Seats of bishops and archbishops

Treasures of the Bishops and Archbishops of Olomouc

At first, the tour will take you to Olomouc, where you can visit the Archbishop’s Palace – the current seat of the Archbishop of Olomouc. When visiting the former Olomouc Castle, you will find out where the original Bishop’s Palace once stood. It is now the Archdiocesan Museum, where you can admire unique treasures from collections of the archbishops.

Archbishop’s Palace

Since its establishment in the early 16th century, the Archbishop’s Palace has been the permanent residence of the Bishops and since 1777 of the Archbishops of Olomouc. Currently, one tour is open to visitors, showcasing the luxurious representative halls. These rooms are associated with the most important events that took place in the building, such as the stay of Empress Maria Theresa, the crowning of Emperor Franz Joseph I, and the visit by Pope John Paul II.

Olomouc Castle and Archdiocesan Museum Olomouc

The castle was first mentioned in the Chronicle of the Bohemians by Cosmas of Prague, stating that a stone castle stood there in 1055. At the time, the Olomouc castle was the seat of the Přemyslid princes. The Diocese of Olomouc was officially established in 1063, and in the 1130s, Bishop Jindřich Zdík built his residence in close vicinity of the castle and the newly constructed St Wenceslas Church. At the time, the appanage princes of Olomouc shared the castle with the Bishops of Olomouc. It now houses the Archdiocesan Museum, which exhibits real liturgical and artistic treasures from the collections of the church officials of Olomouc.

Tips in the environs

Museum of Historic Carriages in Čechy pod Kosířem

How did the bishops and archbishops travel? See the splendid carriages they rode in. You can find them in the Museum of Historic Carriages in Čechy pod Kosířem, exhibiting more than a hundred carriages, coaches, and sleighs.

Accommodation tips

• Long Story Short
• Herbarium Boutique Hotel
• Miss Sophie’s

Restaurant tips

• Svatováclavský pivovar
• Long Story Short Eatery & Bakery
• Moravská restaurace

The tour will now take you to the former Diocese of Wroclaw. You will visit the former summer residence of the Bishops of Wroclaw – Jánský Vrch Chateau – and the Bishop’s Palace in Nysa. We recommend stopping by at Kolštejn Chateau, formerly a castle guarding the trade route from the capital of Moravia, Olomouc, to Silesia.

Kolštejn Chateau

The Renaissance chateau comes from the 16th century when the Gothic castle of Goldek, first mentioned in 1325, was redeveloped. The refurbished chateau, with preserved parts of the original Gothic castle, has lately come to life as a historic hotel, Chateau Goldenstein. The chateau also offers a guided tour, describing the gradual architectural changes across the centuries.

Jánský Vrch Chateau

The first written record of the castle dates back to the late 13th century, when it was owned by Polish House of Świdnica. From the mid-14th century, it was owned by the Diocese of Wroclaw for the next six hundred years. In the 1770s, the charming chateau that overlooks the town of Javorník in the Rychleby Mountains was the centre of cultural and especially musical life of the whole Silesia. This musical fame was associated with composer, top violinist, and conductor Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf.

Bishop’s Palace in Nysa

The former seat of the Bishops of Wroclaw was built at the turn of the 17–18th centuries. It is a three-storey Baroque building with irregular square layout and inner courtyard. The Bishop’s Palace was the seat of the Bishops of Wroclaw until 1881, now it houses the Nysa Museum.

The museum was established in 1897 at the initiative of the Art History Society in Nysa. The society worked under the auspices of the Bishops of Wroclaw – Cardinal Georg Kopp and later Cardinal Adolf Bertram. Both of them also stayed at Jánský Vrch Chateau. A curiosity for hiking enthusiasts: Georg Kopp was the pioneer of tourism in the Jeseníky, a patron who financed marking a number of hiking trails.

Tips in the environs

Ruins of Rychleby Castle

The romantic ruins of a castle are a favoured destination in the north-western part of the region around Jeseník.

Accommodation tips

• Historic Hotel Chateau Goldenstein
• Penzion & Kemp Račí údolí

Restaurant tips

• Hotel – Café – Restaurant Taverna, Javorník
• Hospůdka Isolde, Račí údolí