#lobkowicz palace

[freyito]

Can you write something where the Smoke's s/o talked him into going to Smoke's hometown together?

yall got me doing so much research for this man, and i love it!!! turns out his hometown is Prague, which i dont know why but i didnt expect. but hey, beautiful city to fit a beautiful man. man now i really wanna go to prague, yall got me ON SOMETHING. update yall when i do lmfaooo

cw: fluff, thats really all, sweet ol' tomas, gn reader, proofread

-𝙎𝙈𝙊𝙆𝙀 𝙍𝙀𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙉𝙎 𝙏𝙊 𝙋𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙐𝙀

At first, Tomas was apprehensive about returning to Prague. It had been a while since he had seen the city. Truth be told, he was a little afraid of change.

But he gives in, especially to you. He figures if he's stayed connected to his Czechian culture, it'd be a wasted opportunity to not go back to Prague.

He admits, his Czech isn't on par with locals anymore, either. Yes, he's studied it and has made it a point to use it, but especially with the Lin Kuei, his English and Chinese out-weigh his Czech. Lucky for you two, about 50% of the population in Prague speaks English, especially waiters. And Tomas is able to cover for the remaining 50%.

Bonus points, if you speak Russian, you get to roughly understand 74% of that 50% of Czech. If you speak Polish, however, you'll only be able to roughly understand about 36%.

Tomas loves the idea of you learning Czech, too. He'll absolutely help, he thinks that it is a really good bonding experience, and it definitely brings you two closer.

Some of the things Tomas is interested in doing when you two end up in Prague is going to the Lobkowicz Palace, an art museum. He definitely wants to explore every little place, but out of the popular tourist attractions, that's the first that caught his eye. He'd also love to see the castle, just out of fascination.

He also takes you to Old Town at night, simply because he thinks it's beautiful. And it shows just a little bit of what he remembered. He isn't much of a pub crawler, but he will follow you if you wish. And if you just want to go to a club to dance, he's down too.

Speaking of clubs, Tomas seems particularly interested in going to the Jazz Dock, as surprising as it may be. He looooves dancing with you, even surrounded by strangers.

To be honest, he just really enjoys the night scene. Not surprising, really. But he loves how the city lights offer a subtle glow against your figure, he thinks it compliments you as a whole.

Tomas will always treat you to dinner, too. He'll take you to some of the more popular, tourist spots if you so wish, but he prefers the smaller local cafés and diners. His favorite has to be the Bella Vida café, while not small or local by any means, he loves the river view and just the coziness of the café.

Another bonus, if you go down there during St Wenceslas Day (Today, actually, September 28th, as I'm writing), Tomas won't mind participating. More of, he'll observe, since he likes to be in-tune with his Czech history, especially since this day is about Czechian history.

© freyito, 2024 | masterlist | queue | kofi DO NOT REPOST AS YOUR OWN OR USE FOR AI/AI CHATBOTS.

[aequoranimae]

24-26 june

My first day in Prague began on the tram, hurtling down the hill towards the bank of the Vltava River. I had eaten my breakfast at the hostel and bought the Prague visitor pass on my phone in preparation for the day, which would begin at Prague Castle, towering above the city from up on the western bank. Even though the tram took me most of the way there, it was still a sweaty climb up stairs and winding alleys to finally reach the castle complex—an expansive collection of smaller churches and palaces from across the centuries of the Bohemian empire. The most impressive of these is the Basilica of St Vitus, the great charcoal cathedral that marks the castle in the landscape. In the same huge square lies a smaller, more ancient basilica, and the Old Royal Palace, the seat of the Hapsburgs long ago. I was surprised by just how huge the crowd of tourists already was even at the beginning of the day, including countless tour groups in every language walking around and taking photos. With my circuit ticket I shuffled into line and took my turn in each location.

