Castle Of Slavkov - Austerlit
CASTLE OF SLAVKOV - AUSTERLITZ
National monument
Castle of Slavkov - Austerlitz
National monument
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Dear Visitors,
Welcome to Slavkov castle, a Baroque pearl of
Moravia, close to Brno. In 2008, the castle was included in the list of national cultural monuments.
Besides the guided tour of the castle, we offer a whole series of additional services and events. We believe you will repeat your visit of the Slavkov castle, its
gardens as well as the town of Slavkov. We wish you
a pleasant experience.
Services available in the castle:
● comprehensive services in the area of tourism
(guided tours in the Czech language, also other languages at request and upon previous reservation);
● c astle café and summer garden café close to the
ticket office;
● c astle restaurant with a wide-range offer of wines;
● souvenirs, publications and books related to the
Slavkov castle;
● exhibitions, concerts;
● cultural and social events in the premises of the
whole castle;
● wedding ceremonials and wedding receptions.
GPS coordinates: 49°55‘14.951“N, 17°49‘59.704“E
Traffic connection
By car - highway D1 from Prague - exit Slavkov u Brna
- Highway D1 from Ostrava - exit Rousinov
By train - railway station Slavkov u Brna
By bus - bus station Slavkov u Brna
By bicycle - bikeways 5097, 5136
Contact
Castle of Slavkov - Austerlitz
Palackého nám. 1, 684 01 Slavkov u Brna
Phone No. / Fax No.: +420 544 221 685
Phone No.: +420 544 221 204
e-mail: info@zamek-slavkov.cz
www.zamek-slavkov.cz
Austerlitz Castle restaurant
Palackého nám. 1
684 01 Slavkov u Brna
420 544 212 166
Phone No.: +
+420 606 637 666
Opening hours of the castle
April - October
Daily except Mondays
from 9 am to 4 pm
May and September
Daily except Mondays
from 9 am to 5 pm
June - August
Daily from 9 am to 5 pm
November
Daily except Mondays
from 9 am to 4 pm
December 1 – 14
Daily except Mondays
from 9 am to 4 pm
Memorial events
Special mode
Unsaleable publication
Photos provided by: Bedřich Maleček, Radoslav Lánský.
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Salla terrena
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HISTORY OF THE CASTLE
Slavkov ranks among the oldest well-preserved manors
in Moravia. In the first half of the 13th century, a Teutonic
Knights Commandery was built in the place of the present Baroque castle. Slavkov is first mentioned to be in their possession in 1237. Parts of the residential building and circular stair
tower of the commandery are preserved under the northern
tract of the Baroque castle and under one part of the castle
courtyard. By the end of the 16th century, probably during the
reign of Oldřich III of Kaunitz, a new Renaissance castle was
erected on the older foundations with a four-winged groundplan, arcades and a huge prismatic tower.
The impulse for Baroque reconstruction of the Kaunitz Renaissance residence in Slavkov was laid by Dominik Ondřej
Kaunitz at the end of the 17 th century. This task of building a
representative residence of the family in place of the inconvenient Renaissance building was entrusted to the Italian
architect Domenik Martinelli of Lucca. Martinelli introduced
his concept of the Baroque castle in the so-called Danube Baroque style in the 1680s. Besides the actual Baroque castle, he
also included a modification and reconstruction of a greater
part of the town with a new parish church. Originally, the
courtyard should have been ended by an entrance gate in the
place of the present ground floor semi-circular stalls.
The construction of the castle started in the last years of the
17 th century under the supervision of local bricklayer foremen
and on infrequent inspections of Martinelli. The central –
western wing with massively extended corners and haunches
of both side wings was erected first. The western moat was
arched over in its middle by a bridge with several stair levels.
The retreating central forefront was emphasized in the first
floor by a balcony opening to the garden from the central room
of the 1st floor of the western wing.
