Kratochvíle Castle is a Renaissance court residence surrounded by a park erected in 1569 as a medieval defensive fortress. In the years 1583-1589 it was transformed into a hunting palace by Vilém Rožmberk. It was designed in the style of a Roman country villa, and its architect was Baldassare Maggi from Arogno.
In 1601, Petr Vok Rožmberk had to sell the residence to Emperor Rudolf II because of debts. Then the emperor handed the castle to the Eggenbergs, and in the 19th century it became the seat of the Schwarzenberg family.
The first floor of the residence housed the Great Gold Hall, with stucco and paintings based on classical mythology by Antonio Melana. In 1950, during restoration works, five paintings depicting scenes from Samson's life were discovered in the neighboring Small Golden Room.
Currently in Kratochvíle there is an exhibition of Czech puppet and animated films with original works of eminent Czech animators: Jiří Trnki, Hermína Týrlová and Karel Zeman.
Attractions inside
