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Nice to see you in Český Krumlov! Can you hear it? The Krumlov tower bells have just rung off another fraction of eternity. They've been doing this for centuries. Maybe you woke up just a while ago full of expectations for the new day, or maybe you are having a rest with a nice cup of afternoon coffee, planning where else to go, or maybe you are re-living your fresh experiences, looking forward to tomorrow. Can you still feel the Krumlov bells resonating? They are reminding you we have become part of the town's organism for a little while. How can you make the best use of the time? Some people will be happy just to relax, others will be happy walking through the streets, but we'd like to offer you much more. We sincerely believe everybody can enjoy their stay in Český Krumlov. But let's not waste any more of our time - come and fill it with impressions, leisure and joy! You can find inspiration on these pages. Did you know that the first written record of Český Krumlov as a town dates back to 1309? The town has become an exceptional architectural treasure since then, and it was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992. Changes in the town and region through the ages Just a little walk through the town and - all of a sudden - you find yourself several centuries back in time, following in the steps of our predecessors. Their lives centred around the square and the streets directed to the ramparts. The crooked lanes and robust walls of historical houses have not been changed - so you can admire the true originals. Walking along the Latrán, Horní Street or the square, gazing up at facades and house fronts, you would insist that it was just yesterday when the bygone stone cutters' hammers and chisels were put aside: the perfectly preserved original appearance and decorations of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses are just fascinating. Many of them could fairly be called an "open air old masters' gallery". The historical center of the town is not very large but offers a great many attractive places. To make sure you will not miss anything normally hidden, it is advisable to take a guided sightseeing tour. Depending on your preferences, you have a wide choice of themed tours. In addition, there is an interesting option for visitors who would like to enjoy a talk by a professional guide but they prefer sightseeing on their own, not with an organized tourist group: you can have an audio guide, a little electronic pocket guide. Český Krumlov Castle and Chateau – the dominating feature and the symbol of the town, one of the largest castle complexes in Europe, is impressive from outside and breathtaking from inside. It is not just ostentatious rooms, halls and noble bedrooms that attract every visitor taking a guided tour. Due to the fact that the castle caretaker, the smith, the stableman and the apothecary used to live directly in the castle, you can visit even more historical facilities, the so-called "background" areas: it is worth seeing the well-preserved old laundry room and enjoying the study room full of ancient scientific instruments and curiosities. When you look at the walls in the Masquerade Room, marvelling at the abundance of the figures in masks, you will appreciate the skills and effort of Josef Lederer, the painter, who managed to complete the decorations in less than six months without any assistance. The Baroque Theater is - at first sight - a rather inconspicuous building in the 5th courtyard. In fact, it is a truly unique structure. Besides the stage, the original equipment remained well preserved (the coulisse, costumes, decorations, librettos) and the stage technical instruments too, so even today you can hear exactly the same thunderstorm or wind as the visitors could perceive during performances more than 250 years ago. Before you start the castle walking tour, you can climb the tower, in order to look over the whole premises of the castle and the historical downtown area too. The bird's eye view is not only impressive: it will reveal the extraordinary town disposition inside the Vltava River meander. The pleasant conclusion of the sightseeing tour is a walk and rest on the benches in the castle gardens, which is a lovely place with a cascade fountain, French flower beds and a summer house in the rococo style called the Bellarie. Besides the castle tower, the tall and slim Gothic style tower of St. Vitus' Church, built at the beginning of the 15th century, completes the characteristic silhouette of the town. Experts regard it greatly, in particular for the master stone cutters' work, well-visible at the Gothic thee-aisled dome, while non-experts are impressed by the tall, daring vault and picture decorations. When you look around the church, you will proceed to the gallery, which provides a beautiful view of the part of the town and the Vltava River that is not visible from the castle tower. Did you know that keeping bears at the chateau in Český Krumlov is an ancient tradition? William of Rosenberg kept bears in relation to an ancient family legend as early as the 2nd half of the 16th century. According to this legend his forbears were related to the Italian noble family the Orsinis – Orsa means female bear in Italian. Bears even serve as shield bearers of the Rosenberg coat of arms, which bears the symbol of a five-petalled rose. At present you can look into the enclosure in the castle moat and wave to the bears called Katherine, Theresa and Vok. It is worth setting out in the surrounding areas in order to visit significant architectural, artistic and natural sights and monuments – there are plenty of them within a very short distance! Rožmberk Castle – The castle is a dominant feature above the turn of the Vltava River that is well known to every water-sports enthusiast - and an unforgettable experience for every visitor who takes a tour around the castle, for example, the night event with a scenic performance. What is more, it is attractive for children, too, since there is a special program designed for them. Dívčí kámen (Maiden'sStone) is the largest medieval stronghold ruin in the country, promising a romantic experience. It is situated on top of a high rock cliff above the Vltava valley and Křemežský creek. Perhaps the most spectacular view of the Lipno Dam, and in a good weather of the Alps, is offered to visitors to the walkway on the top of Vítek's Castle - ruins on the right bank of the Lipno Dam. This part of the Šumava Mountains, newly open to the public after decades, when it had been a closed border zone, will enchant every visitor due to its nature, which seems to be untouched by human hands. The genius loci of important monasteries and places of pilgrimage around Český Krumlov will impress visitors coming to this region: Zlatá Koruna – The former monastery is one of the most valuable complex buildings of the Gothic period in central Europe. If you use your imagination a little bit here, you can imagine the life of Cistercian monks many centuries ago. They used to live in another, not very distant, monastery, Vyšší Brod, too. The legendary Rosenberg family tomb is hidden in its church, under the flooring. The postal museum that found a refuge in the monastery is also worth visiting. When you stop for a while between the Gothic arches of the temple, watching the sky above your head that closes the dome instead of stone or bricks, you may go through an exceptional spiritual experience. The same may happen to open-minded pilgrims at Kuklov, a torso of a Gothic temple and monastery that had never been completed. Another place which is able to evoke unusual feelings is a unique Way of the Cross in Římov. A walk throughout the picturesque landscape around the town will take you approximately one hour. At 25 stations, you can admire Baroque sculptures installed here in chapels, there in open space. Another important Marian pilgrimage place is the Gothic church in Kájov, connected with many legends. You can certainly come across other churches, real architectonic jewels, while travelling through the villages in the surroundings (Zátoň, Chvalšiny, Boletice, Světlík, Černice, Polná na Šumavě, etc). Do you know you may begin the famous St. James pilgrimage to the Spanish Santiago de Compostella here in Český Krumlov region? The 135 kilometres long stage is marked with the St. James scallop shell emblem and starts at the 1st courtyard, continuing via places of pilgrimage in Kájov, Světlík, Frymburk, Přední Výtoň and Svatý Tomáš to Austrian Mühlviertel and Bavaria. Set off and follow the trails of history, art and fairy tales! Historic Český Krumlov has, with its beauty and outstanding location on the banks of the Vltava River, inspired many generations of artists. Its picturesque lanes and corners have obviously been most celebrated by Egon Schiele, a world-famous artist, painter and graphic designer. A part of his works, and artistic pieces of other significant artists (M. Chagall, S. Dalí, K. Haring, A. Giacometti, etc.) are available at exhibitions in the Egon Schiele Art Centrum. The famous exhibition room, situated in the Renaissance building of the former brewery, is a must for every art lover and tourist. You can find out that Český Krumlov is really a great artistic center by visiting some of the expositions presented by the Agency of Czech Ceramic Design of which the combination of modern ceramic creations and the ancient cellars - Wenceslas cellars - at the 4th courtyard is especially impressive.

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