Telc

Telc Chateau and church

It seemed reasonable to stay another night in Telc so that we could see the town and chateau and then take a ride in the neighborhood.  And, luckily, one room was still available in this comfortable 12 room hotel--our room.  So we signed up, and then signed up for the 11:30 English tour of the chateau.  We had expected more tourists in town, but saw only one Japanese group.  


We were the only people on our tour.  The rather plain exterior of the chateau is a contrast to the remarkable interior.  The ceilings were especially interesting, including elaborate painting and carving.  Renaissance furniture was original to the chateau and in good condition.  Some renovation to the ceilings and floors has been done, but much is untouched.  Sadly (as usual) no photos, though I have included one from our guide book.

(photo from our guidebook) The Golden Hall

A brief history of the chateau and town:  The town, established in the 13th c was purchased in the mid 14th c by the Hradec branch of the Vitkovci family (in a land swap with the Luxembourgs).  After the town fire in 1530 and led by Zacharias of Hradac from 1550 on, the town and chateau were rebuilt in the Renaissance style which is evident today.  In 1681 the estate became the property of a branch of the Liechtenstein family, who lived here until 1945, when ownership passed to the state.


We returned to our room for lunch (getting a bit chilly out there) and relaxation.  At 3:30 we departed for a three hour ride.  Again Rob found some delightful back roads, dipping south into Austria briefly.  We noticed the abundance of ponds and small lakes throughout the area, including one large lake with extensive camping facilities.  Somehow we avoided the dark clouds and potential rain, and returned dry to Telc at 6:30.