The Ostrov Château is actually an extensive complex of buildings, the foundation of which was an older residence of an as-yet unknown origin. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ostrov branch of the Counts of Schlick, probably Caspar Schlick, had it reconstructed into a Renaissance château serving as their family seat.
Today, the château houses the municipal authority, and tourists have access to the Vestibule, housing the exhibit of porcelain and refreshments, as well as to the information centre and to the exhibits in the attic and in the sala terrena. The Ostrov Château is worth your attention and visit.
Palace of Princes
A wing of the Ostrov Château – today housing the Municipal Library
Sala terrena – Jiří Urban
Crowns, jewels and paintings by this jeweller and artist
Attic – Wealth and Power
A unique exhibition on the life and works of the Schlick aristocratic family
History
In the thirties and forties of the 17th century, the château was adapted and expanded by Julius Henry, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. In the years 1685-1690, Julius Francis, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg had a new château constructed in front of the original Schlick residence – the so-called Lauenburg Château. The prominent builders Abraham Leuthner, Christoph Dientzenhofer, and Giulio Broggi had a hand in the château construction. After a fire in 1691, the Schlick château was adapted into an auxiliary château wing.
The Present
The current appearance of the château grounds is the result of adjustments and reconstruction carried out by the Grand Dukes of Tuscany during the 19th and 20th centuries. The coat of arms showing the imperial eagle in a cartouche, placed in the pediment of the main entrance, dates to the time when the Dukes of Tuscany were the owners of the estate. The entrance portal was finished in 1690 and is the work of sculptor Martin Möckel.
