Chasing the Unknown Baroque Gems Around Pilsen

THE UNKNOWN BAROQUE Chasing the unknown Baroque gems around Pilsen

Pilsner Region LENGTH DURATION (Plass, Mlatz, Maria Teinitz) 35 km 1 - 2 Days 

The West Bohemian monasteries of Plasy and Kladruby were, in the 17th and 18th centu- ries, using the services of leading architects, including Jan Blazej Santini Aichl and the Dientzenhofer family. The result is a number of remarkable but little-known Baroque masterpieces scattered throughout West Bohemia. The most spectacular of those is undoubtedly the Plasy Monastery in the picturesque valley of the Střela river. Find out why the foundations of Santini‘s building must be under water at all times and admire the works of leading Czech Baroque painters in the monastery‘s church. The surroundings of Plasy is best explored on a bicycle. Take the Baroque cycling path to Santini‘s smallest building in the nearby Mladotice, or the representative pilgrimage site of Mariánská Týnice. And if you have time to stay a bit longer, do not miss the Nebílovy Chateau with its quirky ball room decorations, no more than half an hour by car from Plasy.

Recommended  The Plasy Monastery with its unique water system.

 The Church of Assumption of the Virgin in Plasy with artwork by many leading Baroque artists.

 The Nebílovy Chateau with tropical forest frescos in the dance hall.

#VisitCZ @czechrepublic @VisitCZ CzechTourism 1 How to get to the starting point

The starting point, Plasy Monastery, is just 20 minutes by car from Pilsen. You can also reach it by train or bus, also from Pilsen. Bicycle rental There is no bicycle rental in Plasy, but you can rent equipment in Pilsen.

Cyklo ATOM, Sokolovská 74c, 323 00 Plzeň tel.: 777130258, 606625008, email: [email protected]

If you are not keen on pedaling up hills, you can try an eBike: http://www.elektrokolaplzen.cz/pujcovna ًّ

Start

1. day

1. Plasy Monastery

Genius architect Jan Blazej Santini Aichl was not afraid of any challenge – in Plasy, he built a splendid Cistercian Monastery literally on water. To deal with the unstable subsoil of the Střela river valley, he had his workers bury more than ﬁ ve thousand oak piles and beams and designed a sophisticated water system that controls the amount of wa- Plasy © UPVISION ter over them so that they are always submerged (otherwise they would rot and the buildings would collapse). Santini also masterfully designed a ventilation and heating system, which can be considered a prede- cessor of today’s central heating systems, and four self-supporting staircases whose elegance continues to fascinate architects to this day.

 The monastery in Plasy is closely linked to the personality of Chancellor Clemens Metternich, who purchased the entire estate in 1826. He also had the small Church of St. Wenceslas at the local cemetery rebuilt that year, with a family tomb on the ground level. He was later buried there after his death in 1859. The small church is across the road directly opposite the monastery‘s cloc k tower.

#VisitCZ @czechrepublic @VisitCZ CzechTourism 2 2. Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary

Had Jan Blazej Santini implemented his original design for the rebuild of the Plasy Monastery, the Church of the Assumption would be one of the largest sacral buildings in the Czech republic today. Santini originally intended to tear down the existing Roman basili- ca, which would be a shame by today’s standards, since the church is the only representative of the Cistercian style in the country. Its Baroque interior contains the works of the greatest Czech Baroque painters, Karel Škréta and Petr Brandl, as well as a unique organ, which was among the largest in Bohemia in its time, with full 28 stops.

3. Building Trades Heritage Centre

In 2015, the former Cistercian brewery was converted into a museum dedicated to traditional building crafts. It lets you experience the entire process of construction, from design, through building of the walls to installation of light switches and learn lots of interesting information about historical changes in building technology. Jan Blažej Santini Building Trades Heritage Centre © Archiv Karlovarského kraje would probably be surprised to see how his craft has changed over the years.

3,1 km

4. Chapel of the Holy Name of. Virgin Mary in Mladotice

A proof that no assignment is too small for a true master. The chapel in Mladotice was fruit of ﬁ rst close cooperation between the brilliant architect Santini and the Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery in Plasy, Eugene Tyttl. Although it is only a small building, Santini used it to express an interesting symbolism referring to the twelve-star star, associated with the cult of the Virgin Mary.

5,6 km

5. Chapel of the Holy Name of. Virgin Mary in Mladotice

#VisitCZ @czechrepublic @VisitCZ CzechTourism 3 8,6 km

6. Rectory in Potvorov

Potvorov is a small village with a rare Romanesque church and an exquisite Baroque rectory. It was built in 1758 and its façade bears the Plasy Monastery coat of arms. This was because the local pastor was subordinate to the monastery, which also had its advantages. He rece- ived 18 barrels of beer annually from the monastery brewery. Rectory in Potvorov © Archiv Karlovarského kraje

7 km

7. Mariánská Týnice

This pilgrimage site, associated with the Cistercian Monastery in Plasy since the 13th century, was rebuild into monumental Baroque style by Abbot Eugene Tyttl. He invited Jan Blazej Santini Aichl, who was also working on the Plasy Monastery at the time, to design it. The construction took more than 50 years. Today, the site houses Museum Mariánská Týnice © Michal Vitásek and Gallery of the North Pilsen Region, where you can learn about the history of other forgotten Baroque buildings in the area.

2. day

8. Nebílovy Chateau

This undiscovered Baroque pearl of the Pilsen region from 1706 oﬀ ers many attractions. The castle is connected to the Czernin of Chudenice family and is reminiscent of rural settlements around Vienna – its was co-designed by the Viennese architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, author of Vienna’s Belvedere. Its most interesting feature, however, Nebílovy Chateau © Michal Vitásek is the ballroom with unusual fresco paintings by Anthony Tuvora. He made the room into a rain forest. The walls are painted with the trunks of giant trees and exotic plants and animals. The ceiling frescoes were damaged and had to be removed (cut into 600 individual pieces) in the 1960’s. The entire room was recently refurbished to its former glory. The chateau’s interiors also contain the oldest Baroque still lives in Central Europe by German painter Gottfried Libalt.

 If you want to enjoy a bit of nature around Nebílov, use the Nebílov educational trail. This less than six kilometre-long circuit will take you to the picturesque Baroque Church of St. James the Greater in Prusiny, or the St. Barbara healing spring.

#VisitCZ @czechrepublic @VisitCZ CzechTourism 4 Useful contacts

Plzeň: Restaurant tips Tel: +420 378 035 330, Knížecí pivovar Plasy: Address: Turistické informační centrum města Tel: +420 727 875 115, Email: [email protected], Plzně, náměstí Republiky 41, 301 00 Plzeň, Address: Pivovarská 34, Plasy 331 01, GPS: 49.7449347,13.3789547 GPS: 49.9350481,13.389215 Restaurace Rudolf II.: Accommodation Tel: +420 724 105 952, Email: [email protected], Address: Plzeňská 37, Plasy 33 101, Penzion Rudolf II.: GPS: 49.9330835,13.3889911 Tel: +420 602 962 304, Email: [email protected], Address: Plzeňská 37, Plasy 33 101, Restaurant Bílý Beránek, Kralovice: GPS: 49.9330835,13.3889911 Tel: +420 373 300 373, Email: [email protected], Hotel Bílý beránek, Kralovice: Address: nám. Osvobození 43, Kralovice 331 41, Tel: +420 373 300 373, GPS: 49.9816159,13.4872887 Email: [email protected], Address: nám. Osvobození 43, Kralovice 331 41, GPS: 49.9816159,13.4872887

#VisitCZ @czechrepublic @VisitCZ CzechTourism 5