Martinelli’s typical interior solution consisted of two separate staircases and a rectangular vestibule segmented by huge
ground floor columns. The designers of interior decorations
were also Italian masters.
The frescoes were painted by Andrea Lanzani who closely
cooperated with the stucco master, Santino Bussi. Sculptures
in the castle as well as in the park were done by Giovanni Giuliani.
Dominik Ondřej, the initiator of the Baroque reconstruction of Slavkov castle, died in 1705. Only the western wing was finished then. Its successor, and from 1720
also the Moravian family heir, was his son, Maxmilián Oldřich
of Kaunitz, imperial count of Rietberg, and from 1720 also the
head of the Moravian government. After 1720 he also focused
on the completion of the castle reconstruction. He found a
successor of Martinelli’s architectural layouts, the Italian architect Ignacio Valmaggini. The need of a spacious social hall
and a pretentious frontispiece from the honorary courtyard
necessitated some significant changes in the original plans,
particularly in the courtyard part of the western wing with
arched underpass. The efforts to increase the representative
character of the courtyard lead to the expansion of the ends of
the manor wings and the digging out of their courtyard sides.
Thus, a large entrance area was created, which was delimited
on the other side by similar arches as in the stalls. From the
beginning of the 1730s, the completion of this work was given
to the charge of a competent designer and architect, Václav
Petruzzi.
Maxmilián Oldřich of Kaunitz did not live long enough to
see the final appearance of the castle. Only his son, Václav
Antonín, the Count Kaunitz-Rietberg, the most significant
member of the whole family line and from 1764 also the imperial count, state minister and chancellor of Her Majesty Empress Maria Theresa, of the Emperors Leopold II, Joseph II
and Francis II, had the credit of the completion of the entire
castle complex. Shortly after he took up the family property
after his father’s death, the whole main building, including
the southern wing, was built. The exteriors of the newly built
parts were adapted to Martinelli’s western façade, but inside
the Classicist elements were dominant. Previous profuseness
of the stucco and fresco decorations was replaced by linear
segmentation of large areas by fine decorating.
Similarly decorated were the ceilings of the oblong ground
floor vestibule, the barrel vault in the corridors of the first
floor of both wings and the ceiling and the walls of the northern staircase. In terms of the spatial layout, maximum attention was paid to the central oval social hall, the illusionary
decoration of which was carried out by the Viennese court
fresco creator, Josef Pichler, in 1767. Count Kaunitz also
finished the modification of the former dining hall to the socalled Ancestors’ Hall with larger-than-life paintings of his
parent, grandparents and his wife. The last work in the castle
was completed with the painted decoration of the castle’s
St Cross Chapel, also carried out by Pichler in 1769.
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Historical Hall
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Castle interiors
At present, almost the entire first floor of Slavkov castle is
accessible to the public. It is comprised of parts of the once
large Kaunitz gallery, the beginnings of which go back to the
first half of the 17 th century. The biggest expansion of the family painting gallery happened in the second half of the 18th century under Václav Antonín of Kaunitz. The gallery contained
not only copies but also the originals of the works of famous
European masters. However, as a result of losses, sales and
fires, by the end of the 19th century, the collection was reduced
to a mere remnant, parts of which, especially the portraits of
the members of the Kaunitz family, are used in the castle expositions.
The ceilings of the western wing interiors are decorated
with stuccos by Santino Bussi and frescoes by Andreo Lanzani. Particularly remarkable is the so-called Ancestors’ Hall
decorated with a monumental ceiling fresco portraying the
gods on Olympus. The Ancestors’ Hall is interconnected with
the oval, so-called Historical Hall, which was completed only
in the 1760s with an illusionary decoration by Josef Pichler
and where the armistice between Austria and France was
signed after the battle at Slavkov. What is interesting in this
hall is its acoustics. Its construction was designed so that
during top political discussions one could not hear what was
being discussed by others even if they were standing close to
him.
