Hradec nad Moravicí Chateau

Hradec nad Moravicí Chateau

A Disney-like castle

The next time you watch a Disney fairy tale, pay attention right at the beginning. Notice the entrance gates of the legendary cartoon castle with fireworks. It strikingly resembles the gate of Hradec nad Moravicí Castle. That is why some call the aristocratic residence near Opava the Disney Castle.
Hradec nad Moravicí has ​​been the centre of Opava Silesia for centuries, a beautiful area in the north of Moravia near the Polish border. The town with a beautiful castle, surrounded by beautiful nature, was a place where the life stories of celebrities of world importance took place. The local sheep were admired by the Russian Tsar himself, later they laid the foundation for breeding in Australia.

And the castle, the pearl of Silesia, won the poll for the most fabulous fairytale castle 12 years ago. This Red Castle has been standing for just over a hundred years and originally served as a stables and carriage house. The opposite standing White Castle is much older. It was built in the 13th century and remembers the visits of many greats. The Lichnowsky family, the owners of the castle, as well as educated and capable aristocrats, maintained friendly contacts with Mozart, Paganini, Picasso and Beethoven. After all, Beethoven's piano, on which he played and composed during his stay in Hradec, is today one of the castle's most valuable exhibits.

If you are lucky, you will also meet the ghost of Felix Lichnowsky, whose heart is buried in the local church. Take a walk through the English landscape garden, which is located on the site through which the legendary trade route - the Amber Trail - led in the Middle Ages. Enjoy peace and quiet amidst greenery and ancient trees. Already in the 8th century, a fortified settlement used to stand on the site of today's castle. During the Thirty Years' War, Danish troops set up the production of counterfeit coins, which were minted in the crags of the old brewery.

Šance and Weisshuhn’s Canal

Near Hradec nad Moravicí stands fort Šance. Its construction was ordered in 1789 by Emperor Joseph II, who came here accompanied by General Laudon. According to legend, the famous military leader caught a cold here during one of the inspection trips and died shortly afterwards in Nový Jičín.
The Weisshuhn Canal is a technical rarity that you simply must see. It is a 3.5-kilometre-long drive to the paper mills built at the end of the 19th century. The admirable work was built by the founder of the local paper mills, Karel Weisshuhn - a prominent Silesian businessman who also befriended the inventor, Edison. Don't miss the great guided tours of the canal, during which you will learn what Vajzunky or Pifka were and taste what the men of yore ate and drank in the paper mills.