Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
archduke Franz Ferdinand
(1863-1914)
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of the Habsburg
Emperor Franz Josef, who ruled from 1848-1916 (longer than
Queen Victoria). Ferdinand was the impatient successor to
the Austro-Hungarian throne. Local legends (whose veracity
historians categorically deny) say that Franz Ferdinand even
built a chapel at Konopiště for the sole purpose of praying
that his old, hated uncle might soon die...but the emperor
went on to outlive the young archduke.
Franz Ferdinand fell out of his uncle's favor when he
married a beautiful but low-ranking Czech countess (Žofie
Chotková)—she was “only” aristocratic, not royal. To get out
of sight of his relatives, Franz Ferdinand bought Konopiště
and moved here.
Obsessed with hunting, Franz Ferdinand traveled
around the world twice, shooting at anything in sight: deer,
bears, tigers, elephants, and crocodiles. He eventually killed
300,000 animals, many of whom stare morbidly at you as
hunting trophies covering the walls at Konopiště.
In the Kaiser's Pavilion on the grounds of Konopiště,
Franz Ferdinand met with German Kaiser Wilhelm and tried to
talk him out of plotting a war against Russia. Wilhelm argued
that a war would work to the mutual benefit of Germany and
Austria: Germans wanted colonies, and Austria—crippled
by the aspirations of its many nationalities—could use a war
to divert attention from its domestic problems. But Franz
Ferdinand foresaw that war would be suicidal for Austria's
overstretched monarchy.
Soon after, Franz Ferdinand went to Sarajevo, in the
Habsburg-annexed territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On that trip, young Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb, shot the
Habsburg archduke who so loved shooting. Franz Ferdinand's
assassination ironically gave the Germans (and their pro-war
allies in the Austro-Hungarian administration) the pretext for
starting the war against Serbia (and their ally, Russia). The
Great War soon broke out. The event Franz Ferdinand had
tried to avoid was in fact sparked by his death.
Tucked away in the bushes behind the pond is a pavilion
coated with tree bark, a perfect picnic spot. This simple structure,
nicknamed the
Kaiser's Pavilion,
was the site of a fateful meeting
between the German Kaiser Wilhelm and the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand (for more information, see the sidebar).
Cost and Tours:
Entrance to the castle is by one-hour guided
tour only. Choose from three different routes: Route I (190 Kč,
includes public and guest rooms, hunting hall, and shooting range),
Route II (190 Kč, includes the oldest part of the castle, armory,