First I paid a little extra to climb the tower of the basilica just in case the view over Prague from the castle itself was not high enough, which left me very out of breath and sweaty. The stairs here were at least a bit more modern than those in Bruges, so there wasn’t any danger of missing a rung and falling several spirals' worth down towards the bottom. Unlike this burdensome physical activity, there was a significant line for the inside of the basilica itself, magnificent, but less ornate and more imposing because of its very high ceiling and faded paintwork. You could still see the crests of the Bohemian princes in the aisles, and every chapel was richly decorated with the familiar Catholic metalwork and the crowned holy infants. The other church, an ancient basilica of St George, and the hall of the Old Royal Palace, were less grand but still very interesting. I realised how little I really understood about the Bohemian empire and its rulers, even though they are the sort of history that appeals to me. This was only reaffirmed when I walked down the street to Lobkowicz Palace, where the collection belonging to the Lobkowicz family, an old princedom of Bohemia, is displayed. There is something a little alien about it—the current family is intensely proud of its noble heritage, determined to regain some of its prior glory after the Communist regime confiscated their treasures and many castles and sent them packing. Now they’ve got them back, they’re determined to make it known by whose grace the public is granted the ability to see them; the audioguide to the museum is in first person, and you will not leave without learning a great deal about their esteemed ancestors.

The first rooms were all Lobkowicz family portraits, a great sea of miserable faces atop heavy black clothes and white ruffs. Then they had cases of fine porcelain dinner sets, and a whole room just full of guns, apparently only a fraction of the formidable Lobkowicz armoury. It even included a suit of armour that (the Lobkowicz family believes) was worn into battle by a great general of the Bohemian army in their family line. They had two rooms that was only rare and historical musical instruments and books of compositions, because of course the Lobkowicz family are highly accomplished musicians by blood. And they love dogs. One section of the gallery was just paintings and photographs of their beloved family dogs throughout history. Interiors of the palace itself were also beautiful, with baroque styling and frescoes painted on the ceilings—given what an excellent collection it was, and the tickets here aren’t very expensive, I was surprised that I was one of only a few people inside at a peak time of the day. The crowds outside in the Prague Castle square were enormous, the largest I’ve seen so far this trip, so it was once again very disconcerting walking around in complete silence except for the creaking of the floorboards.

For lunch I was feeling a little weak so I settled for a sandwich from a supermarket further down the hill, enjoyed outside the church of St Nicolas on an unshaded tram stop bench. From there I crossed the road, overcome by the tourist impulse, to one of the many popular stores selling trdelnik, or chimney cake. I have heard this doughnut-like thing is actually Hungarian, not Czech, but to the tourism industry of Prague this is no significant issue. I ordered the one with melted chocolate and a spiral of vanilla soft-serve ice cream, and although this is more of a spectacle for visitors than anything authentic to Prague life, I can’t deny it was delicious. I ate it on the street as I went to take a moment’s rest in the Vrtba Garden, one of the Baroque gardens hidden behind the walls and red-tiled roofs of the city. My feet were very sore and I was very drained—maybe it was the reasonable point in the day to give up the fight, but I couldn’t help making one more stop on the way to the hostel. Halfway between the hostel and the main train station lies the grand National Museum, standing at the highest point of a long avenue with nothing but sky behind it.

The building itself was worth going into, covered with frescoes and statues representing the values of the post-Enlightenment men of science who established the museum in times past. The obsession with the classical age was evident from the room that called itself the Pantheon and the hall of busts that showed scientific men like emperors, regal and wise. Half of the first floor was occupied by the history of the Czech people from the Middle Ages to the First World War, cases filled with archaeological relics from ancient burial sites and old-fashioned weaponry. The other half was natural history—a huge hall of mineral samples, and fossils and reproductions of natural history, which is one of my favourite topics and was better represented here than I have seen before. The museum touched upon some perfect balance between the intelligence and fluidity of modern scientific practice and the culture that birthed this institution to begin with, wherein collections were expansive, messy things, less about fact than instinct.

