Hradek u Nechanic

Hradek u Nechanic was built between 1839 and 1857 for Count Frantisek Arnost Harrach, who wanted an English country house: the design, in the Tudor Gothic manner, came from the English architect Edward Buckton Lamb, while the young Austrian architect Karl Fischer ran the building work and proposed the interior decoration. Most of the furniture was made by local craftsmen and the rest brought from Italy and Austria, with Gothic-style panelling, tapestries, arms and glass that make the rooms look older than the house. That practice of buying and installing historic fabric was common in the period and this is one of the better examples of it. The park runs to about two hundred and thirty hectares in the English landscape manner with a golf course now on part of it.

History

Hrádek u Nechanic was built between 1839 and 1857 as the representative summer seat of Count František Arnošt Harrach, one of the most important members of the Jilemnice line of the family. The castle was designed by the English architect Edward Buckton Lamb, while the young Austrian architect Karl Fischer led the building work and proposed the decoration of the interiors; it is sometimes called "Little Hluboká" for its likeness to Hluboká Castle. Most of the furniture was made by local craftsmen, the rest brought from Italy and Austria. At the same time L. Krüger turned part of the surrounding forest into a park, with a game reserve and a pheasantry in its left part. In 2001 the castle was declared a national cultural monument (Wikipedia, Hrádek u Nechanic).

What you'll find

• Tudor Gothic by an English architect - Edward Buckton Lamb's design.
• Reinstalled historic interiors - Renaissance panelling and ceilings bought from older buildings.
• Furnished rooms - local craftsmanship with pieces from Italy and Austria.
• A 230-hectare English park - laid out with the house in the 1840s.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

What to expect

Guided tours only, seasonal, with separate routes. The historic-looking rooms are assemblages, not original to the house - which is the interest, but it surprises people. Closed Mondays.

Nearby

Hradec Kralove is fifteen kilometres east; Karlova Koruna is south-west.

Key facts