Cesky Krumlov

Located in the Southern Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, Cesky Krumlov is a small city best known for its historic old town artistry and fine architectural features. Another well know feature of this city is the Krumlov castle. The city’s name is spelled as such to differentiate itself from another city with a similar name, Moravasky Krumlov. This second city is located in the South Eastern section of the Czech Republic.

In the late 13th century, at the location of the ford in the Vltava River, construction of the city of Cesky Krumlov, including a castle began. At the time of completion, the city and the castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. In 1602, Emperor Rudolf purchased the castle property from the House of Rosenberg. Once in possession of the property, the Emperor gave it to his son, Julius d’Austria. After some point in time, the castle ended up in the possession of Emperor Ferdinand II. He later sold the castle, now known as Krumau, to the House of Eggenberg. This however was not to be the final owner of the castle. It changed hands once more and resided with the House of Schwarzenberg from 1719 until 1945.

The architecture in Cesky Krumlov and the castle dates back to the 14th century to 17th century time periods. Most structures are apparently rich in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque style décor. With the old Latran neighbourhood on one side and the Krumau castle on the other, the horseshoe bend in the river represents the core spot of the city. In 1806, the city became part of the Austrian Empire. Later, that would change to Austria-Hungary in 1866. Following World War I, Cesky Krumlov was considered to be part of Upper Austria. This region was located inside the Republic of German Austria from 1918 to 1919. For a brief, inter war period, the city was considered a part of Czechoslovakia. The period of 1938 to 1945 brought an annex by Nazi Germany. After World War I, the German population was expelled from the region and associate with Czechoslovakia was restored.

Much of the city fell into a state of disrepair following the Communist Era. Through the Velvet Revolution Era of 1989, much of the city’s initial architectural décor has been restored. Present day, Cesky Krumlov is a popular vacation destination for tourists from Germany, Austria and other regions. In 2002, the Vltava River overflowed. The flooding caused much damage to the Cesky Krumlov region. All damage was repaired and the city’s charm remains intact. The Summer Solstice in June brings a weekend of celebration to Cesky Krumlov. Downtown is closed to traffic as vendors take to the streets for celebration. Artists, musicians, jugglers and people dressed in lively costumes grace the area to celebrate medieval times. The jubilant celebration comes to a close with a dramatic fireworks display.