I was already feeling very satisfied with my visit when I went upstairs to the next floor to find the largest collection of taxidermy animals I have ever seen. The museum’s website and brochure will not mention the word taxidermy, because while they’re clearly very proud of the exhibit (which is wonderful, you mustn’t think of it as just piles of creepy lifeless animals in cases, these creatures are posed in colourful scenes, sometimes a little too close to life for comfort), of course it is not so tasteful to point out that these creatures were only recently stuffed. The artisans who worked on these specimens obviously had a lot of talent, since they eschewed the usual musty and uncanny status of taxidermy in old museums. With a great sense of having gotten my money’s worth, I paid a quick homage to the view from the roof (there are only so many panoramas of Prague one can tolerate in a single day) before taking the tram back home. I got a tasty quesadilla from a pub serving Mexican food and ate in the part outside the Basilica of St Ludmily not far from the hostel. And then I got an ice cream from an excellent shop just up the street, because it was needed.

My second day in Prague began in much the same way, on the tram heading into the old part of town. I got off at the famous Charles Bridge and had a poke around inside the church on the square. Once again there was a steady crowd going despite it being early in the day, and this throng only grew as one approached the very centre of town—the famous astronomical clock and the tourist town encircling it. I did think the clock was very beautiful, but I didn’t spend much time on it, instead turning to the beautiful Church of Our Lady before Tyn, one of the more hauntingly beautiful churches I’ve visited thus far, though not the sort of place where you’re allowed to take pictures (this did not seem to stop a lot of people, but even I can be tempted into respect for the Catholic Church on occasion). I had to rush back to the riverbank though, because I had a ticket to do a small tour of the Klementium, a part of the Prague library that preserves the history of the Jesuit astronomers who worked there before their order’s dissolution. From behind a barrier we saw the glory of the Baroque Library, which survived the many political eras in the region, and also never caught on fire, the true miracle. We saw the old clock of Prague that used to measure midday by the movement of light, and at twelve o’clock they would sound off a canon to let everybody know the time. Unfortunately when Europe assumed the practice of standard time, this system became a few minutes off and was abandoned. The firing of the canon had already fallen off a bit by then because of the war, the last time it ever fired was in February of 1926.

For lunch I got a takeaway focaccia from a place in a peaceful arcade and walked around the old city gate while I ate. There was a bakery around the corner I was quite excited to try, specialising in Czech kolache pastries, discs with sweet fillings like poppyseeds and cream cheese. I was feeling a bit awkward in the quiet shop, so it was actually a relief when a large group of Texans blustered in to stir up the usual furore (apparently kolache are quite well-known in their home state, so they had a lot to say about it). I bought the kolache with a filling of cream cheese and raspberries with a light crumble coating on top, which was perfect. I savoured it back in the main square of the old town, considering my next move.

I toured the old Jewish quarter of Prague, established as a museum across several different buildings and historic synagogues, including the Old Jewish Cemetery. The first part of this circuit I visited was a memorial and obviously that was a place of mourning and I did not take pictures. The Old Jewish Cemetery adjoining it was a rambling glen of old graves, tilted at odd angles and surrounded by thick dark greenery. From there I walked down to the neighbouring synagogues that held the historical exhibits about Prague’s Jewish history, the second of which was the beautiful Spanish Synagogue, ornate and finely gilded with accents of deep red and blue framing the Stars of David.  As it turned three o'clock I stood in the square before the astronomical clock, watching it put on its meagre hourly show from within the huge crowd. Then I took myself home on the tram, tired out, and didn’t emerge until it was really time for some dinner—I sat outside a bistro in the sleepy residential streets near my hostel and enjoyed a tasty bowl of chicken and couscous while the sun slowly crept west. I bought another scoop of ice cream from the same place as the night before, because it was also needed now. I went to bed.

