Discovering Mikulov

About two hours from our flat is a small yet glorious town in the Czech Republic called Mikulov. Surrounded by vineyards, Mikulov sits right in the heart of wine country with 1200 km of bike paths that cross the region with stops at wine cellars and tasting centers. I definitely have a lot more exploring to do here!

View of Mikulov from afar.

   When approaching Mikulov, the first thing that you will see is the governor's castle or chateau on the rock and Holy Hill. It's not until actually arriving in the center of town that you realize that there is much more here than a castle.

Mikulov Town Square

   The governor's castle along with the town of Mikulov was donated in 1249 by Ottokar II of Bohemia to Jindrich of Liechtenstein, an Austrian noble. In 1560, the Liechtenstein's desire to live lavishly crossed with a poor economy and they were forced to sell the estate. Later in 1575, the estate was donated to Adam of Dietrichstein, ambassador of the Imperial Court in Rome and Madrid. The estate remained in the Dietrichstein family until 1945.

Chateau on the Rock

   The castle has faced several damaging times; it was twice occupied (in 1620 and 1645) by enemy soldiers during the Thirty Years' War then after reconstruction was almost finished, the castle was completely destroyed during a fire in 1719. In 1945, a fire again destroyed the castle down to it's foundation. The chateau was then reconstructed during the years of 1951-1960.

Castle Yard

   At the town square is St. Anne's Church built between the years of 1623 and 1656. The church was damaged by fire in 1784 and repairs did not begin until 1837 when Frantisek Dietrichstein began the project to make the church into a sepulchre (tomb) for the Dietrichstein family. Corridors in the side chapels now house the coffins of members of the family who died between 1617 and 1852.

Dietrichstein Tomb

   Standing above the town is Holy Hill (originally Tanzberg Hill). Cardinal Frantisek Dietrichstein (1570-1636) established Tanzberg Hill as 'The Way of the Cross' as a way to express gratitude to God for Mikulov's overcoming of the plague epidemic in 1622. [Ways of the cross is a tradition going back to the 15th century with symbolic representations of the suffering of Jesus Christ on his journey under the cross.]

Holy Hill

   This little town is full of so much history that next time I hope to stay for a weekend instead of an hour (and have my hiking shoes and bike in tow..). Perhaps I shall return in September for their wine festival, that sounds like a mighty fine weekend!

Chateau on the Hill