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History of the place, Castle Bečov, Chapel Tower, Donjon, Connecting Wing, Chateau Bečov, Shrine of St Maurus, Bergfrit, Pluh's Palace, Stables, Forest Administration, Chateau Kitchen, Brewery Cellars, Chateau Gardens and Park, Sala Terrena, Chateau Carriage Rooms, Burgrave's residence, SIGHTSEEING TOURS
History of the site
The castle complex at Bečov was founded in the early 14th century by the lords of Osek
who owned it along with the surrounding demesne for almost two hundred years. The castle experienced its most significant development under the Pluhs of Rabštejn in the late 15th century and in the first half of the 16th century. The original Gothic castle occupies the highest position on the hilltop, it was improved with stone portals and mural paintings during a Renaissance remodelling. The courtyard of the castle is surrounded by a quadrangular chapel tower, as well as the Pluh Palace and stables. Below the castle there is an 18th-century palace whose central section dates back to the Renaissance period. Proposed 19th century adjustments to plans by Romantic architects Josef Zítek and Josef Mocker were only implemented to a minimal extent.
Bečov Castle
The castle consists of an outer ward, of which merely the outlines are known, and a castle core situated on a rocky hilltop. The castle's entrance was guarded by a circular keep. The polygonal tower on the opposite side was probably only later invested with the Visitation chapel. In the second half of the 14th century a massive quadrangular tower or donjon was added to the north-western corner of the central section and surrounded with a ward. The architectural development of the castle was concluded by the construction of an early Renaissance section connecting both quadrangular towers.
Chapel Tower
The castle's main Visitation chapel, along with its family crypt, was built in the smaller polygonal tower probably between 1352 -57. In the late 14th century its walls and vaults were enhanced with exceptional and impressive Gothic paintings depicting scenes from the New Testament. The paintings have been preserved to date.
Donjon
Thes four-story residential tower in the castle bears witness to the high aesthetic requirements and comfort of living in those days. The main features of the donjon are the detailled portals, fire hearths with flat brickwork chimneys, paintings in the master's chambers, the system of lavatories on corbels, unique Gothic and Renaissance furnishings of the rooms, painted timber ceiling and Baroque roof timbers.
Connecting Wing
The Pluhs of Rabštejn connected both towers with a new wing consisting of a ground floor and two stories, where new represenative rooms, including dining halls with large windows were situated.
New Palace
A Baroque palace was constucted in the mid-18th century by Dominik Ondřej Kounic, who inherited from the Questenbeg family. The unusually lay-out of the site is dominated by tower erected on the site of the so-called Lacron Bastion dating back to the Thirty Years' War (named after the military commander at the time, Jan de la Cron). A Baroque bridge leads to an early Renaissance entrance portal in the past there was a draw bridge here.
Shrine of St Maurus
A reliquary of European significance, the St. Maurus Shrine is the most valuable exhibit the castle, and one of the most valuable in the whole of the Czech Republic. It was made in the first quarter of the 13th century for the Benedictine abbey at Florennes (in what is now Belgium) to contain the mortal remains of St John the Baptist, St Maurus and St Timothy. The wooden casket is covered with lavish goldsmith work. The statuettes representing the twelve apostles, Jesus Christ and St Maurus, as well as reliefs depicting the scenes from the life of St John the Baptist, St Maurus and St Timothy on the lid roof were made of gilded silver plates. The ornamentation also includes gilded copper filigree work,studded with jewels and gems, as well as enamel plates representing scenes from the Old Testament and various geometrical motifs. During the French Revolution the monastery was looted, and the reliquary was moved to a local church. In 1838 Alfred de Beaufort bought it from the ecclesiastical authorities and had it repaired. Following an exhibition in 1888 the shrine was transferred to Bečov. Since the Beauforts were active members of the Sudeten Nazi party, they were forced to leave the Czech Republic at the end of the Second World War. Before leaving the country they hid the shrine below the floor of the castle chapel. Following a tip off, and as a result of a year long investigation the badly damaged shrine was rediscovered here on the 5th November 1985 by the Czech criminal police. Following demanding and long restoration works the shrine is now presented in an air-conditioned safe deposit room with an insurmountable security system. A unique exhibition offers information about the reliquary´s eventful history and challenging restoration.
