Strakonice Castle
The castle of Strakonice was built by an important family of Bavors who started the construction of their residence at the beginning of the 13th century. Later they donated a part of the castle to the knights of the Order of St. John. In the beginning of the 15th century the knights of St. John owned the whole castle as well as the surrounding manor. The castle experienced an extensive reconstruction to a representation residence of the Grand Pilliers of the Order in the 16th century, the later modifications were minor only. Nowadays a part of the castle serves as a museum of the region of Strakonice.
The aristocratic family of Bavor had built its seat at the confluence of the Otava and Volyňka rivers in 13th century. This seat had changed into an impressive castle. Around this castle, Strakonice, called the city of bagpipers started to arise. The legend about bagpiper Švanda and bagpipe tradition of many years still kept by new young musicians make an atmosphere good for regular meetings of bagpipers, bagpipe music and dancers from many countries of the world. These meetings are held since 1967 and they are called International bagpipe festivals of Strakonice. It is one of the most important folklore festival in the world. It has the CIOFF status (Conseillnternational des Organizations de Festivals de Folklore et ďArts traditionnels, Statut B auprés de ľUNESCO) since 1995 and it has been a member of the international organization for folklore IOV (Comité international des Arts et Traditions populaires) since 1997. The festival is also the member of Folklore association of The Czech Republic, which is the most important folklore association in our country. Every festival is an opportunity for meetings and mutual understanding amongst the groups and individuals with original bagpipes, their reconstructions and replicas and with the other folk instruments. They play for dancing and also for listening. They make great atmosphere of the festival for the Czech and foreign visitors every second year. Fondness for tradition and folk connects both the visitors and the participants. Stakonice will welcome everyone who will visit the International bagpipe festival.
Since the 19th century Strakonice was a main production site for fez hats, Strakonice became an industrial center known for its motorbikes and hand guns.

International bagpipe festival

A bagpipe is a musical instrument which participates in a musical tradition development of many nations not only European ones. Pastoral regions of East Asia had been probably an original homeland of the bagpipe and its developmental ancestors. From this region the bagpipe had spread to north parts of Africa and step by step to all Europe. With regard to its technology development and society assert the bagpipe is not only a historical proof of musical heritage but also in many countries and regions a lively used or traditionally maintained instrument.
By organology the bagpipes belongs among wind instruments with single or double plates. But by the other marks we can furthermore classify them / the bagpipe with single, double or triple melodious chanters, without bordun chanter or with one, two or more bordun chanters, inflating by mouth or with blow bellow, with various holding systems, various decorations, tuning etc./ Many iconographical and written documents have evidences of its appearance, use and expansion since 10th century.
At the beginning of its development we can find the primitive chanters and the single chanter bagpipes. The technological top is the French baroque bagpipe "musette-de-cour" ( courtly bagpipe) with two double plates melodious chanters with stop mechanism, with bordun rocket device. This instrument was used in concerts and in aristocratic and noble saloons in 17th and 18th century. Many famous composers have composed for this instrument. Related instruments are still used today in England (Northumbrian small pipes) and in Ireland (Union pipes).
The first information about the bagpipes in Bohemia is from 13th century. But the name "bagpipe" in our country we can find later in 15th century. The older Latin sources mention a name "chorus", from this name arised the names "kór" and "kořec". In 14th - 15th century we can find in our country the names "kozicie", later "kozice", "koza", "kozlík", but also "kejdy", "kajdy", "gajdy".
We had used the bagpipe inflating by mouth in Bohemia until the 19th century, later we started to use the bagpipe with blow bellows. The bagpipe with violin was the most popular group in the 16th century. In the 19th century we also started to use the clarinet and this group was called "small farm music". By the requirements the musicians can use also the second clarinet, the second violin and contrabass.
If the good bagpiper was able to use nice variations, figurations, songs and humour he became very popular. And bagpiper Švanda from Strakonice was like this. Strakonice is the city at the confluence of the Otava and Volyňka rivers. It lies in the region called Prácheňsko known for its song, dance and good bagpipers. Thanks to this tradition Strakonice has become the bagpipers centre where the famous International bagpipe festivals take place every second year since 1967. This festival hosts groups and the bagpipers from different countries. The festival has the CIOFF status (International organization of folklore festivals by UNESCO) since 1995 and the IOV status (International organization for folk art) since 1997.

