Battle of the Three Emperors
On December 2, 1805, the Battle of Austerlitz was one of the most significant of the Napoleonic Wars, where Napoleon won a brilliant victory against the Russian and Austrian armies. This victory ended the War of the Third Coalition and indirectly led to the end of the German-Roman Empire. The collision took place only a few kilometers from the city of Austerlitz. Today the town is called Slavkov u Brna.
Slavkov Castle
The first castle was built in the 13th century. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Kaunitz noble house rebuilt it in Renaissance style. It was remodeled in Baroque style based on the plans of Italian architect Domenico Martinelli. Its beautiful, imposing French-style garden was modeled after the Versailles garden. The truce was concluded in this castle on December 6, 1805.
The castle and its surroundings today
Today, many buildings and monuments preserve these historical memories. We can visit the Peace Memorial (Mohla míru) on Pratzen Plateau (Pracký kopec). We can go to Slavkov Castle and, with the help of a tour guide, see the castle’s historic baroque rooms with their paintings and elegant furnishings. In the oldest wing of the castle, you can see the ceiling frescoes, which praise the handiwork of the Italian painter Andras Lanzani. The castle garden is still fabulously beautiful with its statues and fountains.
Photography for Minanaralife
When I created the plans for the Mianaralife website, I already knew that I want to ask for the help of a professional photographer in order to realize this vision in a quality that I could be fully satisfied with. I made a list of the planned pictures and their details. I was sure that I wanted outdoor pictures and I definitely wanted some pictures with my bestie. That’s how I asked Henrietta Soltész to take part in this special event for me. Finally, I contacted the photographer Dana Ostrovská, who was recommended by one of my good friends. At Dana’s suggestion, we went to the Slavkov Castle park. I’ve been there before, amazing place! It was the first photo shoot I took part in and to be honest, I was a little scared. I am very happy that my bestie was there too. She helped us a lot and we had fun. I’m so glad she came. Dana is very nice and great to work with. She did a very thorough job, paying attention to even the smallest details. It was a very good experience. I was not only enriched with gorgeous photographs, but also learned to see myself from a different perspective. It was a fantastic day!
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”
– Golda Meir