Bergfrit
The central section of the site was guarded by a circular keep, the last refuge of the castle's owners. This tower had to be lowered to a large extent in 1623 due to its poor condition. In the 19th century, the preserved 6-metre section was transformed into an observation gallery.
Pluh Palace
Since the castle no longer met the requirements of the Renaissance period in the mid-16th century, the Pluh Palace consisting of three houses,was erected here.Preserved Renaissance elements include the vaulting on the ground floor and interesting archive rooms with in built wooden cabinets on the upper floor. The Palace was later remodelled in the Neo-Classical style. There is stonework from the Gothic battlements in the wall above its gardens.
Stables
The former stables were built in the 18th century opposite the Pluh Palace. The structure contains some of the original Gothic battlements in its north-eastern wall, above the access road.
Forest Administration
This administrative building was erected in the 19th century on atop of the castle's battlements.
Kitchen
Originally, this Baroque structure was connected with the house via a covered courtyard gallery to facilitate the transport of meals. On the first floor there is a unique clockwork-driven grill.
Brewery Cellars
They constitute a remnant of the brewery which was closed down in the second half of the 19th century. In the spirit of Romanticism, they were utilised as fashionable grottos, accessible from the terraces. Spacious greenhouses used to stand on the large terrace above the brewery cellars.
Gradens and Park
The gardens and park on the far side of the castle came into existence as a result of substantial earthworks which bear witness to the demands of early garden and landscape architecture. In addition to containing remnants of the original Baroque gardens, the garden also reflects the architectural trends of the 19th and 20th centuries. The largest part of the ga
rdens is situated on twhat was the castle moat. The garden is divided into six terraces which are interconnected by balustraded staircases, thereby forming an exceptionally picturesque space. Other typical features include both static and dynamic water, as well as topiary. Following the partial demolition of the outer ward, a park was laid out on the slope above a bend in the Teplá river. It is predominantly planted with deciduous trees, commensurate with increased interest in landscape design at the turn of the 20th century.
Salla Terrena
The conflict between the social need to place a "modern" sala terrena here and space limitations resulted in an unusual solution. Situated in of the gun bastion dating back to the Thirty Years' War, the sala terrena is only accessible from the garden below the bridge.
Carriage House
This Neo-Classical ground-floor structure was the carriage house. In the south section there is a stable for one horse with marble troughs.
Burgrave's Residence
Remodelled in Neo- Classical style, this Burgrave's (Steward's) residence contains remnants of the previous Gothic structure. Its portal has Saxon Renaissance elements.
SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
Tour I
The first tour presents a unique Romanesque relic of the European significance - the Shrine of St Maurus, along with an exhibition describing in detail the importance and fate of this exceptional antiquity.
Tour II
The second tour shows interiors that are furnished to dispay choice works of art, predominantly from the collections of the last owners, the ducal lineage of Beaufort-Spontin.
The tour is 45 minutes long.
Library
Dating back to the mid-19th century, the library below the chapel on the ground-floor is furnished with custom - designed oak shelves. This original furnishings also includes a Neo - Classical tiled stove.
Graphic Room
The print collection was an integral part of the house. Currently, it is presented in the first room,and features representing prints representing mythological scenes, portraits and flower, still-lives alongside several family trees of the Beaufort family. Especially valuabled is the set of prints created after originals by the highly respected London-based Neo-Classical painter Angelica Kauffman, extolled in her time as "the best-educated woman in Europe".
Red Drawing Room
This room is named for the set of 19th-century seated furniture that dominantes the room. Large canvases by Sebastian Vrancx and Jan van Bijlert feature int the decoration of the Red Drawing Room,the picture representing a musical society and both flower still-lives rank among the most beautiful of them.
Tapestry Hall
The 17th-century tapestry panels from Brussel show well-known biblical scenes from the life of the King David. Along with the large suite of furnture in the style of Louis XVI dating back to the second half of the 18th century, they enhance this most representative hall of the house.
Spanish Portraits Room
This room is hung with large 16th and 17th century Spanish portraits that belonged to the Beaufort family. The decoration of the room also includes another Baroque tapestry and massive wrought decorative plates made of copper.
St. Peter´s Chapel
The chapel is considered the most valuable interior in the lower Palace building. It occupies the second floor of the building (erected on the gun bastion) and its vaulting rises up to the high cupola. Its Romantic interior was designed in the 1860s by the architects Josef Zítek and Josef Mocker. After 1888, the St. Maurus Shrine was displayed here for a short while.
