Bechyně Castle, Renaissance castle in Bechyně, Czech Republic
Bechyně Castle is a four-winged Renaissance château of orange-red masonry with light stone window trim, built around a rectangular courtyard open to the sky. Its hipped roofs are clad in red tiles, one wing rises higher than the others, and a dark onion-domed clock tower stands on the left corner of the front wing. The building occupies a grassy slope above the Lužnice and Smutná confluence.
King Ottokar II of Bohemia established this fortification in 1268 at a strategic riverside location. Architect Baldassare Maggi transformed it into a Renaissance residence during the 16th century, adapting its medieval purpose to contemporary architectural tastes.
The castle courtyard was painted with frescoes by Gabriele de Blonde between 1570 and 1573, during the rule of Peter Wok of Rosenberg. The Gothic hall, made in 1515 by the Franconian builder Wendel Roskopf, is among the sights of the castle. The former granary now holds an exhibition on the sculptor Vladimír Preclík.
The castle stands on a promontory above the confluence of the Smutná and Lužnice rivers, south of Bechyně's town centre. The grounds include a courtyard and a slope, so expect uneven surfaces and changes in level. The former granary now serves as the Zámecká sýpka exhibition space.
The former castle granary now serves as the Zámecká sýpka exhibition space, which includes a display of works by sculptor Vladimír Preclík. The building is separate from the four-winged chateau around its courtyard, so visitors often pass it without realising it holds a gallery.
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