Konopiste Castle Day Trip from Prague
Konopiste Castle, Konopiste zamek, is a must-see must-do trip if you fancy a day trip from Prague. And in particular if you are a great fan of hunting trophies. The castle of Konopiste is set in a beautiful park with a famous rose garden. It is only 40 kilometers southeast of Prague and near the village of Benesov. Konopiste Castle is one of the most interesting day trips you can make from Prague. Getting there by public transport is a bit of a hassle.

Konopiste Day Trip
Day Trip from Prague to Konopiste is a hassle-free way to visit this historic castle.
Included in the package are:
* Transport by minibus
* Entrance to Konopiste Castle
* Guided tour of the Castle
Konopiste Castle Location
High on a hill stands a Gothic castle converted into a residential manor by and for Franz Ferdinand d’Este, archduke of Austria. His assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 started World War I. A forest surrounded the castle and Franz Ferdinand had most of the trees cut down and laid out an English park with rare flowers and plants. Copies of famous Italian sculptures graced the park.

Konopiste Castle Collection
Franz Ferdinand was an avid collector and that shows! The Konopiste Castle collection consists of more than 300,000 hunting trophies and 4682 weapons, armour and shields from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Most are decorated with gem stones and made of precious materials. Furthermore, you can see here the largest European collection of paintings, statues, reliefs, signs and all kinds of other objects related to the worship of Saint George.
Guided Castle Tour
Czech castles can only be visited with an official guided tour and Konopiste is no exception. The tour leads through splendid rooms with elegant furniture, paintings and porcelain. The walls are covered in deer antlers, heads of wild boar and other hunting trophies. One of the wings of the castle is home to the collection of historical weapons and weapon equipment.

Good Hunter
Franz Ferdinand was a fanatic hunter and organized his hunt in a special way. His gamekeepers drove the animals to a clearing where he Franz Ferdinand stood ready. All he needed to do was to pull the trigger. He did this so quickly and in such a rapid succession that his two servants barely had time to load the gun.
Photos: KonopisteCastle