Chateau Lobkovice has a rich history, and has been connected with the family of Lobkowicz, helping to shape the life in the village througout the centuries. Mikuláš Chudý of Újezd, the founder of the House of Lobkovicz, bought the original wooden fortress on the left bank of the Elbe river in 1409 and had it rebuilt into a larger Gothic tower-like building, the core of which became a three-story prismatic tower made of rubble stone. After some tumultous times new owners rebuilt the chateau in Renaissance style (first mention in about 1610) and in 1616 Polyxena from Lobkowicz bought the Chateau for her husband’s Zdeněk Lobkowicz 47th birthday. Unfortunately the Thirty Years War followed (1618-1648) and the castle suffered heavy blows. It was in 1679 that Prince Ferdinand August Lobkowicz added a Baroque style chateau to the tower and for that commissioned famous builder Antonio di Porta. This look survived more or less to this day. In 1829 the Lokowicz family sold the chateau to the influential lawyer Jan Měchura whose daughter married the famous Czech historian František Palacký who stayed at the chateau frequently and wrote his famous History of Czech nation here. In 1897 the chateau returned back to the Lobkowicz family until 1948 when communist régime ceased the building. After the velvet revolution and the end of communism in 1989, the dispossed possession had to be returned back to there rightful owners, unfortunatly in a dilapited state. Since then, Chateau Lobkovice is back in family hands to this day.

The story to be continued …

LOBKOWICZ FAMILY

The Lobkowicz family (Lobkovic in modern Czech, plural Lobkovicové; Lobkowitz in German) is one of the oldest still existing Bohemian noble families dating back to the 14th century. First Lobkowiczs were mentioned as members of the gentry of north-eastern Bohemia. Mikuláš Chudý ("the Poor") z Újezda (later z Lobkovic) was an important politician of the 15th century.

Bohuslav Hasištejnský z Lobkovic was an essayist and poet. His brother Jan Hasištejnský z Lobkovic was a diplomat and pilgrim to the Holy Land.

Zdeněk Vojtěch Popel z Lobkowic was the head of the Catholic Party in early 17th century Bohemia and received Imperial as well as Bohemian princely title in 1620s. Jiří Kristián z Lobkowicz was a Bohemian politician and head of Bohemian Diet in the late 19th century. In 1918/1919 both Austria and Czechoslovakia abolished nobility including its titles and other prerogatives.

Today, there are four main branches of family: the Roudnice Lobkowiczs, the Křimice Lobkowiczs, the Dolní Beřkovice Lobkowiczs, and the Mělník Lobkowiczs. Historically, the best known member of the Lobkowicz family is probably Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowicz (1772-1816), the patron of Beethoven. He was the dedicatee of some of the composer's greatest works, including the 3rd (Eroica), 5th, and 6th symphonies and the Opus 18 string quartets.

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