Český Krumlov Castle

The monumental complex of the castle and chateau of Český Krumlov is situated on an elongated high rocky promontory, which is surrounded by the Vltava River from the south and the Polečnice stream on the north side. The castle and chateau proudly rise above the small Renaissance and Baroque burgher architecture of the adjacent town. The town with the majestic Church of St. Vitus together with the castle and chateau complex form a unique landmark of the entire surroundings. As a precious pearl, the town of Český Krumlov is located in a basin surrounded by the massif of the Blanský Forest in the north and the undulating terrain of the Šumava foothills in the south and west. The original Gothic castle was founded sometime before 1250. In the second half of the 16th century, the castle took the form of a monumental and magnificent Renaissance residence. Since 1989, it has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.