Židlochovice wine town
I have discovered another gem in the Brno-venkov region of South Moravia. Židlochovice is located just 18 kilometers (~11.18 miles) south of Brno at the confluence of the Litava and Svratka rivers. Židlochovice is a wine-producing town located in the Velkopavlovice wine region. Of the four Moravian wine regions, this is the most famous for its rich, fruity and characterful red wines.
The Velkopavlovice wine region includes 75 wine-producing settlements and has more than 5,100 hectares of vineyards. Wine is not only part of agriculture, but also part of the local culture. Wine tastings, wine festivals, harvest festivals and open cellar weekends are held. The most famous wines of Židlochovice are Cabernet Moravia, Modrý Portugal and Rulandské modré.
Elegant hunting lodge
Židlochovice Chateau is one of the most important hunting lodges in the Czech Republic. Its current appearance dates back several hundred years of architectural history, so we can observe the architectural layers of several eras at once. In the first half of the 14th century, a Gothic castle originally stood on the site of the chateau, which was a fortified manor house surrounded by water. In the 16th century, it was transformed into a Renaissance noble residence. Baroque construction work began in the 18th century. At that time, the representative ornamental courtyard, the rich facade decoration and the garden facade decorated with sculptures were completed.
In the 19th century, the chateau received more elegant facades with classicist modifications. It was owned by prominent noble families such as the Žerotín family, the Waldstein family, the Sinzendorf family, later the Dietrichstein family and finally the Archdukes of the Habsburg–Teschen branch. It consists of a U-shaped complex of buildings with a courtyard in the center. In one of the wings is the 18th-century Baroque Chapel of the Holy Cross. (Kaple svatého Kříže)
The castle park was founded at the beginning of the 18th century. It is an English park with an area of 22 hectares. Long shady walks in the shade of huge plane trees, oaks, lindens, pines and rare tree species. The English park is not regular, but imitates the natural landscape. It is not just an ornamental garden, but is closely related to the historical hunting function of the chateau. The atmosphere of the park is enhanced by a small pond with goldfish and an additional special feature is that deer and mouflons walk freely close to each other. The park is open to the public all year round.
Židlochovice Chateau is not a museum, but is managed by Lesy České republiky (Czech State Forestry) as a representative building, conference center, accommodation and a venue for hunting guests and official state events. It is opened to the public once a year, when visitors can also visit rooms that are otherwise closed. This restriction is in place so that the chateau retains its original representative and hunting castle function. It is definitely worth a visit.
“The charm of history and its enigmatic lesson consist in the fact that, from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different.”
– Aldous Huxley