Golf - Golfing at the Foot of Castles I - Itinerary

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Golfing at the Foot of Castles I

There are many castles, fortresses, strongholds, cloisters, ruins and other historical sites in Bohemia and Moravia. And since golf is sweeping our country in the form of golf courses going up everywhere, it is very easy to combine the game in many places with a tour of landmarks stretching back many years into history.

Karlštejn (41 km from Prague) – 18-hole golf course
Leave Prague on Highway D in the direction of Plzeň, turn off at Loděnice u Berouna (Exit 10) in the direction of Karlštejn. The journey lasts roughly 45 minutes.

The castle was built by the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Karel IV, the so-called father of the nation, as a refuge from the incessant chatter of women. Fortunately, no one before or after him saw fit to amuse himself in a similar fashion. Where it concerns castles and the like, it’s possible to stumble over one with every step, so in the end, even he had to admit that it was preposterous and opened up the castle to women. Life without women would be plain boring, wouldn’t it, gentlemen? More importantly, however, the castle was to serve as the sanctuary for safekeeping the Czech crown jewels and other valuable relics during volatile times. That’s the way things were then and somewhere today there are still golfers who, in the early days of the sport, would have driven the women away.

The Gothic castle is indeed a monumental structure and one of our most famous. It already comes into sight on the terrace of the golf clubhouse and several more times during the game. And just like the castle, the “golf course” is also unique. After the game you need only go down into the valley to begin your ascent up to the castle, with history staring at you the whole time. The entire castle consists of several structures following the slope of the hill on which it stands. From the lowest lying buildings – Předhradí, Studniční Tower and Purkrabský Palace – the castle rises up to the height of the Emperor’s Palace and Mariánská Tower. The entire group is capped off with the majestic Great Tower.

See more at www.hradkarlstejn.cz in a variety of languages.

Konopiště (47 km from Prague) – 2x 18-hole golf courses
Take Highway D1 (E65) from Prague in the direction of Brno and turn off at Mirošovice to Benešov, from where signs lead you to the parking lot at the castle. The journey lasts approximately 35 minutes.

This former Gothic fortress dating to the end of the 13th century was modified several times thanks to changes in owners among the families of Šternberk, Hodějovský, Vrtbový, Lobkowitz and lastly the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who reconstructed it into the style of castle it is today. The rooms throughout the castle are full of hunters’ trophies, arms, furniture, etc., with sightseeing tours passing through even the private chambers of the original inhabitants and servants, the various drawing rooms and studies. The castle also boasts the widest collection of paintings, pictorials, statues, jewels, and painted furniture with one singular motif – St. George, who is famous as the patron saint of knights. There are also other interesting places surrounding the castle. A rose garden, park and glass houses are places for peace and relaxation. A pair of shaggy bears, Máša and her partner Kazimír, lives in the castle moat.

See more at www.zamek-konopiste.cz in a variety of languages.

Štiřín (30 km from Prague) – 9-hole golf course
Take Highway D1 (E65) from Prague to Brno and turn off at Všechromy (Exit 10) in the direction of Velké Popovice and Štiřín. The journey lasts approximately 25 minutes.

The castle Štiřín, which also serves as a hotel, is an area with several buildings. The foundation of it is formed by a Baroque castle building winding through a two-ply staircase into a French garden and an English park after that, in which the golf course is located.

In addition to the main building, there are several reconstructed ground-floor buildings with halls, an unusually finished restaurant with several rooms, vague reminders of the Catalan architect Gaudí. At present the castle is used as a conference centre in addition to its accommodations.
The history of the castle saw a gradual change of hands among noble clans, including Salm-Reiferscheid, Rohan, Nostic-Rheinek, with the last owners being the Ringhoffers.

After the Second World War, a campaign to rescue children of all nationalities from concentration and internment camps took place here, which is recalled on a plaque placed on the building in 1995.

See more at www.stirin.cz in a variety of languages.

Source: Ota Doležal, redaktor serveru