zájezdní hostinec v Ostrově nad Oslavou Inn

Welcome to the Island of the Celebration. Right now, you're standing in front of a building that's likely to interest you right away. Stop for a moment, take a breath and just feel the space around you. In front of you is a building that at first sight resembles a representative summer castle rather than an ordinary inn. It is a place where the practical need for relaxation with the high art of architecture is combined and where every stone tells the story of ambition, faith and courage to create something truly unique.

Let us now look together at how this monument was created and why it is standing here in the first place. Let's move back three centuries in time to the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was a year of seven hundred and twenty, when the abbot of the Cisterciacia monastery in Zdar nad Sazava, a man named Václav Vejmlouva, decided to build this place. At that time, the roads were not as we know them today. The roads were hard and long, and therefore the tourist pubs were key points on the map of the empire. However, this particular inn was not intended for every bystander. He was to serve as a resting place for the church dignitaries who wandered between the monasteries and the bishops. So imagine the silence, peace and dignity that prevailed here at the time of its greatest glory, when people with great power were resting in their deep sleep.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself, because it is the most precious thing in it. If you look at the overall composition of the building, you'll notice something very special. This construction is carried out in the so-called Baroque Gothic style. It is a style that is absolutely unique to our country and its author was one of the most important architects of its time, Jan Blažej Santini Aichel. Santini was the master of geometry and light, and here he left his mark. Take a look at the building from the perspective, or imagine in your mind its layout. The building is a W-shaped building. It's not a coincidence or just an architectural experiment. This letter represents the initials of the Zdiri Abbot who had the building built. It's a fascinating detail of how the founder's personal identity became the basic building plan of the entire building. It is this shape that gives the inn its characteristic appearance of the summer residence and creates a space that surrounds and welcomes the visitor.

When you look around, feel the atmosphere of this place and think about the people who went through it. In addition to Abbot Vejmluva and Genius Santini, other names have been associated with this place. Among them was Lev Burian Berka z Dube a Lipe, for example, which recalls that this site has been linked over the centuries with the important personalities of the then company. But history is not only about fame and beauty, but also about trials. In a thousand and eight hundred and nineteen the inn was struck by disaster in the form of a devastating fire. The fire engulfed part of the building and threatened that this pearl would cease to exist in the Baroque Gothic. At that very moment Václav Chromé appeared, the owner who decided not to let the building collapse. Thanks to his efforts and repairs the inn could survive even this difficult period and remain visible to us today.

It's fascinating to see how access to this monument changed over time. For years, its value may have been overlooked, but in a thousand and nine hundred and sixty-three, this building was officially listed as a protected landmark. This was a crucial step which ensured that the inn would be treated as a cultural heritage. The peak of modern care was the overall reconstruction, which was completed in the year two thousand nineteen. It's how you see the main building and both its wings in such a maintained state. It is proof that even after 300 years we can appreciate the vision of one architect and the need of one abbot.

And now, one interesting thing that may interest you. Try to think again about the form W. In Santini's architecture, symbols and hidden signs often play a major role. The fact that the building in the form of the abbot's initials extends in the landscape can be seen as a symbol of the protection and care provided by the monastery to its passengers. It's basically a stone signature that survived centuries, fires and regime changes. It is a mystery how in such a relatively small object an architect could combine such a powerful personal symbol with such a strict and elegant geometry.

Now that you know the story of this place, I suggest you take a slow walk around the building. Feel the shadows touching the walls and the building changing depending on the angle you're looking at. Try to imagine the sound of horse hooves on the road and rustling of church robes that once formed the silence of this court. Look at the facade and see the harmony that Santini has put into the space.

This concludes our short journey through the history of the tourist inn in Ostrov nad Záslavou. I hope that this interpretation helped you see more than just the old walls and that you felt the spirit of the time when architecture was the way to express your identity and faith. Now the space is fully entrusted to you. Explore the surroundings, enjoy the peace of this place and be inspired by the genius of the Baroque Gothic style. I wish you a pleasant rest of the day and a pleasant continuation of your discovery of the beauty of our country. Goodbye.