Orlik Castle

Built in the 13th Century, the Early Gothic style Orlik Castle underwent major reconstruction in the 19th Century, which resulted in a strange neo-Gothic creation. Orlik was acquired by the Schwarzenberg family in the early 1700s but was confiscated by the communist in the 1940s. Following the end of the Communist Regime the castle reverted back to the Schwarzenbergs.

Orlik sits beside the Vltava River on a lush parcel of land that juts out into the water. At one point, before the dam was built, the castle would have rested high above the surrounding water and would have surely been a much more impressive sight. The name Orlik means young eagle and it is often suggested that the castle would have resembled an eagles nest, perched high upon the rocky outcrop, prior to the dam.

The interior of Orlik Castle was redone in Empire Style and displays armory and the family furnishings. There is also an impressive carved ceiling in the Knights Hall.