Nové Hrady: Castle, Crypt and Church Art

If you are considering Nové Hrady as a travel destination, these specific themes can help you get your bearings: castle architecture and interiors, the Buquoy family history, church art, and crafts and seasonal events. Terčino údolí adds a park landscape with its own history of design to the mix. Depending on whether you are primarily interested in historic interiors, sacred art, landscape history or events with set dates, you will find different focal points for your stay.

Nové Hrady Castle and Historic Living Spaces

Nové Hrady Castle is a passage castle with two opposite gates and a deep moat. It was founded by the Vítkovci in the second half of the 13th century. Following its reconstruction, the Buquoy interiors are open to visitors. Numerous family portraits and memorabilia commemorating the family’s military glory give them their defining theme. The residence of the estate official offers a different perspective on history: it depicts bourgeois living around the turn of the 20th century. The tour thus presents family history and a later form of living as two distinct historical focal points.

Buquoy Family Crypt: Family History and Visiting Hours

The Buquoy family crypt consists of a crypt on the ground floor and a chapel on the upper floor. It still contains eight coffins with the remains of members of the Buquoy family, including three married couples, as well as relatives from the Cappy family. The architecture of the crypt and the family members buried there offer two concrete points of reference for understanding this place. The crypt is open to the public during designated visiting hours. Check these hours before your visit so you can plan your tour accordingly.

Church of St. Peter and Paul: Furnishings and Vault

The Church of St. Peter and Paul preserves early Baroque furnishings from the third quarter of the 17th century. Its presbytery features a late Gothic net vault, considered the most perfect of its kind in South Bohemia. The furnishings and the vault therefore represent different art-historical characteristics: one reflects the style and period of the church furnishings, the other a specific architectural form. The church is open to the public during regular services. Tours of the church and monastery are available only during the summer tourist season or by prior arrangement. If you are planning a tour, take this time restriction into account.

Terčino údolí: Park Landscape and Natural Monument

Terčino údolí is a national natural monument covering an area of 139.29 hectares; work on its park landscape began in 1765. The area figure and the start of the landscaping describe two different aspects: the size of the natural monument and the history of the park. In contrast to the individual interiors of the castle and crypt, the focus here is on a designed landscape. The year 1765 places its design history in the 18th century, providing a different point of reference from the construction and furnishing history of the historic buildings.

Novohradská Kovárna and Seasonal Events

Novohradská kovárna is a valuable example of a smithy founded by Ferdinand Grössinger in 1719. Since 2003, the Rožmberk society has organized various events, courses and activities there. Traditional events include Easter gatherings, Bramborování na kovárně in late October and Čertovské kování in early December. These seasonal timeframes can help you get your bearings, but they are no substitute for the specific event date. If you are planning to travel for a particular event, check the date in advance.

Discover more destinations: Vráto, Strýčice, Svatý Jan Nad Malší, Teindles, Olesnik, Groß Cekau, Litvínovice, Adamstadt

Return to the regional travel overview: Okres České Budějovice.