Take a trip to one of the best-preserved Czech castles, which can be proud of a unique monument of European importance – the reliquary of St. Maura, which in age and value is close to the Czech crown jewels.
In the middle of a deep valley above the Teplá River, the majestic Bečov Castle rises on a high rock . Its beginnings are related to the intersection of important roads, when tolls were collected during their passage. The castle’s owners gained their greatest wealth during the 14th to 16th centuries, when tin mining in the area was at its peak. Bečov Castle is one of the best-preserved Czech castles . And that’s because in the Renaissance it no longer met the demanding representational requirements and demands for housing and was used only as a farm building. At the beginning of the 18th century, a new, late Baroque castle was built on the foundations of the cannon bastion . The kitchen and terrace gardens adjoined it. A double staircase led from the ground floor of the new castle building on the north side and there was a swimming pool in the middle. The terraces, which were decorated with pools and fountains, could be accessed directly from the castle rooms.
Attractions of the castle
The rarest jewel on display in the castle is the rare reliquary of Saint Mauro . Its owner was the Beaufort-Spontin family . However, the Beauforts cooperated with the German occupiers during the war, and when the war ended, they apparently hid the reliquary in the backfill of the castle chapel , saying that they would soon return for it. However, the rare reliquary remained lying in the ground for 40 years, and the unique monument was not found until November 5, 1985, by criminal investigators using a metal detector. The reliquary is elaborated to the smallest detail, we can also find so-called gems here that come from the 1st to 3rd century AD. About St. All we know of Mauro is that he was a priest who, after baptizing several dozen Christians, was beheaded along with them in the 1st or 3rd century AD.
A free covered bicycle storage room was also set up at the castle with the possibility of recharging batteries for electric bicycles .
The castle offers several permanent circuits
I. circuit – Reliquary of St. Maura : during a tour of the so-called Pluhovské Palace, you will learn all about the eventful history of this rare artistic monument. In addition, other types of reliquaries are presented here, through which the visitor can get an idea of the various shapes and sizes of these boxes. In the safe room, the visitor is already engaged in an undisturbed inspection of the reliquary of St. Maura, the second most valuable goldsmith’s monument in the Czech Republic.
II. circuit – Castle interiors: the exhibition consists of original furniture from the 19th century, which belonged to the property of the last noble owners of the Bečov manor, the ducal Beaufort-Spontin family. During the tour, you will pass individual salons – graphic, red, tapestry and Spanish. Among the most beautiful spaces of the castle are the Beaufort library and the chapel of St. Petra, where wedding ceremonies and other cultural events are also held.
III. Reliquary for everyone – children’s program suitable for children I.st. Primary school : the tour follows the regular visitor route of the first circuit. The first room is dedicated to the contents of the reliquary. The introduction explains the terms reliquary and relics , the meaning of these objects. During the tour, the children are 1:1 through a simplified model of the reliquaryfamiliarized with the basic concepts of the given issue, such as reliquary, relics, saint, etc. Thanks to the cartoon comic , they learn in a simplified form how the reliquary got to Bečov nad Teplou , why it was hidden and how it was found . The tour ends with a visit to the vault room with the reliquary of Saint Mauro .
IV. A walk through the past: the sightseeing circuit was created in cooperation with the Bečov Education Center and is intended for children of preschool and younger school age. It playfully presents the castle of Bečov and introduces the smallest visitors to basic terms such as a castle or chateau, as well as to the typical inhabitants of these settlements and their way of life. The program, inspired by the book Páhádka o Bečovské odúsknění, takes place mainly in space II. visitor circuit of the castle interiors, however, it is also extended to include the castle gardens, a gallery carved in the rock or the second castle courtyard. In addition to the lecturer, the children are also helped by the program with richly illustrated worksheets , which are part of the ticket just like the aforementioned storybook. In the final part, which takes place in the otherwise inaccessible areas of the sal terena, various aids are prepared for children, thanks to which they can try and repeat what they have learned. For their efforts, they are knighted at the end of the tour and receive a commemorative plaque. Ideal for children aged 4-8, for organized groups and families with children. The tour can be booked via the web form on the Bečov Castle website or by phone at 353 999 394.
Travel without barriers
Tour of the castle for the blind: a blind person takes a regular tour, where he learns basic information about the production of the reliquary, its fate and restoration. There is a haptic model of the reliquary made on a scale of 1:1 with casts of 14 statuettes and 12 reliefs. Haptic model of the unique Reliquary of St. Maura – originally created as a model for the blind, but it soon proved itself as a suitable aid not only for children’s tours.
Braille aids are also available. The tours called “Reliquary for everyone” represent the phenomenon of the reliquary of St. Mauro, the model and its contents can literally be “touched” by everyone, and not only at the castle in Bečov. The model is mobile and thus enables the organization of educational activities in the field – e.g. .in schools or homes for the elderly.
Operator
State castle and chateau Bečov nad Teplou
Náměstí 5. května 13
364 64 Bečov nad Teplou
- Tel.: +420 353 999 394
- E-mail: becov@npu.cz
- WWW: www.zamek-becov.cz
- GPS: 50,084900 12,841300
Region: Karlovy Vary Region
Region: They will shoot
City: Bečov nad Tepla
Tips for a trip: Bečov nad Teplou and surroundings
Opening hours
April
1.4. – 30.4.
Monday – Friday CLOSED
Saturday Sunday 09:00 – 16:00
May – June
1.5. – 30.6.
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday – Sunday 09:00 – 16:00
July – August
1.7. – 31.8.
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday – Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
September – October
1.9. – 2.10.
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday – Sunday 09:00 – 16:00
October
3.10. – 31.10.
Monday – Friday CLOSED
Saturday Sunday 09:00 – 16:00
Note:
Open year-round for groups of 15 or more. Special after-hours tours for individuals. The tour lasts 45 minutes.
Admission
Price: 200 CZK
Reduced price: 160 CZK
Note:
Prize of the 1st circuit – reliquary of St.
Maura is 200 CZK for adults, 160 CZK reduced.
Walk through the past circuit 100 CZK for adults, reduced 50 CZK.
Duration
1-2 hours
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