4K Heritage TV - Krivoklat Castle, Czechia (2020)

Castles of the early Czech Dynasty with an astonishing past of Bohemian culture and Roman influence. The Protected Landscape Area of Kiivoklatsko conceals a castle which, due to its excellent location surrounded by forests full of game, was a favourite of many Czech kings. 4K Heritage TV focused on World Heritage Sites, Sacred Sites and Historical Sites worldwide takes you on another journey, now we explore the 'Krivoklat Castle, Czechia', one of the oldest and most important castles of the Czech kings and princes, with origins dating back to the 12th century. This royal residence was built as a seat of the ruling Premyslid dynasty.
The Czech Republic contains more castles and chateaus per square kilometre than any other country in the world. To the west of Prague are situated the most important castles of Czech history - Krivoklat & Karlstejn. Vestiges of Czech kings and the splendour of their lifestyle is still evident today at every step. The halls of the castles witnessed many festivities and feasts, but also many consequential political talks and fateful diplomatic negotiations. With a history of conflict & natural disasters, the Krivoklat castle is a highly regarded Czech heritage whereas Karlstejn is a medieval castle of the early Roman empire and a symbol of Bohemia.
Krivoklat is one of the gems of Gothic architecture, and although it was destroyed by fire three times, its charm is in no way diminished. In the past, it was both a royal residence and a feared prison. During the reign of Wenceslas II, Krivoklat was a remarkable and extensive early Gothic castle boasting three towers. A fire in the 14th century proved a major setback, though the castle was rebuilt. All Czech kings stayed at Krivoklat at least for a while, finding refuge there. It became popular mainly because of the surrounding dense forests rich in wildlife. Premyslids, Luxemburgs and Jagiellonians stayed here. King Wenceslas IV even had the Czech crown jewels transferred here for a time to protect them from the Hussites. Later Krivoklat also came under the administration of the Wallensteins and Furstenbergs, who were the last owners of the estate until 1929, when they sold the castle to the Czechoslovak state.