Podebrad castle

Podebra'd Castle is a bright landmark of the resort town of Podebrady in the Czech Republic, as well as an integral part of its history. The first settlements appeared here in the early Paleolithic, which is confirmed by archaeological excavations. This was facilitated by the mild climate and convenient location of the area. At the beginning of the XIII century, King Przemysl Otakar II built a fortress on this site, which later turned into a castle.

The construction of the fortress made it possible to fully control the crossing of the Elbe River and parts of the Cladsk trade route from the Czech Republic to Poland. Mentions of the existence of a fortress in Podebrady are preserved in manuscripts and date back to 1268. In 1345, the fortress became the property of the Lichtenburg family, and only six years later it passed to the Podebrad family. During this period, the troops of Emperor Sigismund controlled the fortress and the surrounding area, then came under the control of Jiri from Podebrad. Being in royal property, the fortress was repeatedly rebuilt and gradually turned into a castle. Reconstruction, carried out in 1723-1780, gave the castle its final appearance - in the Baroque style. This is what the castle looks like today.

In 1905, the German landowner von Büllew, using an ordinary rod, discovered a spring in the inner courtyard of the castle, thanks to which a balneological resort was opened in the city. The modern owner of the castle is a joint-stock company serving the resorts of Podgrebad. Today it houses the Institute of Language and Vocational Training of Charles University, as well as a theater and museum.