Duchtsov Castle is located in, in a small town, whose name it bears. The fortress is strongly associated with the name of the world-famous adventurer - Giacomo Casanova. Most of the exhibits in the castle are dedicated to him. In addition, while visiting Duchcov, tourists can learn the history of the creation of its exclusive furniture, enjoy a walk in the garden and park, which were planted during the construction of the castle.

Description

The Duchtsov Castle was built in the 13th century. Three centuries later, the fortress was dismantled, and in its place was erected luxury palace in the Renaissance style. When the castle came into the possession of the Wallenstein family, it was decided to change its style to baroque. This took a lot of time. At the same time, along with the master's house, a hospital, a French park and many outbuildings were built.

What to see?

Duchtsov Castle is known not only as an architectural castle, but also as the last refuge of Casanova. Many tourists visit Duchtsov precisely because of his eminent guest. At 60, Giacomo Casanova was a man with a rich biography, but absolutely poor. He had no home or valuable property. The Italian was sheltered by Count Waldstein, the owner of the Duchtsovsky castle. Casanova served as librarian. The palace and its gardens inspired Giacomo, and he took up creativity. During the 13 years spent in the castle, he wrote the multi-volume "The Story of My Life", a novel, scientific works on physics, chemistry and philosophy. Many manuscripts can be seen among the exhibits of the museum. Also in the collection are:

During the tour, the guide tells stories and legends about Giacomo, and especially about how difficult life was for him in this castle. The servants immediately disliked him and found hundreds of ways to spoil his life. For example, cooks often overcooked pasta, which significantly spoiled the mood of the Italian. The guests of the castle, on the contrary, were happy to communicate with the erudite and charming Casanova. By the way, attending all the events was, according to the agreement with Wallenstein, his duty.

In addition to items related to the favorite of women, you can see other interesting items in the fortress. The walls of Duchtsov are hung with works of artists of the 15th-18th centuries, who at one time also visited the castle. It is worth visiting the room with unique furniture, looking at which you can trace the history of the development of furniture in Europe. After a tour of the castle, tourists are invited to take a walk through the garden and park.

Interesting Facts

Part of the territory of the castle is occupied by modern buildings. This is due to the fact that in 1982 the administration was looking for mineral deposits on the territory of Duchtsov. For this, the old hospital and chapel were demolished. It was in their place that new houses were built.

Also interesting is the fate of the buried body of Casanova. Initially, he was buried in the cemetery next to the Duchcov Castle, but after it was closed, the remains were moved to another place. Despite close attention to Giacomo's life, the tomb has not yet been found.

How to get there?

The city of Duchtsov is located in the Czech Republic, 100 km from, they are connected by the state road No. 8. It is necessary to go along it to the town of Rehlovice, and then turn onto the E442 highway in a western direction. Near the town of Hostomice, you need to exit onto highway 258, which will lead you to the Duchcov Castle.

In the small Czech town of Duchtsov, the famous Giacomo Casanova lived his last 13 years. Count Joseph Karl von Waldstein made him a library keeper at his castle Dux. They had similar interests: he was also a Freemason, a cabalist and an avid traveler, like Giacomo Casanova.

However, life in the Bohemian castle did not please Casanova too much: the count sometimes ignored him at the table and did not introduce him to important guests - perhaps because of the difference in age and position. The servants felt this, and when Count Waldstein left the castle (often and for a long time - he loved to travel), they treated Casanova very badly, letting him know that he illegally occupied his position.

The library of the castle and the secret room where Giacomo Casanova writes his memoirs...

The film Casanova's Memoirs was made about this period, where Peter O'Toole plays the main character. The film, however, was not filmed in Dux Castle, but in vain.

The castle in the film "Memoirs of Casanova"

In the picture we see some kind of gray castle with round towers, stone walls and floors inside. The real Wallenstein castle, where Giacomo Casanova lived, was completely different - several 2-3-storey buildings located in the letter P, with parquet on the floors and quite cozy rooms.