During the tour, the public also has access to the oratory
of the castle’s St Cross Chapel. The interior of the chapel is
dominated by the altar with monumental statues of angels,
the work of F. X. Messerschmidt from 1774. The chapel premises are used for wedding ceremonies and concerts.
The park
The manor’s park in Slavkov u Brna is one of the most important historic gardens in Moravia and is an integral part of
the castle premises. The park was built concurrently with the
Baroque castle from 1700 by the architect Domenic Martinelli. The original conception was the Renaissance garden with
a flower park and an orangery (casino) decorated with frescos
by Andreo Lanzani. With the contribution of the Dutch experts, the garden was planted with imported seeds and bulbs.
The complex was supplemented with a fountain by Peter William and sculptures by Giovanni Guiliani.
The new layout of the garden from 1774 basically took over
the segmentation of the large park, nevertheless, it changed
the system of water canals in the system of pools. The castle
parterre was modified and 30 sculptures by Giovanni Guiliani
and Ignacio Lengelacher were added to the upper parterre of
the park. The renovated garden was re-opened at the occasion
of the UNESCO symposium on Baroque gardens in 1977.
Castle of Slavkov - Austerlitz
and Napoleon
Slavkov castle is famous not only for its architecture but
also because of its connection with the Battle of Three Emperors at Slavkov at the beginning of December 1805.
After the retreat of the allied forces from Austria via Brno
to Olomouc, Slavkov was occupied by the troops of the French
army of the field marshal Soult in the middle of November.
A few days later, the French retreated and the town was
occupied by the allies marching from Olomouc to the decisive
battle.
One day before the battle, the opulent Kaunitz residence
became the seat of the allied Emperors, Francis II and
Alexander I.
On 2 December 1805, the allied forces met Napoleon in
the area between Telnice and Tvarožná. Napoleon gave them
a crushing defeat and fought out his probably most famous
and most valued victory that at the same time terminated the
whole military campaign for that year.
The defeated Austrian – Russian troops retreated along
the Hodonín road to Hungary and Napoleon transferred his
main headquarters to Slavkov castle. There, he also gave his
famous order starting with: “Soldiers, I am pleased with you.”
During the following days, the castle became the place
of diplomatic meetings preceding the end of the war.
On 4 December, Napoleon met Emperor Francis II at Spalený
mlýn and two days later, the field marshal Berthier on behalf
of France and the Count Liechtenberg on behalf of Austria
signed the armistice agreement in the oval hall of Slavkov
castle. The hall where the armistice was agreed became later
known as the Historical Hall.
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Costume guided tours
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TOURS OF THE CASTLE
Historical halls
Other thematic exhibitions
This tour introduces to the visitors the representative
premises of the castle with rich fresco and stucco decorations,
period furniture and part of the previously famous picture
gallery of the Kaunitz family line. It leads through the Ancestors’ Hall with portraits of the most significant owners of the
castle, the Rubens’s Hall with copies of Rubens’s large-area
paintings and last but not the least through the Historical
Hall which was the place where the armistice after the battle
at Slavkov was agreed. The tour ends in the St Cross chapel
with unique acoustics for concert performances.
Several gallery premises are located in the premises of the
castle. During the season they are always used for exhibitions
of various art productions. Have a look at the cultural events
calendar and you can always choose. There is a glass artefacts
exhibition, ceramics, flowers, paintings, photographs, jewellery, graphics, bobbin laces as well as various Christmas expositions, wine exhibitions and tasting and many others. Current exhibitions are always announced one year ahead on the
website of the castle.
Castle underground
The underground tour of Slavkov castle introduces the
unique premises of two floors of the castle cellars, the system of connecting corridors, stairs, economic background
with a bakery and additional kitchen. You may also visit the
torture room and a stone collection with sculptural artefacts.
Undoubtedly, the most interesting part of the undergrounds
for the visitors is the remains of the medieval fortress of the
Teutonic Knights Order from the 13th century.