My last day in Prague began with a walk to a nearby bakery, because I had thoughts of kolache permeating in my mind. I found the new and trendy little place about fifteen, twenty minutes from my hostel, the sort of place where I felt obliged to apologise for not speaking Czech, though of course the man behind the counter spoke English very well. I bought a kolache of the same sort as yesterday but with strawberries instead and ate it as I walked down the hill through more rustic Eastern European streets towards the other castle complex of Prague, Vysehrad. There I encountered the most enormous crowds of Czech high school students presumably there on some kind of excursion, as well as the magnificent St Peter and Paul Basilica. This church was remarkable for its overwhelming art nouveau decoration, covering every wall and piece of ceiling with thematic depictions of the saints and religious motifs. It was certainly one of the most unique churches I’d ever been into—everything in the architecture was classic, gothic, intimidating, but its frescoes were of such a completely different style. I most liked the painting of Mary Magdalene, wearing a loose scarf with a scowl on her face, barefoot with one hand raised in thought.

After taking in this (other) view of Prague from the top of the Vysehrad fortress, I took the tram back around to the other side of the river where the city’s more renowned castle rests. On my I passed through the famous Wallenstein Garden that fronts the Czech Senate building. This beautiful ornamental garden was most enjoyable for its inhabitants; peacocks (including one much-photographed white bird) strutted the edge of the water garden, home to huge red and black koi fish that poked their noses from the water every now and then. At the back of the garden was a shadowy apiary in which at least ten or so large barn owls perched in the highest rafters, peering down with their fearsome amber eyes, occasionally spreading their great wings to fly between After lunch from a cute sandwich shop, I dragged myself back up the hill in the bright sun until I reached the first of two palaces there on the mount that house collections of the National Gallery. Unlike most, Prague’s National Gallery is dispersed throughout the city between six or seven different buildings—up here were the Old Masters, pictures from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Despite the hundreds if not thousands of foreign tourists mingling in the squares outside, I was the only person in the gallery, pretending not to notice the security guards, with want of something better to do, shadowing me at every turn. They had some magnificent religious works (not to mention yet another Ruebens) as well as a rotating graphic works display, which to my delight was currently cat-themed. These sketches and engravings were so endearing, my favourite was the etching of a painting in the Uffizi gallery, depicting Mary holding the Holy Child while a cat nurses her own kittens in the folds of Mary’s robes, for once not mischievous or cunning, but gentle. I will try my very best to see the original when I am in Florence.

That evening my roommate in the hostel, Lina, who is from Columbia, invited me for drinks when I was free. First I had a ticket to the Prague Opera in the State Theatre—it was a performance of Nabucco, and it was very interesting, and left me with a lot of conflicted feelings. The only unenjoyable part was that I was starting to feel a little bit sick like I had a cold coming on, this was unlikely to stop me, and when I got back from the show I joined Lina at the wine bar down the street from the hostel. We talked about life in Columbia and Australia and the intricacies of language, she says her English is bad but I think it’s very good, she tested my Spanish and it did not go very far. Once the wine bar closed we sat on the steps of the hostel chatting quietly while some man whose role was unclear patrolled the pavement telling the young people there drinking and smoking to be quiet every time a voice raised above a whisper. She laughed when I chose a cider from the dingy corner shop, saying it was like drinking an apple juice, and asking why I came to Prague if I don’t like beer. It is not an unfair question, I can only justify myself by claiming a love for pastries and world history instead. Eventually we retired to our apartment upstairs and said goodnight—we were both leaving the next morning, I was going by train to Vienna and she was going by bus to Berlin. So our goodnight was also a goodbye, to each other and to the city.

[scurvyoaks]

Princess Leopoldina Lobkowicz (1867-1936), painted by de László in 1899. My apologies for the blurry photo through the glass covering the canvas. The portrait is on display at Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle. As William Lobkowicz says in the excellent audio guide, de László (1869-1937) painted everybody who was anybody.