Interestingly, it was pretty well equipped for that time. For example, stoves, most of which were located in the master's chambers, had doors in the corridors, and there, in the walls, there were boxes for firewood. Thus, the servants could heat the stoves without disturbing the masters and without carrying dirt into the rooms. The billiard room was lit by candles, but special candlesticks had reflectors so that the light fell on the billiard table.

In general, Czech castles are interesting not only for their beautiful architecture, but also for their engineering devices ...

In Dux Castle, the only soul who treated Giacomo Casanova well was a young maid. Probably, it was she who was his muse in his declining years - in this castle he wrote 42 books, including the memoirs "The Story of My Life" in 12 volumes in French.

A scene from the film "Memoirs of Casanova"

Giacomo Casanova died at the age of 73 - not bad for a nomadic and wild life and the then level of medicine! He was multifaceted: a lawyer and a cleric, a military man and a violinist, a swindler and pimp, a gourmet and a business man, a diplomat and a spy, a politician and a doctor, a mathematician, a philosopher and a cabalist, a playwright and a writer. Who did he really feel like?

You can ask him about this himself: every year, on the first weekend of June, the “Return of Casanova” festival takes place in Duchcov.

Giacomo Casanova returns to his castle for some reason from Teplice, by steam locomotive.

An old steam locomotive, fuming with black smoke, brings 2-3 wagons to the old train station in Duchtsov. Even on the train, Casanova walks around the carriages, treats children with sweets and talks with the people. He is accompanied by the same kind servant from the castle and his mistress, whom he was waiting for, but did not wait in the Dukhtsov castle.

People meet him at the station, a cannon fires, an orchestra plays, and Giacomo Casanova, accompanied by his ladies, goes to the castle.

Well, tents with various goodies and souvenirs have already been pitched near the castle, a stage has been built for musical performances and many, many interesting rides, competitions and other things for children and adults ...

: 50°36′08″ s. sh. 13°44′39″ E d. /  50.60222° N sh. 13.74417° E d. / 50.60222; 13.74417(G) (I) Duhtsov Palace-Castle(German dux, Dux listen)) is a country residence of one of the branches of the county family of the Wallensteins, located in the town of Dukhtsov, 8 km from Litvinov in the north of the Czech Republic.

It arose in the XIII century as a fortification of the feudal lords Grabishichi. In the 16th century, Lobkowitz built a Renaissance palace on the site of the castle, which in the middle of the 17th century was inherited by the Wallensteins. To rebuild the residence in the Baroque style, Jean Baptiste Matei was invited, who had already built the Troja Castle near Prague. He not only erected a new manor house, but also designed outbuildings, a hospital building and a regular park. In the 18th century, eminent masters such as Matthias Bernard Braun and Wenzel Lorenz Rainer worked on decorating the Wallenstein residence.

Duchtsov Castle is famous mainly for the fact that adventurer Giacomo Casanova spent his advanced years there as a library keeper. It was here that his famous memoirs were written. After the Battle of Kulm, Emperor Alexander I stayed in the castle. In the 19th century, both the palace and the park underwent significant alterations. In 1921, the Wallensteins ceded the estate to the state.

Prague and Central Bohemian Region South Bohemian and Pilsen Region Karlovy Vary and Ustetsky region Kralovehradecki and Liberec region Pardubice and region Vysočina South Moravian and Olomouc region Moravian-Silesian and Zlin Region

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An excerpt characterizing the Duchtsov Castle