Bagpipes tradition and types in the Czech Republic.
Bohemian "Bock"
This ancient folk instrument is played in most of Bohemia's bagpipe regions, and also in the neighbouring areas of Austria and Germany.
The melody pipe has 7 finger holes. These enable the playing (in closed fingering) of a typical Central European bagpipe scale, the range of which is an incomplete ninth. The stock for the melody pipe has the shape of a small stylized goat's head, which is characteristic for this instrument (Hence the German name Bock = he-goat).
The drone (bass pipe) is tuned two octaves below the basic tone of the melody pipe. During playing it rests on the shoulder, hanging down the back of the player, or it hangs in front of the player - as was the case with older types of this instrument.
The pipes have a cylindrical bore. Single reeds with a beating tongue serve as tone generators. The air reservoir is made from goatskin (with hair). For the wooden parts we use either maple or pear.
Moravian bagpipe
Ancient folk instrument, many different types of which were to be found in the entire territory of Moravia.
The melody pipe has 7 finger holes. These enable the playing (in closed fingering) of a typical Central European bagpipe scale, the range of which is an incomplete ninth.
The drone (bass pipe) is tuned two octaves below the basic tone of the melody pipe. During playing it rests on the shoulder, hanging down the back of the player.
The pipes have a cylindrical bore. Single reeds with a beating tongue serve as tone generators. The air reservoir is made from sheep- or goatskin (with hair). For the wooden parts we use either maple or pear. We furnish these instruments with a bellows.

Moldanky - four-voiced bagpipe
This instrument was used in the 17th and 18th centuries. M. Praetorius mentioned it - under the name of "Dudey" - and it can be found in numerous iconographic sources (a.o. in paintings by Flemish masters). Two specimens have been preserved in Czech museum collections.
The melody pipe has 7 or 8 finger holes, which enable the playing (in closed fingering) of a diatonic scale in the range of an octave or ninth. The three drones are inserted in one common stock. It is possible to tune them one tone higher, to enable playing in a Dorian key, or replace the melody pipe by one in another key.
The narrow bore of the pipes and the single reed give the instrument a quiet, chamber sound. The air reservoir is manufactured from smooth natural hide (without hair). The instrument is furnished with a bellows. In accordance with the surviving museum specimens and iconographic sources the wooden parts are furnished with metal or bone ferrules, or decorated with pewter (tin) inlay.

Mediaeval (Royal) bagpipe
Reconstruction of a Gothic instrument, after an illustration in the 13th century Spanish manuscript "Cantigas de Santa Maria".
A stylized woodcarving in the shape of a King's head forms the common stock for two pipes of equal length, positioned parallel one behind the other, the foremost of which is the drone, the other the melody pipe.
The melody pipe has 7 or 8 finger holes, which enable the playing of a diatonic scale in the range of an octave, respectively a ninth.
The drone has the same tone as the basic tone of the melody pipe, with the possibility to tune the drone one tone higher, to enable playing in a Dorian or minor key.
The pipes have a cylindrical bore. Single reeds with a beating tongue serve as tone generators. Contrary to the iconographic source, we furnish the instrument with bellows in order to keep the reeds dry and enable a more stable intonation and easier playing.

Mediaeval bagpipe
Archaic form of an instrument that could be found in almost entire Europe, and the depictions of which have survived in numerous historical documents.
The melody pipe has 8 finger holes, which enable the playing of a diatonic scale in closed fingering, or a partially chromatic scale in open fingering (similar to that of a Baroque recorder).
The drone is tuned 1 or 2 octaves below the basic tone of the melody pipe, with the possibility of tuning it 1 tone higher, and enable playing in a Dorian or minor key. In the case of two drones, the second sounds either a fifth or an octave higher than the other.
The pipes have a cylindrical bore. Single reeds with a beating tongue serve as tone generators.
We furnish these instruments with bellows in order to keep the reeds dry and enable a more stable intonation and easier playing. The air reservoir is made from natural hide (without hair). For the wooden parts we use either maple or pear.

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