The Chateau Today
The state of the chateau before the reconstruction
The remarkable premises of the original fortress which was rebuilt over time into a chateau kept their original farming function until almost the end of the 20th century. Neither the estate nor the chateau was devastated by far-reaching modern reconstructions that usually accompany a change in the function of such property. From the nationalization of the premises after the Second World War until recently neither the buildings nor the park were regularly maintained. The buildings were only maintained when they threatened to collapse. At the end of the operations of the last farming entity - Státní statek hl. m. Prahy (The State Farm of the Capital City of Prague) - the chateau premises were threatened with ruin due to far-reaching devastation.
The reconstruction of the chateau
The Prague Information Service took over the administration of the premises in 1995 and the individual buildings of the former estate were gradually reconstructed and new functions were sought for them that would require a minimum of architectural changes. The most significant step was the return of domestic animals to the stables and the installation of the carriage museum in parts of the former barn and stables.
The most time-consuming part was the refurbishment of the chateau building and the restoration of the chateau park. When the exploration of the sgrafitti and baroque layers was finished, the facade was restored to its classicist segmentation and colouring. Much attention was paid to the reconstruction of the carpentry, which had to meet the requirements of statics on the one hand and historical monument reconstruction criteria on the other. During reconstruction the painted elements of the original ceilings were found and are now on display. Parts of the painted ceilings which could be kept in their original place were secured, hidden from view within the ceiling structure. The refurbishment of the chateau focussed on uncovering the original plans and removing modern instalments and appliances. The major intention was to keep as many valuable architectural and crafts elements that survived to the present day. Due to the irreversible loss of the original furniture after the expropriation of the Schöller family, the focus of the interior restoration shifted to the wall paintings from the Gothic times until the end of the 19th century. Only fragments of late Gothic paintings have been preserved, but late renaissance decorations in the chambers and late baroque figural allegoric compositions in the tower are abundant.
The chateau park is an example of a simple garden arrangement of a formal and landscape type in the spirit of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the course of the restoration of the park the original formally arranged utility garden and the landscape park were renewed. An alley of apple trees from the former orchard accentuates the main east-west axis and is traversed by several axes that connect the formally arranged garden with the landscape part. At the end of the main axis there is a square bosquet of old apple trees. The terrain edge with a pavilion in the south and a wall together with a sycamore maple alley in the north delineate the terrace. The simplicity of the park renewal and the original system of paths was accentuated throughout and supplemented by small buildings. Small furniture and lighting of the main axis was added. Local tree species were planted to supplement the original layout.
Photogallery