Helen understood that the matter was very simple and easy from a spiritual point of view, but that her leaders made difficulties only because they were afraid of how the secular authorities would look at this matter.
And as a result of this, Helen decided that it was necessary to prepare this matter in society. She aroused the jealousy of the old nobleman and told him the same thing as the first seeker, that is, she put the question in such a way that the only way to get rights to her was to marry her. The old important person was for the first minute as struck by this proposal to marry a living husband as the first young person; but Helen's unshakable conviction that it was as simple and natural as the marriage of a girl had an effect on him. If even the slightest sign of hesitation, shame or secrecy in Helen herself were noticeable, then her case would undoubtedly have been lost; but not only were there no signs of secrecy and shame, but, on the contrary, she with simplicity and good-natured naivety told her close friends (and this was the whole of Petersburg) that both the prince and the nobleman had made an offer to her and that she loved both and was afraid to upset him. and another.
A rumor instantly spread throughout Petersburg not that Helen wanted to divorce her husband (if this rumor spread, very many would rebel against such an illegal intention), but a rumor spread directly that the unfortunate, interesting Helen was at a loss about which of the two she should marry. The question was no longer to what extent this was possible, but only which party was more profitable and how the court would look at it. There were indeed some inveterate people who did not know how to rise to the height of the question and saw in this plan a desecration of the sacrament of marriage; but there were few of them, and they were silent, while most were interested in questions about the happiness that befell Helen, and what choice is better. They didn’t talk about whether it’s good or bad to marry a living husband, because this question, obviously, had already been resolved for people smarter than you and me (as they said) and to doubt the correctness of the solution of the issue meant to risk showing their stupidity and inability live in the light.

In the small Czech town of Duchtsov, the famous Giacomo Casanova lived his last 13 years. Count Joseph Karl von Waldstein made him a library keeper at his castle Dux. They had similar interests: he was also a Freemason, a cabalist and an avid traveler, like Giacomo Casanova.

However, life in the Bohemian castle did not please Casanova too much: the count sometimes ignored him at the table and did not introduce him to important guests - perhaps because of the difference in age and position. The servants felt this, and when Count Waldstein left the castle (often and for a long time - he loved to travel), they treated Casanova very badly, letting him know that he illegally occupied his position.

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

The library of the castle and the secret room where Giacomo Casanova writes his memoirs... In this period, the film "Memories of Casanova" was filmed, where Peter O'Toole played the main character. The film, however, was not filmed in Dux Castle, but in vain.

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

The castle in the film "Memoirs of Casanova" In the picture we see some kind of gray castle with round towers, stone walls and floors inside. The real Wallenstein castle, where Giacomo Casanova lived, was completely different - several 2-3-storey buildings located in the letter P, with parquet on the floors and quite cozy rooms.

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

Interestingly, it was pretty well equipped for that time. For example, stoves, most of which were located in the master's chambers, had doors in the corridors, and there, in the walls, there were boxes for firewood. Thus, the servants could heat the stoves without disturbing the masters and without carrying dirt into the rooms. The billiard room was lit by candles, but special candlesticks had reflectors so that the light fell on the billiard table.

In general, Czech castles are interesting not only for their beautiful architecture, but also for their engineering devices...

In Dux Castle, the only soul who treated Giacomo Casanova well was a young maid. Probably, it was she who was his muse in his declining years - in this castle he wrote 42 books, including the memoirs "The Story of My Life" in 12 volumes in French.

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

A scene from the film "Memoirs of Casanova" Giacomo Casanova died at the age of 73 - not bad for a nomadic and wild life and the then level of medicine! He was multifaceted: a lawyer and a cleric, a military man and a violinist, a swindler and pimp, a gourmet and a business man, a diplomat and a spy, a politician and a doctor, a mathematician, a philosopher and a cabalist, a playwright and a writer. Who did he really feel like?

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

You can ask him about it himself: every year, on the first weekend of June, the "Return of Casanova" festival takes place in Duchcov.

Giacomo Casanova returns to his castle for some reason from Teplice, by steam locomotive.

// tania-cyril.livejournal.com

An old steam locomotive, fuming with black smoke, brings 2-3 wagons to the old train station in Duchtsov. Even on the train, Casanova walks around the carriages, treats children with sweets and talks with the people. He is accompanied by the same kind servant from the castle and his mistress, whom he was waiting for, but did not wait in the Dukhtsov castle.

