The chateau of Hluboká nad Vltavou could easily be the Czech Sleeping Beauty Castle. It’s surrounded by flower gardens and with interiors in wood and gold and you’d expect the princess to be just around the corner.
Where to find the castle
To find this castle which we find the most likely to be the Czech Sleeping Beauty castle, you have to drive about 150 km south from Prague. Hluboká nad Vltavou is a south Bohemian town close to České Budějovice and also Český Krumlov. Once in town you won’t miss the castle thanks to the many information posters and arrows.
History of the Chateau in Hluboká nad Vltavou and how it was influenced by Victorian England
Before there was the Neogothic chateau there was the Fronburg castle built in the 13th century. Over the centuries is changed owners often, passing from one noble family to another. In the 18th century, the castle suffered significant damages in the War of the Austrian Succession and in the 1830s the owner decided to tear the castle down and build a new Romantic chateau. However, the year 1838 changed everything. The owner, who was from the Schwarzenberg line, attended the coronation of Queen Victoria and he was enchanted by the Tudor gothic architecture style of England. He hired the Viennese architect Franz Beer who was acquainted with this style and became the contruction supervisor for the next 20 years. The interiors were finished decades later, in 1871.
The last owner, Adolf Schwarzenberg, lost the chateau after being forced to emigrate due to his unwillingness to collaborate with the Nazis. The chateau was confiscated in 1947. Nowadays, the chateau is owned by the state.
Almost Sleeping Beauty Castle
At the time of its construction the chateau’s style was considered tacky. The art critic Eduard Herold described it with these unflattering words:
On the right, Hluboká stands out from the dark of the forest. It’s the new chateau of the prince of Schwarzenberg and it’s exactly as impicturesque from far as it is from close. It’s superficially forged.
However, what many could not appreciate then millions appreciate now. It is the only one chateau of this style in the whole of Czech Republic (the chateau which comes closest is the one in Hrádek u Nechanic, whose project author was the same). It’s like a piece of the Windsor England in Bohemia and the chateau that most resembles a Sleeping Beauty castle. It even has the rose gardens.
For visitors
The castle exteriors and interiors are accessible for visitors all year round except for Mondays and some holidays. There are 140 rooms, 11 towers and several guided tours, several of them with access for the handicapped. You can find more information on the official website of the chateau.
Accommodation near the chateau
Hluboká nad Vltavou is a small town and the accommodation options are limited. Several hotels are fairly close to the chateau: The Parkhotel Hluboká is just at the chateau garden, at the opposite site. It’s a very nice location and you can take a quiet stroll towards the chateau. Hotel Štekl is a good option for more demanding clients. It looks like a chateau itself and it’s only a 5-minute walk from the Hluboká castle. Wellness Hotel Diamant offers – as the name suggests – wellness treatments and you can reach the castle in 14 minutes by foot.
There are also apartments and cottages to rent. I’ve set up a deal finder to help you look for the most economy accommodation options at any given moment:
More photos of the Czech Sleeping Beauty Castle
