CZ-36604, Marie - Czech Republic

~ Náměšť nad Oslavou ~ 

Sent 05-10-2009

Thanks for Marie / Kalaa!!

Náměšť nad Oslavou (Namest on the Oslava River) is a town of 5200 inhabitants in Southern Moravia and lies on the banks of the Oslava River 40 km west of Brno. Namest is mentioned for the first time in 1234 as a village at the ford. The Gothic castle high above the river was built in the mid-thirteenth century and between 1565-1578 it was rebuilt into a Renaissance-style stately home which is now a dominating landmark of the town.

Until 1945 it belonged to the Haugwitz family, then for some time it served as a summer residence for President Beneš of Czechoslovakia, and now it houses a large collection of Berlin wool work, covering the whole period from the 16th to the 19th century. The stately home library and the inner courtyard are frequently used as concert venues, building on the rich musical traditions of the 19th century.