Philip de László - Portrait of Hélène Charlotte de Berquely-Richards (1935)

[pragueeventeryofficial]

Meetings are the cornerstone of business growth and decision-making. But when conducted in the right environment, these meetings transform from mere discussions to collaborative experiences that can set the tone for monumental decisions. Enter Prague – a city that offers a harmonious blend of history, culture, and modern business infrastructure, making it the ultimate locale for hosting impactful meetings.

Historic Halls vs. Modern Meeting Spaces:

Prague’s landscape is dotted with diverse venues that bring their own unique charm to business meetings:

Historic Halls: Imagine discussing future strategies in a baroque hall, where every corner whispers tales of ancient European diplomacy. These venues, like the Lobkowicz Palace, provide an ambiance imbued with gravitas, helping anchor discussions in a grand historical context.

Modern Spaces: On the other hand, establishments like the Prague Congress Centre offer state-of-the-art facilities, with ultra-modern amenities, ensuring meetings are efficient and tech-driven.

This choice between the historic and the contemporary allows businesses to set the perfect tone for their discussions.

Prague Eventery’s Expertise:

With a city as diverse as Prague, having a guide can make all the difference. Prague Eventery, with its intricate understanding of the city’s pulse, ensures that every meeting is tailored to the client’s specific needs:

Location Scouting: Whether you desire a view of the Vltava or the proximity to the bustling Old Town Square, the perfect venue is handpicked.

Technical Mastery: From seamless video conferencing across continents to high-definition presentations, every technical detail is flawlessly executed.

Ambiance Creation: Lighting, acoustics, and décor – every element is tweaked to perfection to create the desired atmosphere for productive conversations.

Real-Life Scenario – A Meeting to Remember:

Last summer, a multinational pharmaceutical company approached Prague Eventery to organize a high-stakes meeting. The objective was to finalize a groundbreaking merger. Given the gravity of the situation, Prague Eventery proposed the Clementinum’s historic halls, an architectural marvel and once a part of the Charles University.

During the event, attendees were treated to a seamless blend of history and modern business amenities. Post-meeting, a private chamber orchestra played classic Czech compositions, allowing attendees to relax and reflect upon the day’s discussions.

The result? A successful merger and a memorable experience that attendees still fondly recall.

Extended Services – Making the Most of Prague:

While the meeting is pivotal, the overall experience of attendees is equally crucial. Prague Eventery ensures that attendees are treated to:

Guided Tours: A stroll through the historic Old Town, or a private tour of the Prague Castle, ensuring attendees experience the city’s essence.

Networking Events: Organized at iconic locales, these events blend business with pleasure, allowing attendees to forge lasting connections amidst Prague’s beauty.

Culinary Experiences: From traditional Czech cuisine to global delicacies, attendees are taken on a gastronomic journey that delights and surprises.

Conclusion:

When business meets culture in a setting as rich and diverse as Prague, meetings transcend their primary function. They become experiences that shape decisions, foster connections, and leave an indelible mark on attendees. With a partner like Prague Eventery, businesses can unlock the true potential of what a meeting in Prague can offer.

[verweilen]

The Hay Harvest, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1565)

[goingplacesfarandnear]

Lobkowicz Palace is Prague’s Jewel Box

Lobkowicz Palace is Prague’s Jewel Box

Lobkowicz Palace, the only privately owned palace within Prague Castle, commands a stunning view of Prague © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com When I come out from Golden Lane, with its tiny houses that line the Prague Castle walls, I look across to see the Lobkowicz Palace and realize it is included on the Prague Cool…

[indiarightnow]

The Lobkowicz Collection: Czech Republic’s oldest, largest and the most intact private collection

The Lobkowicz Collection: Czech Republic’s oldest, largest and the most intact private collection

The Collection reflects the cultural, social, political and economic life of central Europe over six centuries. By (Mrs) Amb Narinder Chauhan The Lobkowicz Collection is deemed to be amongst the oldest, largest and the most intact private collection in Czech Republic. The Collection is housed in the Lobkowicz Palace which is part of the Prague Castle complex, one of the most beautiful and…