Historical lounges
This tour shall demonstrate to the visitors the living standard of the nobility from the renaissance era to the 19th century. It includes, for instance, the Renaissance tapestry, the
so-called Flower Lounge, empire “Napoleonic” Lounge, the
library, the so-called Hall of Fashion or the Theatre Hall and
other rooms.
Virtual battle
It is a non-traditional conception of the battle at Slavkov
in 1805. In the 30-minute projection using the virtual reality, the visitors become familiar with the course of the worldfamous battle. The projection has three-dimensional sound
and spoken commentary in four languages (Czech, English,
French, Russian and German).
The scenario is divided into three parts that gradually inform the audience with the circumstances of the rise, course
and consequences of the battle that significantly influenced
the geopolitical arrangement of the then Europe. The virtual battle illustratively and comprehensibly informs of basic
important moments of this historic event and therefore it is
recommended for educational purposes of schools of various
types.
Park and glasshouses
A guided tour introduces to the visitors the history of one of
the most significant historical gardens in Moravia with interesting domestic as well as foreign trees and bushes.
Roof frames
There are occasional guided tours on reconstructed roof
frames, a lecture on their history and the progress of reconstruction works.
Museum depositories
There are guided tours with expert commentary that introduce to the public the otherwise inaccessible premises and
collection funds of the Museum of History in Slavkov u Brna
including various pieces of period furniture.
Costume and programme tours
Several times a year there are thematic tours in the castle
usually during some cultural events. The visitors may then
meet historical persons of noblemen and villeins and let
themselves be part of some historical event during the tour,
both in the mysterious underground or in the castle interiors.
Flower exhibitions
Historic premises of the castle and the underground are
an ideal place for flower exhibitions. The most favourite is the
flower exhibition that is usually held in the midst of May. Our
priority and uniqueness among other national monuments
who deal with floristic exhibitions is the diversity of topics
from wedding flowers through historic floristry up to modern
floristry.
Occasional tours that are always announced on the websites of the castle must be booked beforehand.
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Old-timer festival
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CULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVENTS
The overall and detailed list of cultural and social events in
the castle is available on the castle website. Here we offer only
the list of the most interesting events.
Memento of Austerlitz is an event focused on author’s
reading of non-fiction, namely of the military and war topics.
The first year was in 2005 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the Three Emperors’ Battle at Slavkov in 1805.
Part of the event is also the literature evening called “Čtení
při svíčkách” (Reading at Candlelight) and a literary and
fine art contest for pupils of primary and secondary schools.
Slavkovské memento is usually held on the last Friday in April.
Garden days
The floristic trade exhibition Zahradní dny (Garden days)
is held in the external premises of the castle. This typically
spring event is held in the castle park and the visitors find everything they need for their gardens, houses or terraces.
Each year, interesting concerts of classical music are
held in the castle. Among them is the gala-concert of the Johann Strauss Orchestra – Die flotten Geister Wien Coburg.
Further, at least two dramaturgically innovative concerts are
held during the Concentus Moraviae festival with international participation.
The music festival Slavkov ranks among the pop music
festivals and is held every year, the third Saturday in June.
The organizers of this festival have in mind families with children for whom the castle garden is an ideal place for games
and activities in a children’s corner or various sports activities
and attractions. There is a rich offer of various refreshments,
stalls and last but not the least the very pleasant and friendly
atmosphere of the park with the historical building of the
castle in the background. A guarantee of good entertainment.
Oldtimer festival
As it is the tradition, every last Saturday in June, hundreds of visitors come to the castle to see the fading glory of various models of veteran cars and motorcycles.
Some of them come to recall the times when their beloved
model hit the road, some want to have fun and others need
to get the spare parts for their own veteran vehicles. Every
year, more than 600 veteran cars and motorcycles arrive at
the castle premises.
Grand Prix d´Austerlitz is one of the biggest international pétanque tournaments in the Czech Republic and actually in the whole of Central Europe. It is usually the last
Saturday in July, the pétanque fans may watch the matches
at a top level.
