Because of huge interest of the visitors, this exhibition has been prolongued until 17th September 2011.
History of the town of Holešov
The town of Holešov is located at the foothill of the west headlands of Hostýn Mountains, on the border between Haná and Valašsko, at the riverside of the river Rusava. Already in the 12th century, the village used to be a feud estate of the bishops of Olomouc, which is confirmed by the well-known document of Jindřich Zdík from 1141. By the impact of Tatars the settlement was destroyed, but soon after that rebuilt and equipped with walls. In 1272 it was already mentioned as a town. In the second half of the 14th century Holešov was devided into alodial and manse part. Both parts were held by sirs Zdeněk and Ješek of Šternberk, the second one was also the grounder of the Holešov branch of Šternberks. By the end of the 16th century the town was destroyed by Valachs and Swedes, and it was not spared by the emperor troops. It suffered the most in 1643, when two thirds of the town got destroyed by fire.
After 1650, when the town came into holding of counts of Rottal, Holešov received a new shape. Next to the castle, where a vivid theatre and music life was held, a large park was grounded according to the French model.
In 19th century Holešov became a distric town and also an economy centre. Among the industrial companies, the most noticeable was the representation of wood, furniture, knit and food industry. Among them mainly the factory of brothers Thonet belonged, which produces bended furniture and Kneisl´s factory of sweets in Všetule, brewery and malthouse. Later also factories of metal, chemistry and leather industries joined them and also some printing works, from which the most renowned was Klabusayova lithography, one of the oldest in the Bohemian lands.
Holešov Jews represented since long a separate religious community. In 1559 – 1563 rabbi Sabbatai ben Kohen was active in Holešov, who´s tomb on the Jewish cemetery is one of rare historical sights, in the same way as the renaissance synagogue from 1560, which is one of the few preserved object of its art in our country.
From the famous native personalities we need to mention especially Jan of Holešov (*1366), a theology representative in the Hussite period. František Xaver Richter (1709-1789), music composer, chamber bandleader at the Pfalzer priester in Mannheim, Jan Nepomuk Hanke from Hankenštejn (1751-1806), revivalist and Moravian historian, from the later personalities historian Vlasta Fialová, music researcher Mirko Očadlík and professor of the Masaryk University in Brno Vladimír Groh.
Among the most significant sights of Holešov belongs without any doubt the renaissance baroque castle, built in 1650 with a park (from the 18th century) and foreyard, trinity monastery (a composition of baroque buildings from the years 1748 – 1750), rectory church with the Black chapel (from the first half of the 17th century), filial church of St. Anna (1742 – 1748), St. Cross chapel (approximately 1662), St. Martin chapel (1744), the old Jewish synagogue (approximately 1560), the plague column (from the beginning of the 18th century) and the Jewish cemetery.
The Castle of Holešov
The beginnings of the feudal settlement in Holešov reach back into the middle age. We can suppose this fact from the documents from 1245, where the bishop feudal Hugo of Holešov is mentioned, who probably was settled at the fortress of Holešov. Until the age of Hussite wars, there were several personal exchanges at the manor, probably due to relative order. In the period of the Hussite wars, the fortress has been destroyed. After that Šternberks let built a new fortress, very probably surrounded by a water moat.
Until 1574, the late gothic fortress was rebuilt into a renaissance castle. The 30 year war meant a breakthrough in the building history of the castle, where the castle was destroyed and burn out by Swedes at its end, by the end of 1643. In this state the castle was bought by the powerful Jan count of Rottal, who ordered a reconstruction at the architect Filibert Luchese from Vienna. He chose the Holešov manor as his native seat. From the ruin of the Lobkowitz castle, which was destroyed and burned out by Swedes in 1643 and 1645, he wanted to built an opulent seat, which should represent his social and material status in the Moravian lands, he was representative of the emperor´s secret councilor of the Moravian tribunal, he was administrator of the orphan properties and the highest Land judge in Moravia.
Another count of Rottal, František Antonín (1717 - 1762), followed the early baroque building actions in the top and late baroque period. During his era, there was a vivid cultural and building life at the castle. The tradition of the theatre, opera and music performances was revived by Rudolf Eugen Wrbna (1846 - 1883) in the second half of the 19th century. The castle chapel with very valuable altar with sculptures of St. Jan of Nepomuk and St. Jan Sarkander come probably from the works of the sculptor Bohumír Fristsch. The illusive paintings in some of the rooms were done by the painter Jan Sviták. At the break of the 18th and 19th century, the interiors of the second floor were finally finished.
The last more important building changes have been done in the period of the late classicism, e.g. until the first half of the 19th century. In 1910 the castle has been damaged by fire. In 1948, the castle was put under the state control.
The castle of Holešov is a separately standing building with four wings, two floors and two tracts, with a mansard roof, which surrounds the rectangle courtyard. From the corners, spires have been risen which overreach the building by one floor. The castle is surrounded by a deep water moat, equipped with two bridges. From the moat the inclined ground of the building rises, finished by a massive stone ground.
The castle of Holešov presents a representative land feudal manor with roots in the middle age. From the construction and material point of view it has been formed after the half of the 17th century under the influence of early baroque. By its size and style purity of the preserved constructions, dispositions and interior decorations, it belongs to the most important proofs of the early baroque castle architecture in the Bohemian lands.
Links:
http://hvezdarna-holesov.wz.cz
Vernissage 2.9.2011:
Karel Gott accepted the invitation to the vernissage and visited the Holesov castle together with Mr. Karel Sip. Together, they created a unique atmosphere which made the whole castle feel like spell bound. Both dear guests were welcomed by the major of the city of Holesov, PaeDr.Zdenek Janalik. This way we would like to thank him, together with Mgr. Pavel Chmelík, for the outstanding organisation of the whole vernissage. A truly successful afternoon has been accompanied by the music trio INFLAGRANTI and cymbalo band.
Links:
http://gott.smugmug.com/Other/0209-2011-Exhibiton-of-Karel/18863554_THBt7z#1462114438_rsPHbXf
Photo: Archiv www.karelgott.tv
