Brandejsův statek

Gazing upon Brandejsův statek, can you sense the echoes of centuries whispering through its walls? Brandejsův statek, also known as Suchdol Chateau, stands as a testament to time. Its journey begins in the mid-10th century, a humble dwelling gracing the landscape. Imagine it, a stop for the prince traveling between Levý Hradec and Prague Castle. This wasn’t just any farmstead; this was a royal rest stop. We stand before a structure that has been shaped and reshaped by time. First Gothic, then Renaissance, followed by Baroque and finally, a touch of Classicism after a devastating fire in 1822. Brandejsův statek is a palimpsest of architectural styles. The year 1648 marked a new chapter for Brandejsův statek when the presence of a brewery is documented. The property belonged to Jakub Roden of Hyrcenov, Chancellor to Prince Lichtenstein. Just a few decades later, the Benedictine monks of Emauzy Monastery acquired the estate, adding another layer to its rich tapestry. A chilling tale tells of the brewery’s demise in 1866 when a monk was allegedly poisoned by tainted water. The story goes that the monks leased the homestead to Vilém and Marie Brandejs that same year. It was under their son, Alexander Brandejs, that the estate truly flourished. He was a patron of the arts, science, and culture, transforming Brandejsův statek into a cultural hub in the 1870s. Notable figures like painters Mikoláš Aleš, František Ženíšek, and sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek graced its halls. Mikoláš Aleš, residing with the Brandejs family from 1877 to 1879, even conceived his famed cycle, “My Homeland,” within these very walls. Brandejsův statek continued to change hands in the 20th century, eventually becoming property of the Citizens’ Saving Bank of Poděbrady in the 1930s. It enjoyed a moment of fame in 1972, serving as the location for the popular Czech TV series, “There were once two clerks.” Since the late 1960s, Brandejsův statek has been under the stewardship of the Czech University of Agriculture, its grounds dedicated to horse breeding. The echoes of history, art, and even tragedy linger here at Brandejsův statek, a place where the past intertwines with the present.