Hluboká nad Vltavou
(Czech
pronunciation: [ˈɦlubokaː ˈnadvl̩tavou̯]), is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech
Republic, near České Budějovice. This town was a favourite of Charles IV, who
often visited when residing in České Budějovice. It is best known for its famous Windsor
style chateau. The original royal castle of Přemysl Otakar II from the
second half of the 13th century was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century by
the Lords of Hradec. It received its present appearance under Count Jan Adam of
Schwarzenberg. According to the English Windsor example, architects Franz Beer
and F. Deworetzky built a Romantic Neo-Gothic chateau, surrounded by a 1.9
square kilometres (0.73 sq mi) English park here in the years 1841 to 1871. In
1940, the castle was seized from the last owner, Adolph Schwarzenberg by the
Gestapo and confiscated by the government of Czechoslovakia after the end of
WWII. The castle is opened to public. There is a winter garden and riding-hall
where the Southern Bohemian gallery exhibitions have been housed since 1956.
The castle has been used in a scene of Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson's Shanghai
Knights. A notable part of the community is the Townshend International School
which has been based in the town since 1992.
