Opočno Castle is a Renaissance castle in eastern Bohemia with arcades from the second half of the 16th century and a notable collection of weapons and paintings.
According to the National Heritage Institute, Opočno Castle is among the oldest residences in eastern Bohemia. The first mention of Opočno dates from 1068 in the Chronicle of Cosmas. At first there was a fortified settlement on the trade route to Poland, then a Gothic guard castle.[1]
Building history
The Chronicle of Cosmas mentions the "oppidum" of Opočno, whose appearance is not known today. Archaeological finds from 2010 refuted the assumption that the fortified settlement did not stand on the site of the present castle. Around 1330 the Gothic castle was built by the Drslavic family; its exact layout is not known. In 1425 it was demolished and burned by the Orphan troops.[2]
Between 1495 and 1516 the first owner from the Trčka z Lípy family, Mikuláš the Younger, bought up the surrounding estates and built up an extensive domain. Zdeněk Trčka z Lípy carried out more extensive building work in a Gothic-Renaissance spirit in 1517–1537.[2] Vilém Trčka z Lípy, influenced by the Italian Renaissance, began building a Renaissance complex in 1560 and gave the castle its appearance with arcades. In 1560–1567 the gateway wing and the greater part of the west wing with a two-storey arcade were built; neither the builder nor the architect is known.[1][2] In 1567–1569 Vilém had the family tomb built in the Church of the Holy Trinity. A game park was founded before 1600, a summer house with a garden was built in 1602, and the lower part of the ball-game hall around 1635.[2]
Around 1690 a fire destroyed the upper floor and the roof of the castle. The radical reconstruction of the south wing was led by the architect G. B. Alliprandi.[2] After a fire in 1812, the farm buildings were rebuilt in 1800–1820, an orangery and a greenhouse were built, and a Romantic park was laid out in the valley of the Zlatý potok. In 1858–1887 the riding hall was rebuilt and the arcades of the north and west wings were reconstructed. In 1905–1925 Josef Colloredo-Mannsfeld had the interiors extensively altered.[2] The facades, interiors and collections were renewed in 1974–1992, and the arcades were restored in 1999–2000.[2]
Owners
During the Thirty Years' War the Trčka z Lípy family died out, and the emperor confiscated the property and sold it to Field Marshal Rudolf Colloredo. The Colloredo family, later Colloredo-Mannsfeld, owned the castle for another 300 years. Below the castle an English park was created, with trees and shrubs, waterfalls, pavilions and a palm house.[1]
Collections and tours
At the end of the 19th century the family decided to gather the family's collections at Opočno. A collection of Italian and Neapolitan Baroque painting, an armoury and collections of objects from Africa and North America came into being.[1] The collection of historical weapons, gathered at the close of the 19th century by Prince Josef II Colloredo-Mannsfeld in the Knights' Hall and the Hunting Hall, contains, according to the castle, over 2,000 exhibits and is among the largest in Czech castles and chateaux. The Hunting Hall shows mainly firearms by renowned gunsmiths, and the Knights' Hall European military weapons, plate armour and executioners' swords.[3]
The painting collection was gathered at Opočno in 1895. The catalogue from 1929 has 471 items, with Italian Baroque works predominating, among others by Giacomo del Po and Andrea Vaccaro. The works include the Žerotín epitaph from 1575.[3] The latest reinstallation took place at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022; since the 2022 season the second floor, which long served as a depository, has been open to visitors. Both floors depict life at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The tour routes lead through the first and second floors of the castle.[3]