Bird Castle, Neoclassical monument in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic.
Bird Castle, also known as the Karl Philipp of Schwarzenberg Monument, is an unfinished Neoclassical memorial west of Český Krumlov Castle. It consists of a circular chapel inscribed in a square plan, with a rectangular southwest wing. The chapel has a rectangular entrance on each side except the southwest, where the wing is attached; the entrances are flanked by conch-vaulted niches with bottoms paved in fired bricks. The façades are articulated by pilasters, and above the chapel a tambour supports a double-shell, unmasoned dome.
The structure was built in 1816 to honor Karl Philipp Schwarzenberg, the allied commander during the 1813 Battle of Leipzig. This construction commemorates a decisive moment in European history and reflects how local figures were celebrated during that period.
The nickname Ptačí hrádek, "Bird Castle", comes from the wooded hill of the same name (Vogeltempel) where birdcatchers caught birds for the castle's lady. The memorial itself honours Field Marshal Karl Philipp of Schwarzenberg, who commanded the allied armies at Leipzig in 1813.
The monument stands on the wooded Ptačí hrádek hill west of Český Krumlov Castle. Only the exterior is open to the public; the interior is intended as an architectural studio. The building was in a ruinous state in the 1990s and was restored between 2010 and 2014.
The name Ptačí hrádek, or Bird Castle, comes from the wooded hill of the same name, Vogeltempel, where birdcatchers once caught birds for the castle's lady. The monument was left unfinished after Karl Philipp asked that the money go instead to widows and orphans of his fallen comrades.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,953 contributors worldwide.