Jansky Vrch

Jansky Vrch stands above Javornik in the far north of Moravia, close to the Polish border, and it was the residence of the prince-bishops of Wroclaw, who held this enclave for centuries and rebuilt the medieval castle into a comfortable rococo chateau in the 1750s and 1760s. The interiors are furnished from that period and later. Its unusual holding is a collection of smoking pipes and tobacco accessories, several thousand items covering three centuries and many countries, which is among the larger such collections in Europe and one of the few displayed in a historic house rather than a specialist museum. Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, the composer, was kapellmeister to the bishop here for two decades from 1770 and died in the region; his rooms and material are shown and a music festival carries his name. The park around is English landscape.

History

The castle is first mentioned in 1307, as a property of the Dukes of Świdnica; in 1348 Bolko II of Świdnica sold it to Prince-Bishop Preczlaw of Pogarell, and from then on it belonged to the bishops of Breslau. Badly damaged by the Hussites in the 15th century, it was rebuilt under Bishop Jan IV Roth at the end of that century and finished in 1509 by his successor John V Thurzó, when it was renamed Johannesberg in honour of John the Baptist, patron of the bishops. Prince-Bishop Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch (1716-1795) rebuilt it in Baroque style as his main residence, and with the town of Javorník it became a cultural centre of Upper Silesia, home for a time to the composer Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf; Bishop Joseph Christian of Hohenlohe later made it a summer residence. It remained a centre of the region's cultural life into the early 20th century. Lent to the state in 1959 and acquired by it in 1984 under an agreement between the Polish and Czechoslovak archdioceses, it has been a national cultural monument since 1 January 2002 (Wikipedia, Jánský Vrch Castle).

What's there

• A prince-bishops' residence - rebuilt in rococo in the 1750s and 1760s.
• Several thousand pipes - one of the larger such collections in Europe.
• Dittersdorf's rooms - the composer who worked here for two decades from 1770.
• An English park - laid out around the chateau on the hill.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Practical notes

Guided tours only, seasonal, closed in winter. The walk up from Javornik is steep. The region is remote and public transport limited. Festival dates change the access.

Nearby

Jesenik and the Rychleby hills are east; the Polish border is close.

Key facts