Good morning in the aristocratic house should start with a good breakfast. No Champaign was offered, unfortunately, but these days I do not drink alcohol, so it is not a big deal for me.
Morning strolling around the city with minimum people on the streets. A bit colder than yesterday. A bit gloomy weather. But peace and quiet.
Of course, I go to the castle to enjoy the views over the town from the Cloak Bridge.
And suddenly I discovered a new place for me. The park behind the catsle. I have been to Cesky Krumlov several times already, but I have never known about this park. Indeed, sometimes it is very useful to read more about the place before you visit it.
Literally, I was shocked. How could I miss this gem, right under my nose! Unfortunately, it is just an early spring time, and no flowers, no bright juicy grass, no leaves. But I could feel all the grand potential of this place.
They say, it is one of the largest and finest historic castle gardens in the whole Czech Republic, covering around 10-11 hectares. Nowadays, the Cesky Krumlov Castle Garden is a blend of Baroque (symmetrical layout, straight tree-lined avenues, decorative fountains and sculptures) and English (a park-like style, designed to imitate nature, with curving paths and informal groups of trees) landscape styles, but its overall historic character is predominantly Baroque.
The garden is much quieter than the castle courtyards and offers beautiful views over the surrounding countryside.
Coming back to the city center through the narrow cobbled streets.
The next picture is from the main square, Namesti Svornosti. With the Marian (Plague) Column, erected in the early 18th century, and with beautifully preserved Gothic and Renaissance burgher houses with colorful facades.
By the way, Plague columns like this one on the square, became an important tradition in the former Habsburg monarchy, especially in what are now the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. They served not only as religious monuments but also as public memorials marking the end of devastating epidemics.
And this is my last picture from Cesky Krumlov, from the bridge leading to the city center. And I am heading to the bus stop, which is actually 5 minutes away from the gates.
Now I have the plan to come back to Cesky Krumlov once again and to visit not only the streets of the city, but also the parks, especially during the time, when everything is blooming or at least with the leaves on the trees.
