The Archbishopric Chateau of Kromeriz

Chateau Gallery

Apollo Chateau Gallery is definitely of world-wide impoportace. The scientific catalogue, delineates 536 pictures including the numerous prints and drawings. The most famous and distinguished picture is probably "Apollo and Marsyas" by Tiziano Vecelli, called Tizian, one of his top masterpieces. The oil-painting created some years after 1571 depicts the old ancient myth on the clash of two most skilful musicians. However, Tizian imbued the scene of punishment with a strong humane substance identifying himself with its power by his own metamorphosis into king Midas who stands by looking full of compassion. The picture is furnished with the entire artist's signature: TIZIANV(inxit).Chateau Gallery is definitely of world-wide impoportace. The scientific catalogue, delineates 536 pictures including the numerous prints and drawings. The most famous and distinguished picture is probably "Apollo and Marsyas" by Tiziano Vecelli, called Tizian, one of his top masterpieces. The oil-painting created some years after 1571 depicts the old ancient myth on the clash of two most skilful musicians. However, Tizian imbued the scene of punishment with a strong humane substance identifying himself with its power by his own metamorphosis into king Midas who stands by looking full of compassion. The picture is furnished with the entire artist's signature: TIZIANV(inxit).an

Collection of coins and medals

Collection of coins and medals kept in the chateau links to the church mintage.
The pieces within the collect attain the Europe-wide importance. The Collection embodies 10 126 pieces, including the pontifical coins, medals and coins by various orders of knighthood and fraternities, archiepiscopal and bishop mintage series.

Musical Archive of the Kromeriz Chateau

Musical Archive of the Kromeriz Chateau is one of most remarkable collection of the kind in the Czech Republic. Its spine consists of the 1050 pieces collected by Liechtenstein, including the older Renaissance compositions by Jacobus Gallus. H.I. Biber, the most famous violinist in the 17th century, played the leader in Kromeriz in 1668-1670, most of his compositions are treasured up in the authentic manuscripts. P.J. Vejvanovský, the clarion player and the master of the Bishop's band, handed here down more than 130 pieces. The collection, administered by professor J. Sehnal, comprises also several pieces by "younger" composers, such as W.A. Mozart, J. Haydn, K. Dittersdorf and works by the Archduke Rudolph (modified and completed by Ludwig van Beethoven).

The chateau library

The chateau library ranks among the most valuable historical resources in the Czech Republic. The Charter and Library Instruction were drawn up in 1694 under Liechtenstein administration. Any further expenses and the wage of the libralian were covered by special grant at the amount of 10 Rhenish guldens. After the Great Fire in 1752, the library wing on the second floor was built within the scope of reconstruction works. The ceiling of the Great Library Hall was decorated by J. Stern in 1758 prior to the decoration of the neighbouring Minor Hall by the same painter. The library keeps 33 641 volumes, including 304 manuscripts and 180 incunabulas. 1 178 prints were made in the 16th century, another 20 thousand pieces were printed before 1800.

Liege Hall

Liege Hall the room where the official proceedings and law trials were taken to solve the problems of the vassaľs state administration and political system itself. The Hall was decorated in the summer of 1759. F. A. Maulbertsch, the most popular and much asked-for painter of those days in Vienna, received from the bishop L. B. Ekgh an overwhelming honorarium of 2300 ducats. As we can learn from the then contract, Maulbertsch was put into charge to elaborate the sketches based on the concepts as been supplied, and proceed on to the painting subjected to the prior approval, all by 1759. The Bishop obliged himself to provide the painter with the accommodation, and appropriate material and human resources. One of the sketches is kept in the chateau gallery in Slavkov. The embulient picture of a relaxed and casual style shines with stains made from colourful paste-like substance, and attracts its spectators with internal absorption and virtuosity. Besides the key motif, where Ekgh the Bishop is depicted in the apotheosis side by side with old-antique divinity of Hercules, Hermes, Minerva, Satumus, and other allegoric figures, such as the Justice and Comucopia, the picture narrates of the very concrete historical events. These are taken from the life of Episcopal vassaľs system. At first, its foundation by bishop Bruno of Schaumburk during the reign of Přemysl Otakar ll. The second scenery shows the confirmation of Stanislav Pavlovský in the office of bishop by Rudolph II. the Emperor. The third scenery depicts the anti-Hapsburg uprising of the Moravian nobility at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War, when the canons were being imprisoned. The final section in turn shows the Restoration following the defeat of the noble men at the Battle of Bílá Hora (1620), and further enlargement of the houses and lands owned by the emperor Ferdinand II.
Maulbertsch's masterpiece can be regarded as demonstration of Rococo subjectivism - with unprecedented expressivity and irrational irnpression rather than a mere late-Baroque work. The painting was in fact made to order not only to match its Customer's purposes and demands but also to be abreast of those times as well. Incommutable brush-work was at first dashed "al fresco" (into the damp plaster) and when the plaster dried up it was completed "al secco" (with a dry-brush) with glaring white pastes applied to create the bright lights. The restoration works on this painting also encompassed the necessary conservation and preservation of the marble wall facing, and the balustrade parapet in front of the tribunal seat. The majolika stove were glittered (with both the gloss and dull finish) and the tile pattems were re-polished. The head of the room has been fitted with the portrait of bishop L. B. Egkh.

Salla Terrena

The garden wing of the Kromeriz Chateau houses in its ground-floor the Salla Terrena, which once served as an entrance to the Podzámecká Garden. The central room interconnected the Salla and the Chateau main aisle, the side rooms were used for moments of ease and retirement. The westem part was formed to a grotto with statues of Fauns and waterworks. The picturesque stucco of the Salla was made by B. Fontana, whereas the cartouche paintings were created by A. Pagani. In the eastem part we can find an illustrative model of ore mines: the miners are being lowered down using the humble winch, then they mine and extract the ore that subsequently is fetched up by pony and group of dogs. The bizarre decoration has its origin in the Renaissance natural science cabinets, laboratories, and collections of curiosities, and is nothing but an artistic reflection of those times heave and ore mining on the fields and lands of the diocese.

Assembly Hall

The works on the Assembly Hall were finished with a ceiling painting in 1772. The paintings were made by F. Adolph of Frenthal, stucco works were performed by M. K. Keller. The former outdoor dining hall had been temporary reconstructed to accommodate the Austrian Imperial Assembly, which was relocated from the revolution-seized Vienna in 1848. Although the new fundamentals of the Austrian Empire were not established here, the hall became a witness to the formulation of the well-known principle: "all the power within the state stems from the people". The sitting order of the deputies is still kept within the walls of the hall in a form of a three-dimensional model.