Festival of Folk and Country Music, is held on a August night in the romantic environment of the castle and it
attracts many visitors and audience not only to listen but also
to dance to the music.
The international wine exhibition - Grand Prix
Austerlitz - is a traditional and plentifully attended wine
exhibition where prizes are awarded by an expert jury to the
accompaniment of a traditional dulcimer music band.
The dates of the Napoleonic days are marked by the date
of birth of Napoleon on 15 August 1769. There is a rich summer holiday programme with an army camp and training of
soldiers in period uniforms, skirmishes and presentations of
military tactics and strategy, traditional handicrafts fair or
castle tours by historical persons together with the Napoleon
and many other.
The month of November belongs to the “Hubertus’s
Ride” and to young St Martin’s wines in the castle.
Memorial events on the occasion of the celebrations of
the Battle at Slavkov are traditionally held close to December
2 when the famous battle started in close vicinity in 1805.
In the castle park you may see the camps of the armies who
took part in the battle.
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Wedding ceremonie
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Rental of the castle for various company
events
The Castle of Slavkov – Austerlitz may offer a unique atmosphere for holding various social meetings, business meetings, company events, congresses or wedding feasts.
You may use not only the castle interiors but also the large
and pleasing (namely during the hot summer months) castle
park. You may rent the Historical hall where history was recorded, the Rubens’s Hall or the Theatre Hall, or some of the
less formal premises of Salla terrena, portico or the courtyard.
If you plan a bigger event you may also book the whole castle
including the romantic corners and recesses of the park.
Within the rental we also provide complex services including:
● c atering services (company bashes, banquets, parties,
ceremonial gala evenings and balls;
● technical–organizational part of the event;
● accompanying programme according to the client’s wishes:
● carriage rides;
● fireworks, light show in a water fountain;
● performances of historic fencing groups;
● demonstrations of period armoury and a shooting range,
games and contests for adults;
● fashion shows in historical costumes or modern haute
couture;
● personal welcome by Napoleon, Count Kaunitz with his
wife;
● military staffage from the era of the Napoleonic Wars;
● costume guided tour of the castle interiors and the underground;
● period music;
● trainings, conferences, congresses and teambuilding
events for employees.
We may also arrange accommodation close to the castle for
a bigger group of people. The visitors have at their disposal a
whole series of sports equipment from tennis and beach volleyball courts, bowling, squash, pétanque as well as golf. After
a hard day you may have a relaxing massage or take a bath in
the local lido in summer.
Wedding ceremonies in the castle in Slavkov u Brna
Every year, the castle attracts more and more couples interested in having their wedding ceremony in its premises. The
advantage of the castle is the easy accessibility from the major Moravian towns of Brno, Olomouc and Zlín. The Slavkov
castle offers vast possibilities of how to spend the wedding day
in beautiful historic premises. The castle may be used for the
whole wedding ceremony, wedding feast or only as a beautiful
environment for your wedding pictures.
Reservations should be made at the Registry Office in
Slavkov u Brna, phone No:+420 544 121 114.
For their wedding, the interested couples may choose some
of the representative halls of the castle – the Rubens’s Hall,
the Theatre Hall, the Historical Hall or the castle chapel. If
the couple prefers an open-air wedding then there is not a better place for such an event than the castle park with the stylish wedding gazebo. The representative premises of the castle
and its surroundings are also a suitable place for wedding
feasts. There are specific rooms and parts of the castle park
that serve such purposes, including the splendid Historical
Hall where the armistice was signed after the Three Emperors’ Battle in 1805.
Our team of dedicated professional employees is ready to
satisfy all requirements of our clients who decide to spend
their unforgettable moments in this unique environment.
Castle restaurant Austerlitz
The castle restaurant Austerlitz is located in the premises
of Slavkov castle. It offers to its guests a pleasant environment
in the Baroque style of the castle.
