to the days of Mozart! Original certificates, letters and memorabilia document Mozart’s life in Salzburg. A collection of portraits, mostly done during Mozart’s lifetime, allows you to basically stand face-to-face with this musical genius. A particular joy for Mozart fans: the historical instruments, including Mozart’s own violin and clavichord. https://www.salzburg.info/en/sights/top10/mozarts-birthplace

The history of the castle ruin which is around 150 metres long on the right bank of the Danube extends back to the 12th century. Find out why the “Rosengärtlein” (“Rose Garden”) was so feared and who the “Hounds of Kuenring” were. The castle which is around 150 metres long was built at the start of the 12th century. It is located on a rocky outcrop at a height of approx. 300 metres above the right bank of the Danube. At the time of the Kuenrings, the castle was successfully besieged and destroyed at least twice, which is why there are still only a few foundations from this time at the so-called “Bürgl” (or “little castle”). Special highlights are the escape-proof prison with the quaint name of “Rosengärtlein” or the chapel – a romantic place that can be still be used for weddings and christenings. https://www.ruineaggstein.at/en.html

Hohensalzburg Fortress is enthroned on the Festungsberg, high above the rooftops of the Baroque historical district. The biggest fully preserved castle in Central Europe, this emblem of Salzburg draws millions of tourists to our “City of Mozart” every year. In the year 1077, archbishop Gebhard had the fortress built and thus changed the Salzburg skyline forever. In the years which followed, his successors drove ongoing development of the fortress architecture. The complex acquired the appearance we recognize today under archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach in 1500. The original purpose of the fortress was to protect the principality and the archbishops from hostile attacks. In all of these years, it has never been captured by foreign troops. https://www.salzburg.info/en/sights/top10/hohensalzburg-fortress

Krems is one of the oldest cities in the land; the first documented reference to it dates to 995. Visitors to the city encounter a millenium of history at every step - on the streets and squares, in old monasteries and churches, in burgher houses and fortification structures. A stroll through Krems and Stein is always a rewarding experience - and a pleasurable one, with all the cafes, restaurants and heurige bidding passers-by to stop in and enjoy. http://www.krems.gv.at/City_Walking_Tour_through_the_Historical_Center_of_Krems

Taking the cruise ship from Kerms, you will end up at a charming town Melk. You can enjoy a walk around the town and admiring beautiful architecture. Melk is an Austrian town on the River Danube, west of Vienna. It’s known for the 11th-century Melk Abbey, a vast monastery built high above the town. No tour of monasteries in Austria, or Middle Europe, for that matter, would be complete without a visit to the magnificent Melk Abbey. Abbot Berthold Dietmayr and his architects Jakob Prandtauer and Joseph Munggenast left no stone unturned in their quest from 1701 to 1736 to construct a sacred palace upon the foundations of a medieval monastery. https://www.austria.info/uk/things-to-do/cities-and-culture/architecture/melk-abbey

The Göttweig Abbey is a treasure overlooking the Wachau from a hill covered by vineyards and forests. Often called the “Austrian Montecassino” because it is visible from great distances—a characteristic that provides epic panoramas when you visit. Göttweig Abbey was founded in 1083—although the current baroque building was constructed after a fire in the early 18th century. If you visit the abbey today you'll experience High Baroque in all its splendour. For example, the monumental imperial staircase with the ceiling fresco by Paul Troger from 1739 is one of the largest and most beautiful staircases of its kind in the world. The library and the archives of Göttweig Abbey house a huge trove of visual art and a comprehensive music collection. The abbey shows its art collections during special annual exhibitions staged in the adjoining royal and imperial rooms. The church houses the largest chimes of any church in Austria. To the south you'll find the highest elevated orchard of the famous Wachau apricot, with information on various aspects of the Wachau apricot. https://visitworldheritage.com/en/eu/gttweig-abbey-the-austrian-montecassino/176bf525-ebbe-4cc3-a4db-989158b4c760

The castle was held in possession of various noblemen and its history is interwoven with a number of myths and legends. Today it is a venue of various cultural and social events. At the foot of the castle there is a steamboat stop. http://www.czechtourism.com/c/brno-veveri-castle/