{"id":17542,"date":"2021-02-14T10:18:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-14T08:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=17542"},"modified":"2021-02-05T16:19:31","modified_gmt":"2021-02-05T14:19:31","slug":"castle-becov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/czech-republic\/castles-and-chateaus\/castle-becov\/","title":{"rendered":"Castle Be\u010dov nad Teplou"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Very close to Karlovy Vary in western Bohemia is the small town of Be\u010dov nad Teplou (Petschau in German) and there you will find the Be\u010dov Castle. The location itself is idyllic – in the valley of the Tepl\u00e1 River in the nature reserve of the Imperial Forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

By car you can reach the town quickly via the E49 and already on the approach you will discover the Be\u010dov Castle on a rockabove the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History of Be\u010dov Castle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the first half of the 14th century, the castle was probably built as a customs post on the road from Pilsen to Loket. A settlement was quickly formed at the foot of the castle and the manorial center of Peszlov was established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Modell<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1495, the owner of the castle, Mr. Pflug von Rabenstein, had the castle expanded. He promoted tin mining in the region and the town experienced an economic boom. After Kaspar Pflug von Rabenstein supported the Estates Revolt, King Ferdinand I confiscated the property and gave it to other nobles. When, during the counter-reform, the Protestant miners in the tin mines refused to convert, they were expelled to Saxony. This meant the economic decline of the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After several changes in ownership, in 1752 the Lords of Kaunitz finished rebuilding the baroque castle of Peschau below the abandoned castle. They also had new houses and a parish church built. Around 1813, the property passed to the Beaufort-Spontin family, who arranged for the landscaping of the park below the castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wappen\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918, the town was named Be\u010dov. In 1938, the area had to be ceded to the German Reich due to the Munich Agreement, and after World War II it was reassigned to Czechoslovakia. A large part of the German-speaking population was expelled, the property was confiscated and the Beaufort-Spont family was also expropriated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Blick<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before their escape to Austria, the Beaufort-Spont family hid in the floor of the castle chapel the St. Maurus shrine, which had been in their possession for many years. The treasure fell into oblivion. In 1984, when an American businessman wanted to pay $250,000 for the export of an unidentified art object, criminal investigators began to investigate. It was only through this that the story of the shrine was unearthed again and searched for in the castle and chateau. In 1985, the shrine was found under the floor of the castle chapel. After restoration, it can now be seen in the Be\u010dov Castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Burg<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Be\u010dov Palace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Be\u010dov Palace is located below the castle. It was built in several stages and served as a replacement for the neglected castle complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We took part in a guided tour (representative rooms, the library and the palace chapel) through the palace and were thus able to gain a little insight into the history of the chateau. Unfortunately, there was no possibility to take part in a German or English guided tour during our visit. But we were given a written guide in which we could read the information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Burggrafenresidenz
burgrave’s residence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tickets are available at the former burgrave’s residence. The steward of the estate originally lived in the neo-classical remodelled building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tour of the palace begins at the stone bridge that leads to the palace. On the bridge are statues of St. John of Nepomuk and a Jesuit saint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Burg<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First you come to a room where there is a model of the castle and palace complex. Here you can learn about the history of the castle and its owners. Later, the other rooms mainly deal with the history of the palace during the time of the Beaufort-Spontin family, the last owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n