[flaneurissimo]

doors of prague  6

source: flaneurissimo

[alexartcollections]

Cassisy Bernardo Bellotto Lobkowicz Palace Canvas Painting & Calligraphy Print Living Room Wall Decor Life Art Picture No Framed

[gogmstuff]

1899 Princess Egon von Ratibor by Philip Alexius de László (Roudnice Lobkowicz Foundation, Lobkowizc Palace, Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic). From godsandfoolishgrandeur.blogspot.com/2018/01/random-females-selection-of-portraits.html.

[freda-in-europe]

🇨🇿 Lobkowicz Palace, Prague, Czechia. . . . . . #prague #praha #lobkowiczpalace #czech #czechia #czechrepublic #palace #view #writingdesk #baroque #european #europe #photography #travel #visitprague #praguecastle #fredaineurope #fredainczechrepublic #fredainprague (at Prague, Czech Republic) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdB7956v08F/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[history-of-fashion]

ab. 1585 Attributed to Roland de Mois - Polyxena Pernštejn

(Lobkowicz Palace, Prague Castle)

[spanishbaroqueart]

Juan Pantoja de la Cruz

Portrait of María Luisa de Aragón, 7th Duchess of Villahermosa, Aged 7; 1593

House of Lobkowicz collection. Lobkowicz Palace, Prague

[lisettefoix]

                                                 NEXT GEN

                                             -- Kamilla du Poitiers Lobkowicz --

Extremely AU reality where Lisette and Ákos had a daughter. Thank Lina for this.

Trigger warnings: Depression, Post-partum depression, miscarriage

KAMILLA DU POITIERS LOBKOWICZ || SUSANNA OINONEN || 2010

Kamilla was born soon after their wedding, Preaphs a bit to soon after, but no one commented on it. It was within the time for a early child and the two had been promised from a early age after all. However she wasn’t born soon enough to be born into a happy marrige. During her 8 months of pregnancy Lis had already started despising her husband and their lives. She was incredibly depressed and the birth didn’t help.

She was diagonised with Post-partum depression a couple of months after Kamilla was born. Lis loved her, she did, but all in her reminded her of Ákos. She’s her father mini-me. The few things she got from Lis is her rounder face and eyebrows. Everything else is Ákos brought forward. And Kamilla knew it from early on. As soon as she could show a preference she was daddies little girl.

In this timeline Lis had some complications with her birth and that’s what brought up all the fertility issues latter on, but not as serious as they are in canon. Even after everything Lis was still amendment of making her marriage work and they tried for another child a couple years latter and Lis still lost that child (2011).

I imagine this is the same timeline where the Lisvente kids exist 👀 or one of the timelines where the Lisvente kids exist at least. Either way Lis and Ákos end up divorsing when Kamilla is around 2 years old and they share custody of her. She still prefers Akos above anyone else and is actively a terrible child when she isn’t with dad. She hates her half siblings and makes it well known even thought they are quite a lot younger than her.

As she grows up her disdain for her mom only grows and she will be well into adulthood before she starts making amends with Lis. This breaks Lis heart everyday because of her own relationship with her mom.

HCS:

Kamilla is a hippie and is happiest in nature

Her favorite thing to do on “mom’s weeks” is see how trouble she can cause in the royal palace

Hates Levente almost more than Akos does.

out of the two half siblings she particularly hates Csilla and would pull on her pigtails as a kid. She blames Levente for breaking up her parents and Csilla is just a Levente she can get to.

When she’s with Akos she’s a perfect angel so he refuses to believe Lis isn’t exagerating when she says Kamilla needs therapy

 i haven’t caught up with dinasty but she gives me kirby vibes.

