Jánský Vrch (german: Schloß Johannesberg) is a castle located in the
Jeseník District
Jeseník District ( cs, okres Jeseník) is a district ('' okres'') in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Its seat is the town of Jeseník. With approximately 38,000 inhabitants it is the least populated district of the Czech Republic.
The a ...
in the
Olomouc Region
Olomouc Region ( cs, Olomoucký kraj; , ; pl, Kraj ołomuniecki) is an administrative unit ( cs, kraj) of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia (''Morava'') and in a small part of t ...
of the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. The castle stands on a hill above the town of
Javorník in the north-western edge of
Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia (, also , ; cs, České Slezsko; szl, Czeski Ślōnsk; sli, Tschechisch-Schläsing; german: Tschechisch-Schlesien; pl, Śląsk Czeski) is the part of the historical region of Silesia now in the Czech Republic. Czech Silesia is, ...
, in area what was a part of the
Duchy of Nysa
The Duchy of Nysa ( pl, Księstwo Nyskie, cs, Niské knížectví) or Duchy of Neisse (german: Herzogtum Neisse) was one of the duchies of Silesia with its capital at Nysa in Lower Silesia. Alongside the Duchy of Siewierz, it was the only eccle ...
. For most of its history the castle belonged to the
Prince-bishops of Breslau (
Wrocław
Wrocław (; german: Breslau, or . ; Silesian German: ''Brassel'') is a city in southwestern Poland and the largest city in the historical region of Silesia. It lies on the banks of the River Oder in the Silesian Lowlands of Central Europe, rou ...
) in
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
.
History
The castle is first mentioned in written sources in 1307, when it was still the property of the Princes of
Świdnica
Świdnica (; german: Schweidnitz; cs, Svídnice; szl, Świdńica) is a city in south-western Poland in the region of Silesia. As of 2019, it has a population of 57,014 inhabitants. It lies in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, being the seventh larges ...
. In 1348,
Bolko II of Świdnica sold it to the Prince-bishop
Preczlaus of Pogarell (1341–1376), and since that time, the castle belonged to Breslau bishops.
During the 15th century, the castle was considerably damaged by the
Hussite
The Hussites ( cs, Husité or ''Kališníci''; "Chalice People") were a Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus, who became the best known representative of the Bohemian Reformation.
The Hussit ...
s and therefore large-scale repairs were needed. The rebuilding of the castle took place under the rule of Bishop
Jan IV Roth
Johann Roth ( pl, Jan Roth; 30 November 1426 – 21 January 1506) was Bishop of Lavant from 1468 to 1482 and Prince-Bishop of Wrocław (Breslau) from 1482 until his death. He was known as a brilliant speaker, humanist and supporter of the arts ...
, at the end of the 15th century, and it was completed in 1509 by his successor – Prince-bishop
John V Thurzó (1506–1520). At that time, the castle was also renamed as Johannesberg ("John's Hill"), to honor the patron of the Bishops of Breslau,
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
.
The original fortified castle was later rebuilt in the
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style under the rule of
Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch
Count Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch (3 July 1716 – 5 January 1795) was a German Prince-Bishop of Breslau and an important promoter of music.
Ecclesiastical career
Schaffgotsch was born in Bad Warmbrunn in the Riesengebirge mountains ...
(1716–1795), who made it his primary residence. During this time, Johannesberg castle and the town
Javorník also became the cultural center of
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia ( pl, Górny Śląsk; szl, Gůrny Ślůnsk, Gōrny Ślōnsk; cs, Horní Slezsko; german: Oberschlesien; Silesian German: ; la, Silesia Superior) is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia, located ...
. Among the most famous personalities living there, was
August Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, renowned
Viennese Viennese may refer to:
* Vienna, the capital of Austria
* Viennese people, List of people from Vienna
* Viennese German, the German dialect spoken in Vienna
* Music of Vienna, musical styles in the city
* Viennese Waltz, genre of ballroom dance
* V ...
composer and violinist.
Following the death of Prince-Bishop Philipp Gotthard von Schaffgotsch, the castle was once again rebuilt as a summer residence by Bishop
Joseph Christian Reichsfürst von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein. It remained an important centre of cultural life in the region until the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1959, the castle Jánský Vrch was loaned to the State and recovered by the
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovak may refer to:
*A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93)
**First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38)
**Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39)
**Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60)
**Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...
government in 1984, following a property agreement between the Polish and Czechoslovak Catholic archdioceses. It is now under the administration of the National Monument Institute in
Olomouc
Olomouc (, , ; german: Olmütz; pl, Ołomuniec ; la, Olomucium or ''Iuliomontium'') is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 99,000 inhabitants, and its larger urban zone has a population of about 384,000 inhabitants (2019).
Located on th ...
and since 1 January 2002, it is on the list of Czech national cultural monuments.
Gallery
File:Jauernig96.jpg, View from the castle gardens (ca. 1920)
File:Schloss Johannesberg (Jánský Vrch).jpg, Jánský Vrch
File:Javor7.JPG, Jánský Vrch
File:Javornik tablica.jpg, Relief of Bishop Johannes Thurzo
References
* Gernot, Ludwig and Wolf, Kurt. ''Jauernig und das Jauerniger Ländchen. Das 2. Heimatbuch des ehemaligen Gerichtsbezirkes Jauernig'', 1995.
* Hosák, Ladislav. ''Historický místopis Moravy a Slezska v letech 1848–1960'', 1967, Profil Ostrava.
* Kuča, Karel. ''Města a městečka v Čechách, na Moravě a ve Slezsku II. díl'', 1997, Libri Praha.
* Pachl, Hans. ''Jauernig und das Jauerniger Ländchen. Ein Heimatbuch des ehemaligen Gerichtsbezirks Jauernig'', 1983.
External links
Official web-site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jansky Vrch
Jeseník District
Castles in the Olomouc Region
Museums in the Olomouc Region
Historic house museums in the Czech Republic
National Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic