Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov)
On Gingerguide's self-guided Český Krumlov audio tour, Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov) is a stop worth about ~120 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type castle
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Český Krumlov Český Krumlov guide
About Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov)
The second-largest castle complex in the country after Prague Castle: forty painted buildings, five courtyards and live bears in the moat, strung along a rocky spur above the Vltava.
Český Krumlov Castle is a sprawling complex of roughly forty buildings and palaces arranged around five courtyards on a rocky promontory above a horseshoe bend of the Vltava, ranking as the second-largest castle ensemble in the Czech Republic after Prague Castle. First documented in 1253 and founded by the Vítkovci nobility, it became the principal seat of the Rožmberk (Rosenberg) family, who held it from 1302 to 1602 and transformed the Gothic fortress into a Renaissance residence; later it belonged to Emperor Rudolf II, the Eggenberg family, and from 1719 to 1947 the Schwarzenbergs. The Historic Centre of Český Krumlov, including the castle, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992. Brown bears, the Rosenbergs' heraldic animal, have been kept in the castle moat as a tradition for centuries and remain there today.
Did you know? Live brown bears still occupy the castle's dry moat. The Rosenbergs first kept them because a bear featured on the family arms, and the tradition has survived, with gaps, for more than four centuries.
How much time do you need at Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov)?
Around ~120 min works well for Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov) — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov)?
Yes — Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov) made the cut as one of 12 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Český Krumlov. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Český Krumlov
Day 2 of the Český Krumlov in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Český Krumlov Castle (Státní hrad a zámek Český Krumlov)
Preview the Český Krumlov tour free in the Gingerguide app.