Panenské Břežany

The Upper Castle of Panensk\u00e9 B\u0159e\u017eany stands proud, a testament to a history both grand and troubled. It’s a place where stories of royalty, revolution, and a world war intertwine. The most chilling chapter, however, began when a young boy named Klaus, the son of Reinhard Heydrich, met his untimely demise within the castle walls. Just a ten-year-old at the time, Klaus’s death in October 1943, after a car accident, turned the Lower Castle from a sanctuary into a house of grief.
Panensk\u00e9 B\u0159e\u017eany was originally a village owned by the Benedictine St. George’s Convent at Prague Castle. This is why the village is called \”Panensk\u00e9\”, which means \”Virgin\’s\”. The Upper Castle, a Baroque palace, was built by the nuns in the early 18th century. The Upper Castle stands on the grounds of a fortress that was first mentioned in 1441.
After the secularization of the monastery during the reign of Emperor Joseph II, the estate was passed on many times until finally, in 1909, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a Jewish sugar tycoon, purchased it. He rebuilt the Lower Castle into a luxurious summer residence, but tragically, he was forced to flee during the Nazi occupation. The Nazis confiscated the property, turning the Lower Castle into the residence of the Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia.
The Upper Castle is now open to the public and houses several exhibitions documenting Czech history during the Protectorate period. It also features the Chapel of St. Anne, a 17th-century jewel designed by the renowned architect, Jan Santini Aichel. The Lower Castle, a Neoclassical structure from the 19th century, is another landmark of Panensk\u00e9 B\u0159e\u017eany, although it remains unused and inaccessible to the public.
As you stand before Panensk\u00e9 B\u0159e\u017eany’s Upper Castle, the whispers of history seem to rise from the very stones. Imagine the stories etched upon these walls, stories of power and loss, of resilience and hope. This is not just a castle; it’s a living memory, a reminder of the enduring spirit of the Czech people.