We Discover The Archiepiscopal Palace Of Kromeriz

e the best known monuments in the Czech Republic. The archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz is a palace declared a World Heritage Site. Home to Czech bishops and later converted into an art gallery, visiting it is to immerse yourself in a journey to the past that you fall in love with. Why? Find out for yourself

In the Czech Republic there are thousands of places to visit. Every corner, a town or city opens its doors for us to discover. And the result of this is that we are in awe of the charms of this beautiful country. What is our next stop? Kromeriz.

The archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz, the home of bishops

In 1497 the archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz opened its doors so that Bishop Stanislas Thurzo could live there. It was used for years as a summer residence.

In those days the appearance of the palace was far from the current one, since it was late Gothic. Little by little it was remodeled to adapt to the new times. First, in the baroque style, in the 16th century.

After a fire declared in 1752 it had to be restored and it was used to change the rooms of the palace. The archbishops of Olomouc, another of the most important cities in the Czech Republic, had a lot to do with this restoration.

They were the owners of the palace since before the 13th century, so they were modifying it until it became a home almost for kings. In fact, if the place had not belonged to the archbishops today we would consider it a noble castle.

After this little history of the archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz, we travel to the present day to find out what has become of this important place. Today, the interior of the archiepiscopal palace houses an immense collection of art.

In it you can admire the second art gallery in the country , after the National Gallery in Prague. Here, works by great European artists are preserved and exhibited, from paintings by Titian to works by Brueghel or Van Dyck.

But not just paintings, this is an invaluable cultural archive. Mozart or Haydn manuscripts are also preserved in the palace  . There is even a large collection of coins (the second most important after that of Vatican City) and a library with more than thirty thousand copies.

With all this wealth within its walls, it is not surprising that in 1998 Unesco named the archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz a World Heritage Site. Both the palace and its gardens, in English style, are the highest representation of European beauty and art.

What can’t you miss on the visit?

If you finally sign up for a visit to the archiepiscopal palace of Kromeriz, take note of some of the places that you cannot miss. Although not all the rooms in the palace are open to the public, there are some that are essential.

What is most striking about the palace is the decoration and how it has tried to maintain its unalterable style. One of the most impressive places is the Assembly Hall, the largest in the palace. It is in the Rococo style and is filled with mirrors, stuccoes and Venetian lights. It really attracts attention!

Finally, we advise you to walk calmly through the gardens that surround the palace. There are 64 hectares in which the flower garden stands out, in French style and with some beautiful fountains such as the Tritones fountain or the Lion fountain.

We are possibly facing one of the greatest monuments in the Czech Republic. It may not be in one of the larger cities like Pilsen or Prague, but the Archiepiscopal Palace in Kromeriz has centuries of history in its walls.

You are facing a magnificent construction that has been able to withstand the passing of the years. A more than unique palace, a castle for the clergy and, currently, home to thousands of works of art. What are you waiting for? Go ahead and visit it!