Chateau Benátky nad Jizerou / Zámek Benátky nad Jizerou - Benátky nad Jizerou (Central Bohemia) - Castles on Waymarking.com

Chateau Benátky nad Jizerou (Zámek Benátky nad Jizerou) is situated on a prominent promontory above the right bank of the Jizera River, where it forms a dominant feature visible from far away. Although the Chateau (originally castle) has undergone many architectural modifications since its foundation in various architectural styles, the complex still offers a unified and harmonized impression. Part of the Chateau is also the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (kostel Narození Panny Marie).

Chateau Benátky is a result of the reconstruction and expansion of the old Gothic fortress of the Lords of Donín in ca 1525. The owner of the Benátky demesne, Bedrich of Donín, rebuilt the already unsuitable old Dražice fortress into a representative aristocratic residence and the istead "of Dražice/z Dražic" begins to write "on Benátky/na Benátkách". The oldest part of the Chateau dates back to this Renaissance period. The original Renaissance chateau of the Count of Donín forms today's western wing. Construction work continued until the very end of the 16th century, sgraffito and other decorations were made. The Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who served at the Prague court of Emperor Rudolf II, stayed at the chateau in 1599–1600.

Major construction work was carried out under Jan of Werth (Jan z Werthu), when a newBaroque wing was added to the original Renaissance chateau. It now forms the main chateau front (northern) wing. Both castle wings had their own entrances and staircases - both buildings were distinguished in that time and called Renaissance "Old castle" and Baroque "New castle". The necessary farm buildings were built around the chateau and the whole area, including the church, was surrounded by a wall with three gates in the middle of the 17th century. The new wing of the castle was heavily damaged by fire in 1656. The entire chateau complex was reconstructed and rebuilt in the end of the 17th century, when the demesne was owned by the Count of Schützen. The Chateau acquired the current appearance, e.g. both wings were connected, the main entrance to the Chateau together with the staircase is in the northern (front) facade of the Chateau. In addition, the third Baroque wing was added (perhaps in 1702), which was also connected by the gallery with the Chateau church.

Chateau gradually fell into disrepair since the end of the 19th century. Even the last noble owners, House of Kinský, did not pay the necessary attention to the Chateau's maintenance - for example, the chateau's furniture was sold by auction. Chateau was bought by the town Benátky nad Jizerou in 1920 and gradual reconstructions began. Further major reconstruction of the chateau took place in the 1980s and 1990s. Nowadays, the Municipal Office is located in the chateau, some spaces are also used by the waste management company AVE CZ. On the second floor are exhibition and depository premises of the branch of the Mladá Boleslav District Museum. Another museum exhibition, the private Toy museum of Mr. Jirí Fiala, is on the ground floor of the Chateau.

Source: excerpted and translated from Wikipedia and National Heritage Institute portal.