[ @akoslobkowicz ]

[larryland]

Tina Packer Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by The Shakespeare Theatre Association

Tina Packer Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award by The Shakespeare Theatre Association

“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare

(Lenox, MA) –  Shakespeare & Company is proud to announce that Founding Artistic Director, Tina Packer, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Shakespeare Theatre Association(STA). She received the Douglas N. Cook Lifetime Achievement Award while attending the 2019 STA…

[plazapiner]

Blasphemous skins

#Blasphemous skins how to#

#Blasphemous skins professional#

Joseph gave the renegade composer an annual stipend, as well as musicians and concert spaces, nearly bankrupting the House of Lobkowicz in the process. Beethoven famously incorporated an additional French horn into his orchestra for the "Eroica" symphony at a time when people thought that kind of sound was blasphemous. Take the seventh prince, Franz Joseph Maximilian (1772-1816), who made a big bet on Ludwig van Beethoven back when the composer was still a relative unknown. The Lobkowicz princes have a history of being rebels, each breaking tradition in their own way. Each prince did something completely different based upon the times they lived in," Lobkowicz said. "What I'm doing right now I don't think is any different from any of my predecessors.

#Blasphemous skins professional#

was booming out the lyrics to "Chanson d'Amour," which was playing on his Walkman, preparing for concerts he performed in the area with the hopes of becoming a professional opera singer one day. Sandra first spotted her now husband from the window of her apartment, years before they actually met in person. Sandra and William, too, were serendipitously linked as refugees and young adults living in Beacon Hill in Boston. They were reunited in London during World War II, both serving their respective countries' fight against the Nazis. Fast forward to the early 1920s, when Sandra's grandfather, Radu Florescu - who had two diplomatic postings in Prague - likely crossed paths with the elder William's grandfather, Max, also a diplomat.

#Blasphemous skins how to#

In the early 1600s, their ancestors, who were diplomats and advisors to their respective kings in Bohemia and Romania, met in Prague to strategize about how to defeat the Turks who were threatening the Habsburg Empire. The couple seemed destined for each other, with intertwining family histories that go back centuries. "My father had to take out loans with 20% revolving interest, consistently asking the banks for extensions," the younger William said of the early days, when his father first began restoring the family's castles and artifacts. It also means appealing to donors, applying for grants from the government, and securing loans - often at sky-high interest rates. To keep everything afloat, the Lobkowiczes have generated income from things such as castle tours, the gift shop, and hosting events such as weddings and corporate retreats. In fact, some state governments and towns are auctioning off castles under their custodianship, because they don't have the cash to maintain them. Castle ownership isn't much of a novelty in Europe, and especially not in the Czech Republic, which ranks among one of the continent's top destinations for the most castles per square mile. There is also fierce competition for a limited number of grants earmarked to fund cultural heritage projects. The state has strict rules governing restoration protocols that can slow the renovation process and make it more expensive. Meanwhile, traditional philanthropy channels are running dry as museum patronage continues to fall. Nobody's going to care about these things as much as we do."Ĭollections belonging to the Lobkowiczes have been declared Czech cultural monuments, so they can't sell any pieces to help pay to restore the rest. "But in reality, behind the scenes, we're working tirelessly day and night to preserve and protect these things. "You know, most people see the beautiful artworks and castles and think that this all comes incredibly easy," Lobkowicz said from the Habsburg Room, a portrait gallery on the second floor of the palace. First by the Nazis, then by the Communists. Lobkowicz, his two sisters and their parents have dedicated their life's work to maintaining what's left of their ancestral heritage: Three castles, one palace, 20,000 movable artifacts, a library of approximately 65,000 rare books, 5,000 musical artifacts and compositions - including an early copy of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony - and 30,000 boxes and folios, some of which have never been opened. on a Friday night, Lobkowicz has to get special permission from the military guards who patrol the grounds. Instead, they live in personal apartments a 10-minute drive away. He and his family do not live in this or any of their other ancestral homes.