Lichtenwald, Baroque hunting lodge on Bradáčov summit, Český Jiřetín, Czech Republic.
Lichtenwald is a baroque hunting lodge on a summit in Český Jiřetín, composed of connected buildings such as a main lodge, forester's house, gatehouse, stables, and wagon shed arranged in a circular pattern. The structures were built from stone and designed with a practical layout for hunting and forestry operations.
The complex was built between 1761 and 1767 when Emanuel Filibert von Waldstein commissioned architect JM Rüttig from Bílina to design it for Princess Marie Anna Theresia von Liechtenstein. Its construction occurred during an era when hunting lodges became fashionable status symbols for European noble families.
The baroque design shows how nobles in the 18th century expressed their passion for hunting and displayed their power through isolated structures in wild places. The hilltop position was deliberate, meant to emphasize the owner's importance.
The site sits on a mountaintop and is only reachable on foot, requiring sturdy footwear and reasonable fitness. The buildings can be viewed from outside since they are not open to visitors, though external renovations have been recently completed.
In 1848 the estate operated a Wapiti deer breeding program, which was an early wildlife management effort in the Ore Mountains. This project shows that the estate owners were not only interested in hunting but also in carefully maintaining animal populations.
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