The name of Giacomo Casanova, the great lover of the 18th century, is known to everyone. But not everyone knows that he spent the last 13 years of his life in the Czech lands. His last refuge was the Duchtsov Castle.

Duchtsov Castle (Zámek Duchcov), photo by Svyatoslav Smurov

Duchcov Castle (Zámek Duchcov) or Dux Castle (Dux) is another country residence of the Waldstein family. It is located in the town of Dukhtsov. Here Giacomo Casanova spent the last years of his life. The castle was visited by the Russian Tsar Alexander I, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm, the Austrian Chancellor Metternich, Schiller, Goethe and Beethoven.

The history of the construction of the castle

Duchtsov Castle was founded in the 13th century. It belonged to the family of feudal lords Grabishichi and served as a strategic fortification. In the 16th century, the Duchtsov Castle passed to the Lobkowicz dynasty and was rebuilt into a Renaissance palace.

View of the castle from the park, photo by Lyrael Rosse

In the 17th century, Dux went to the noble Bohemian family of the Wallensteins. At that time, the baroque style became the fashionable direction of architecture, and the new owners began to rebuild the castle. In 1675-85. the architect Jean-Baptiste Matei worked in Duchtsov. Outstanding sculptors worked in the residence of the Waldsteins: Wenzel Lorenz Rainer and Matthias Bernard Braun. During this period, utility rooms, a hospital and a park were built. Near the castle was erected the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

In the middle of the XIX century. another renovation was underway. The owner of the castle at that time was Frantisek Adam Waldstein. By his decree, the facades of the palace were changed in the classical style; the park was rebuilt in the English style. The semi-enclosed U-shaped courtyard, consisting of three wings, was supplemented with sculptures by M. B. Brown. At the same time, the famous Dux Armory was created.

In 1923, the owners of the castle sold Duchtsov to the state. Today, the Armory Hall presents a collection of knives and firearms, festive horse harness, forged chests, armor, and cannons. The Main Hall contains paintings from the Waldstein family collection. In the Billiard Hall there is a game table of the 18th century. with a ramp for lighting candles; 19th century furniture in the Rococo style and family portraits of the Wallensteins.

Duchtsov Castle - Casanova's last resting place

A museum of one of the most famous and controversial characters of the 18th century, Giacomo Casanova, has been created in Duchcov. "Great Lover" held in Dux 13 recent years life (1785-98). He acted as library curator and wrote his memoirs. In those years, Giacomo was no longer a favorite of women. He was tired, ill a lot and even took a vow of celibacy. Casanova's last literary work was a 12-volume memoir, The Story of My Life. The utopian novel Ikosameron and a number of serious scientific treatises also belong to the "Duchtsov" period.

The main exhibit of the museum is Giacomo's chair. In it, he worked on his memoirs, and he died in it. The decor of his bedroom was completely recreated. At the desk today you can see the wax figure of Casanova himself.

The aging Giacomo was not happy with life in the castle. The capricious Italian did not like the food, the yard servants, even the rainy weather of the Czech Republic. He was at enmity with the manager - the German Georg Feldkirchner. In a state of extreme irritation, Casanova often ran away from Dukhtsov, but always returned back. He had nowhere to go. Count Waldstein greeted him cordially and took him back. In the end, the world of the infirm Casanova narrowed down to a few rooms in the castle.

Death caught Giacomo in his favorite chair by the window. In his arms he held his little Italian Greyhound Finette. He was buried at the local cemetery, near the church of St. Barbara. A tombstone with his name was discovered in the 20s of the XX century, but the ashes were transferred somewhere after the cemetery was closed. Nobody knows the exact burial place of Giacomo Casanova today.

Tickets

There are 2 main tours of the castle:

I. Wallenstein excursion;
II. Casanova in the castle.

A full ticket costs 60 Kč;
preferential – 40 Kč;
family – 160 Kč;
children under 6 years old - free of charge.

Before visiting the castle, check the website for the opening hours of the castle and ticket prices.

How to get there?

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