zámeček Lány Hunting lodge

Welcome to this cozy and elegant building, which now welcomes you with its calm and sober beauty. You are standing in front of the hunting castle Lána, a small jewel that forms the very southern edge of the vast Lednice-Valtice complex. If you look at it now, you might be interested in its compact size. This is not a huge palace, but a so-called sallet, which is a small building designed to relax and enjoy nature. Feel the atmosphere of this place where history joins the surrounding landscape of the South Moravian Region near Břeclavi.

Let us now stop at how this building was created and who was its creator. Let's move back more than two centuries in time. The construction of this castle began in the year of eight hundred and ten and was completed in the year of eight hundred and twelve. The whole project came from the wish of Prince John the first of Liechtenstein who wanted to create a place in this area for his hunting trips and short stays in nature. Prince John was a man with taste for order and purity, which is reflected in every detail you see here. In order to achieve exactly what he wanted, he entrusted the design of the building to a recognized architect Josef Hardtmuth. It was this couple who jointly defined the form of the building, which stands here today as a witness to the age of the peak flowering of this complex.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself. Look at the overall shape of the building. It is a storey object that is built on a simple ground plan of a rectangle. Note that the entire building is carried out in the spirit of the Empire. This style is characterized by what you see before you: simplicity, sobriety and lack of unnecessary ornaments. Everything here is balanced and harmonious. The facade is not overloaded, which gives the building some nobility despite its small size.

Now if you move slowly and look towards the southwest side, you will see the most distinctive architectural element of the entire castle. It is a half-circle pavilion that is supported by a pillar. This element completely changes the dynamics of a simple rectangular masonry and gives the building lightness and openness. Note also the open gallery, which is located in the upper part. Imagine how a prince or his guests once stood here to observe the surrounding landscape from a height and to monitor the movement of the animals around.

The key person involved in this place was the first of Liechtenstein. For him, this castle was not just an ordinary building, but part of a wider landscape organisation plan. The first of Liechtenstein saw nature as a space for recreation, but also as a place for expressing power and aesthetic feeling. It is because of his vision that this corner has become a place where human architecture is subtly embedded in the green.

And now I'm going to lead you to one interesting thing that gives this place a deeper context. Notice the area you're in. Although the castle was completed already in the year eight hundred and twelve, the surrounding area continued to develop. In the year eight hundred and sixty arose around the castle of the ogre. This means that this building was not just an isolated house in the forest, but a carefully managed area for hunting and breeding animals. It's fascinating to think that this little object is the southernmost point in the entire Lednice-Valtice complex. Imagine the distance people had to travel from the main locations at that time to get here, to this southern edge of their domain.

This castle makes us feel calm. While large locks often appear to be overwhelming with their size and number of halls, Lány is proof that even a small building can be of great value if good architecture and a clear purpose are encoded in it. It is a place where time has stopped and where we can feel how in the early nineteenth century it was approached to rest in the womb of nature.

Today, the building is no longer a hunting house for princes, but it serves as private accommodation, which means that its inner space remains a protected space. Although we cannot enter her rooms at the moment, the view itself from the outside tells us a rather rich story about the ambitions of the House of Liechtenstein and the art of Josef Hardtmuth.

Imagine now, in the morning fog, the sounds of the forest rise and there is a man looking out the window of the pavilion, holding in his hands plans for further landscaping. It's the details that make this place more than just an ordinary building made of stone and mortar. It's part of a larger whole that's unique throughout our region.

I suggest you stay in silence for a while and observe how light is reflected from the walls of this Empire jewel. Feel the line of pillars in the pavilion and try to imagine what view is offered from an open gallery. It's the perfect moment for a brief stop and think about how people's needs have changed over the centuries.

I now bid you farewell to this picturesque castle. I hope you enjoyed this brief dive into history and architecture. In front of you are still many other roads and discoveries within this wonderful area. I invite you to continue to explore the surroundings and to be guided by paths that will lead you to other sights and hidden corners of this landscape. I wish you a pleasant continued journey and many new incentives. Goodbye.