Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cultures, and Czechs still refer to bears only indirectly. For exam-
ple, in most Germanic languages the word “bear” is derived from
“brown,” while the Slavic
medvěd
literally means “honey-eater.”
Castle
—he immense castle is a series of courtyards with shops,
contemporary art galleries, and tourist services. The interior is
acce s sible on ly by tou r,
which gives you a glimpse
of t he pl ace s where t he
Rožmberk s, Eggenbergs,
and Schwarzenbergs dined,
st udied, worked, prayed,
entertained, and slept. (By
Eu ropean standa rds, the
castle's not much, and the
tours move slowly.) Imagine being an aristocratic guest here, riding
the dukes' assembly line of line living: You'd promenade through
a long series of elegant spaces and dine in the sumptuous dining
hall before enjoying a concert in the Hall of Mirrors, which leads
directly to the Baroque Theater (described next). After the play,
you'd go out into the château garden for a fireworks finale.
Cost, Hours, and Tours:
To see the interior, you must take a
60-minute escorted tour: Tour I (Gothic and Renaissance rooms,
of the most general interest) or Tour II (19th-century castle life).
Tours run June-Aug Tue-Sun 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-18:00, spring
and fall until 17:00, closed Mon and Nov-March.
Tours in Czech
cost 90 Kč, leave regularly, and include an adequate flier in English
that contains about half the information imparted by the guide
(generally a student who's just memorized the basic script). English
tours are preferable, but cost more (160 Kč), run less frequently,
and are often booked solid. Make your reservation when you arrive
in town—just walk up to the castle office—or you can call 380-
704-721, though the number is often busy. You'll be issued a ticket
with your tour time printed on it. Be in the correct courtyard at
that time, or you'll be locked out.
ss
Baroque Theater (Zámecké Divadlo)
—Europe once had
several hundred fine Baroque theaters. Using candles for light and
fireworks for special effects, most burned down. Today, only two
survive in good shape and are open to tourists: one at Stockholm's
Drottningholm Palace, and one here, at Krumlov Castle. During
the 45-minute tour, you'll sit on benches in the theater and then go
under the stage to see the wood-and-rope contraptions that enabled
scenes to be scooted in and out within seconds (while fireworks
and smoke blinded the audience). Due to the theater's fragility, the
number of visitors is strictly regulated. There are only five English
tours a day, limited to 25 people per group and generally sold out
in advance. While it's a lovely little theater with an impressive 3-D
