DUCHCOV CHATEAU
An impressive chateau with Baroque and neo-Classicist features, the origins of
it date back to the 16th century. The rooms of the chateau contain collection
of antique furniture, the Wallenstein collection of paintings and a room
devoted to Giacomo Casanova ( 1725 – 1798 ), who spent the last 13 years of his
life here as the chateau librarian .
Casanova also wrote a big part of his literary works here, among others The History of My Life (famous Casanova's memoirs) and The History of Lead Chambers Escape. His death chair is a part of the permanent exposition, he was intered by a nearby St. Barbora church, the exact place remains unknown.
Originally a Gothic keep, later a Renaissance castle, rebuilt into a palatial Baroque mansion in the 17th and 18th century. In the break of the 18th and 19th century modified in Classicist style, the last owners were Valdštejns family, the castle was sold to the state in the 20s of the 20th century, new castle expositions are being added since the 60s. Monumental western staircase balustrade leads to extensive castle park, originally Baroque, modified into a Romantic english park in the 19th century. The park was damaged a lot due to coal mining in the 60s but has been renovated in the present, there is also a pavilion for Reiner's fresco from a destroyed Baroque spital. Beautiful Baroque Princely garden next to the castle. Many M. B. Braun's sculptures.