The perfect setting for dark, mystical and sinister stories – but also for romances and fairy tales! The cultural heritage monuments in Jeseníky and surrounding countryside offer it all. Grand locations such the chateau in Velké Losiny still recall the Inquisition – that brutal era in history is evident also in the region’s historical buildings.
The Velké Losiny chateau is among the best-known late Renaissance buildings in Moravia and a stunning example of the period’s architecture with few rivals in Europe. In 1946 Losiny received a pledge from King Vladislaus II (Ladislaus Jagellion) from the old noble Moravian family Žerotín (Zierotin). The three-story chateau is replete with arcades facing the courtyard and has three wings in the shape of horseshoes, which open to the south (offering great natural light for filming). The west wing also features a grand octagonal tower. At the close of the 17th century, additional buildings were added, in particular for farming, and a second set of stairs was connected to the chateau’s southern wing, thereby greatly expanding the regal courtyard. From 1731-1738 there was further reconstruction – the new Chateau Chapel features frescoes by Baroque painter Johann Christoph Handke. In 1802, the symmetrical French garden adjoining the chateau was turned into an English park, a natural landscape park with a fishpond.
The picturesque spa town of Velké Losiny (population 3,000) lies north of the city of Šumperk in the valley of the Desna River and is among the most visited areas in the foothills of Jeseníky. At the close of the 17th century the chateau became the setting for the so-called “witch trials.” This period of history inspired director Otakar Vávra, who in 1969 shot his chilling masterpiece Witches’ Hammer (Kladivo na čarodějnice), which became a kind of cult film for Czech audiences.
“The chateau is perfect for filming and boasts especially well-preserved interiors. They include plenty of world and European rarities and amazing hidden spaces,” says the chateau caretaker, Marcela Tomášková. “Also, the furnishings are venerable – we find furniture here from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Empire periods. The oldest part of the chateau furnishings include an impressive library, established by the Žerotín family in the late 16th century.”
Also quite unique is the chateau’s collection of leather and textile wallpaper, featuring countless tapestries and a collection of weapons dating from the 16th to 19th centuries. A substantial part of the interior of the 16th century Hall of Knights has been preserved, including the oldest tiled stove in Moravia (1585). The many varied rooms also feature the original parquet floor and painted coffered ceilings that create the illusion of a starry night sky.
At the turn of the 19th century, the indebted Žerotín family had to sell the estate, to Prince Karel of Lichtenstein, who remodeled the so-called lower chateau in the Biedermeir style as well as the park, which took on its current form. Today the chateau is managed by the Czech National Heritage Institute.
Contact the Czech Film Commission or one of the many local location managers for more information about this and other locations.
For more information about filming in the Jeseníky region, contact Lenka Dusovová, Jeseníky Film Office, +420 608 119 093, lenka.dusova@jesenikytourism.cz, www.jesenikyfilmoffice.cz.
