Vrchlabí Castle, Cultural monument in Vrchlabí, Czech Republic.
Vrchlabí Castle is a château in the town of Vrchlabí, Czech Republic, displaying Renaissance-style elements with four octagonal towers topped by onion-shaped domes. The structure sits within a landscaped park featuring artificial lakes and exotic trees that surround the grounds.
The castle originated as a Gothic fortification in 1525 and was later transformed by mining entrepreneur Kryštof Gendorf into a grand residence between 1533 and 1546. This transformation established the architectural character that has defined the building ever since.
The castle functions as the home of the local town administration and the Krkonos National Park office, merging historical architecture with contemporary government work. This dual purpose shows how the building has adapted its role to serve the community across different eras.
The castle is located in Vrchlabí and visitors can only access limited areas since much of the building is reserved for administrative purposes. The publicly accessible section is mainly the lounge area, while other rooms remain closed to tourists.
The castle grounds once featured three drawbridges spanning a defensive moat, which was filled in at the start of the 1800s during renovation work. These underground remains are no longer visible today, but they reveal the elaborate defensive structures that once surrounded the original fortress.
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