Lčovice

Lcovice
Village
Lčovice from a distance
Country	Czech Republic
Region	South Bohemian
District	Prachatice
Municipality	Lcovice
Population	150
Mayor	Jindřiška Kalousová
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	38481
Statistics: http://www.statnisprava.cz/rstsp/ciselniky.nsf/i/561649

Lcovice is a village in South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic with a population of 150 inhabitants. The village consists of two separate areas connected by a road. The village attracts tourists, due to the geography of the area and the Baroque Palace.

The earliest historical mention of Lčovice is from 1321, when states of some Zbraslav Lčovice (Sbraslao de Ebizouiz). In place of the present castle was built during the Gothic fortress.

Lčovice's most famous physical landmark is its castle, also known as a Baroque Palace, One of the most famous owners was the architect Joseph Zitek, builder of the National Theatre. The whole area of the castle and the adjacent farm buildings are all protected as a cultural monument.

The castle is a two-story building of irregular plan, with early Baroque arcaded façade. Floor plan of the main building of the castle is mostly made up of the original Gothic fortress with 2m of heavy masonry. In main entrance on the left side of the staircase is a preserved pointed Gothic portal. The gateway dates from the early 19th century. The northern corner of the castle is connected to ten-storey annexe with baroque arched ground floor.

The area around the castle, which was founded in 1660, has an octagonal, baroque chapel (1669) topped dome and lantern, decorated with painted stucco rich. Octagonal Pavilion.

Today the building of the castle and park adjacent to private property and is not normally open to the public. Castle and Park are listed buildings.

Lčovice is famous around the Czech Republic because of its unique settlement pattern. Lcovice s actually two villages which are connected via a road as well as a footpath. The first (and original) village is located on the hillside at a height of 516m. This village known locally as 'the upper area', has beautiful, yet typical, Czech architecture. The square of the village is home to a 400-year-old lime tree which is one of the oldest trees in the area.

The second village known as 'the lower area' is located one kilometre away at the bottom of the valley next to the Volyňka river. Summer cottages started to appear here when the castle was no longer required to protect them, they were closer to the Lčovi

ce train station and land was easy to build on due to the flood plain of the Volyňka river. Farming methods also improved so this flatland around the river was no longer needed for fields as crops could now be grown on steep land. Detached housing is common in the lower area and the architecture is obviously more modern than upper. Lower Lčovice is located between Čkyně and Malenice and is within the surroundings of the UNESCO heritage listed Šumava national park.