VALTICE CASTLE (STÁTNÍ ZÁMEK)

As early as the ^12th century, a castle towered over Valtice. Over the centuries, it was modified and transformed, becoming a monument of Baroque architecture in the early ^18th century, mainly the work of two architects: Fischer von Erlach from Vienna and Domenico Martinelli from Italy. C. Tencalla and J. Ospel also worked on the project. The main courtyard, with its statues of Hercules, is the first to be discovered. The façade perfectly reflects the ideals of the period, with its orderly layout supporting a more abundant expression, in which sculpture is obviously not absent. The inner courtyard is not given much prominence. The two beautiful sundials are noteworthy. The interior is extremely luxurious: walls covered in gold leaf, furniture from various periods, heavily decorated ceilings... So much so, that in its heyday, the place rivalled the imperial court in Vienna. The park is also magnificent and not to be missed. Its relief has been used to the full, giving it a Baroque appearance. The architect didn't want the land to be flat, so he kept the hills to conceal certain areas. A torture museum is located in the park. It used to be a room where vegetables from the garden were stored. Today, you can see all the different instruments of torture that existed at the time. Before leaving the castle, linger in the vinoteka.