<zámek>Castle Slatiňany</zámek> <otevřel>opened</otevřel> <zahradu>the garden</zahradu>, <zatím>for now</zatím> <bude>it will</bude> <přístupná>be accessible</přístupná> <o>on</o> <víkendech>weekends</víkendech>

Slatiňany – The state castle in Slatiňany in the Chrudim region opened its castle garden to the public today following coronavirus restrictions. Its main attraction is the historic timbered houses for educating noble children. The garden, which has recently been completely restored by heritage officials, will be open to the public on weekends from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM until the end of April. The castle remains closed due to government anti-epidemic measures. This was stated by the castle manager Jaroslav Bušta.

The weather was not favorable for visiting the garden today. "In the morning, it was slightly above freezing, it drizzled in the morning, and only a few individuals came," said Bušta. Starting in May, the garden will have standard opening hours from Tuesday to Sunday. Further operations after the end of April will depend on government regulations related to the coronavirus epidemic. "Hopefully, today's opening of the garden is a light at the end of the tunnel," believes the manager in the soon opening of the castle's interiors.

By opening the gardens and parks of selected heritage sites, the National Heritage Institute is also commemorating the International Day for Monuments and Sites on Sunday. In Eastern Bohemia, Slatiňany is the only castle that has opened its garden to the public. On Sunday, in celebration of heritage day, entry to the garden will be free; otherwise, the admission fee is 30 crowns per person.

The Slatiňany castle garden covers an area of nine hectares. It consists of a collection of exotic trees, flower beds, a pond, two gazebos, and a chapel. The most interesting structure is the children's farm from the 19th century. It was used for the education and play of young nobles, who were supposed to learn the value of work and money. It was a kind of miniature rural estate where children took care of animals and flower beds.

The castle in Slatiňany reopened last May after three years of extensive reconstruction. In addition to repairing the facades with original colors, windows, doors, and the castle gate, the outdoor loggia on the west wing was restored to its original form, which had been demolished in the 1950s. The rooms on the ground floor of the east wing have been transformed, for example, into a visitor center. The project Slatiňany - Noble School in Nature cost approximately 120 million crowns.

The castle was built on the site of a Gothic fort from the 14th century and has passed through the hands of thirty owners over several centuries. The last of them, the princely family of Auersperg, shaped the castle into its current form. The family residence, equipped with the most modern technical amenities including a kitchen, central heating, and a food lift, was used by the owners until 1945 when the castle was nationalized under the Beneš decrees.