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ČERVENÁ LHOTA |  |
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| Bechyně Blatná České Budějovice Červená Lhota Český Krumlov Dačice Dívčí Kámen Hluboká Jindřichův Hradec Klokoty Kratochvíle Landštejn Nové Hrady Ohrada Orlík Pelhřimov Písek Prachatice Rožmberk Schwarzenberg tomb Strakonice Tábor Třeboň Vimperk Vyšší Brod Zlatá Koruna Zvíkov We recommend |
The fairy-tale mansion of today was preceded by several low
buildings of a fortified settlement on a rocky headland with a stream flowing round it.
With the removal of the isthmus and filling in of the ditch an island was created to which
access was obtained by a drawbridge. Lhota got its present appearance under Jan Kába of
Rybňany. The Italian Hons Vlach rebuilt it as a four-winged Renaissance mansion with a
square courtyard. It was called Nová (New) Lhota and also Kába's Lhota. But the Kába
family did not have much luck on their new estate, Jan Kába, his son Burian and four
daughters were carried off by the plague in 1568. This tragic event is recalled by a stone
tomb in the mansion Chapel of the Holy Trinity and a painted epitaph at the mansion. Later owners, the Růtas, being protestants, had their property confiscated in 1620. At that time the mansion was called Červená (Red) Lhota because of its red facade. The next building operations were made under Vilém Slavata who had the ceilings of the large hall richly stuccoed, part of which can be seen today in the dining-hall. Bands of fruit and vegetables in high relief, together with cupids are the work of two Italian masters, Giacomo Tencala and Inocenc Cometa. Another owner worth mentioning was Baron Ignác Stillfried who brought his young wife's father, Karl Diners of Dittersdorf to the mansion. The ageing, half=blind music composer, once greatly admired author of 44 operas and many other compositions, spent his last years isolated at the estate and was buried in nearby Deštná. The last estate owners were the Schónburg-Hartensteins under whom the facade was remodelled in Romantic style and then in 1910 the original Renaissance aspect of the gables restored to look as we know it today from many films and fairy-tales. This charming mansion, reflecting itself in the waters of the lake, enchants all visitors. From the windows of the large study, nursery, dining-hall, French salon and other rooms they can get a view across the water of the English park with the adjoining Bělidlo (Bleachery), and can also make a boat trip round the mansion when they will see the irregular outline of a cross above the highest window of the left wing. The story goes that the daughter of one owner of Červená Lhota turned away from religion and threw the cross out of the window and into the lake. The devil carried her off and with his claw painted a scarlet cross above the window. To cover up this sign the mansion was given a red coating and from this it got its name. |
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