The premises of the restaurant are divided into three
lounges of which each has a special decoration and offers a
sufficient capacity for various events. Part of the restaurant is
also the Wine gallery with domestic as well as foreign wines.
The dominant feature of the restaurant is the cuisine with a
wide choice of various delicacies. A true pearl of the castle
black kitchen is the metal-mounted grill where various specialities are being prepared. The stylish environment is inviting
for pleasant moments with friends or for wedding feasts.
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Dominik Ondřej of Kaunitz
(1654 - 1705)
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KAUNITZ FAMILY LINE
History of the Kaunitz family line
For more than four centuries, the history of the Slavkov
castle has been intertwined with the ancient Moravian aristocratic family of the Kaunitz who used the symbol of a water lily in its heraldry. In 1509, the Slavkov domain and the
castle were obtained by Oldřich of Kaunitz who made it his
main seat. The rule of the Kaunitz family in Slavkov brought
about a great boom of architectural activities, support of the
crafts, foundation of the first manufacture and a general development of business and trades.
Later it was Dominik Ondřej of Kaunitz who encouraged
the trading and economic development of his domain. He
worked as a diplomat in the Habsburg empire and took active
part in the political life then. He also initiated the majestic
Baroque reconstruction of the actual castle.
The most significant representative of the family line was
Václav Antonín, Count of Kaunitz and Rietberg. His skills
and experience obtained during his studies at universities in
Vienna and Leiden as well as his frequent travels in Europe
brought him to the post of state chancellor serving for four
Habsburg Emperors – Maria Theresa, Joseph II, Leopold II
and Francis II.
Due to his advantageous marriage policy and diplomatic
skills focused namely on France, he reinforced the influence
of the Habsburg family line and enlarged many of their territorial possessions. He was awarded the Golden Fleece for his
credits. Count Václav was buried in the Slavkov family tomb
under the church of St John the Baptist.
One of the last members of the family line was Václav,
Count of Kaunitz. At the beginning of his professional career
he worked as the member of the Imperial Council and represented the political interests of the Czech nation. He was also
an important patron of students.
The family tomb of the Kaunitz was built under the southern tower of the chapel by Arnošt Kryštof in 1795. In the
same year, it served as the last resting place for the bodily remains of the Chancellor, Count Václav Antonín of Kaunitz and
his daughter-in-law Marie Leopoldina of Oettingen-Spielberg. Today, there are seven coffins in the tomb with bodily
remains of other members of the family line both from the
Moravian and Czech branch of the family.
Owners of the Slavkov castle
The Kaunitz family obtained the Slavkov domain with the
castle in 1509 and remained its owners for more than 400 years.
Oldřich +1519
Petr +1555
Oldřich *1539 +1570
Oldřich *1569 +1617
L ev Vilém *1614 +1655
(founder of the Moravian branch of the family)
Dominik Ondřej *1654 +1705
Maxmilián Oldřich *1679 +1746
Václav Antonín *1711 +1794
Arnošt Kryštof *1737 +1797
Dominik Ondřej *1740 +1812
Alois Václav *1774 +1848
Castle passes to the Czech branch of the family of Kaunitz.
Michal Karel *1803 +1852
Albrecht *1829 +1897
Václav *1848 +1913
Eugen *1841 +1919
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Information centre
The information centre is located in the close vicinity of the
castle and provides the visitors with topical information on
possibilities of cultural, social or sports activities, accommodation and restaurants, traffic connection, ticket booking and advance booking of tickets for various events. It also sells souvenirs.
Praha
Olomouc
Information centre
Castle of Slavkov – Austerlitz
Palackého nám. 1
684 01 Slavkov u Brna
Phone No: +420 544 220 988
e-mail: infocentrum@zamek-slavkov.cz
D1
Brno
Mikulov
D1
Slavkov
u Brna
E461
Wien
This project was co-financed by the European Union
and the South Moravian Region.
European Union
European Regional Development Fund
Investing in Your Future