Bellaria, Rococo summer residence in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Bellaria is a two-story summer residence with an octagonal floor plan and mansard roof, characterized by pink window frames and double spiral staircase with wrought iron railings. The building is set apart by its carefully proportioned design that emphasizes the refinement of its original purpose.

The building was constructed between 1690 and 1692 under Jan Kristian of Eggenberg as a pleasure house for the family. A century later, Josef Adam of Schwarzenberg oversaw significant renovations that gave the structure its present form.

The name comes from Italian words meaning pleasant places and reflects its character as a place of leisure. Visitors today can see how the Rococo decoration with its fine patterns and ornamental details shapes the interior.

The ground floor opens directly onto the garden: the grotta and the kitchen with the magic table are entered from outside, while the upper floors are reached by the double staircase and the spiral stair. The building stands on the terrace of the Upper Garden, next to the revolving auditorium.

The kitchen sits in the western half of the ground floor, not in a basement, and keeps its open hearth with a smoke hood and a small oven. Beside it stands the machinery of the so-called magic table, which carried dishes up to the first-floor salon.