Kuks - chateau
Places > Czech Republic > Region by region > North-East Bohemia (Hradec Kralove) > Trutnov district > Kuks - chateau
Kuks, tel.: 0437 - 6761
This comlex of baroque buildings is unique in Europe thanks to its artistic and intellectual unity of conception. Count Francis Anthony Spork, one of the most educated noblemen of baroque era in czech countries, founded the Kuks spa after finding there a curative spring which he had tested for medical purposes in 1694. The centre of the spa used to be a Chapel of the Assumption built over the curative spring two years after the medical findings. Around theis building on the left bank of the river Elbe were built other buildings connected with the spa - the chateau-residence, houses for guests, so called House of Philosophers with a large library, an administrative building, and a wash-house. There was also a theatre. The river used to be spanned by a The Spork residence burnt down in the end of the 19th century, but on the right bank of the river the baroque hospital with monastery of the Brothers of Mercy remains almost intact, together with the Church of the Holy Trinity. This part began to be built as a family mausoleum with a church about it. The church built between 1708 and 1710, was constructed according to the design of the architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi. In front of the church there is a large terrace with 8 statues of the Beatitudes by workshop of Mathyas Bernard Braun dating from 1712. But this was a beginning since the biggest order for sculptures in Kuks awaited Braun. It was planned to have sculptures corating both side wings of the hospital. Count Spork ordered for this part of Kuks two cycles of sculptures in which Braun was supposed to personify 12 Vices and 12 Virtues. Both cycles were created around 1719. M. B. Braun is also author of other statues - the angels of the Blissful and the Doleful Death dated 1718 and somewhat earlier statue of Religion. The privat hospital was founded in 1708 and finished in 1716 togetherr with garden and cemetery. In eastern part of the hospital were the living quarters of religious - the refectory and the survived baroque pharmacy dating from 1711, which ranks among the cultural, historical and artistic gems in Europe. In the beginning of the 18th century, during the life of Count Spork, Kuks became really important and popular social and cultural centre. So we can only regret, that it has not survived to the present day in its original form. The forest area Novy les, a masterpiece of baroque sculpture, was being built stage-by stage in 1723-32. The author of the statues was also Mathyas Bernard Braun with a group of assistants including prominent sculptors of the late baroque period. The statues are carved to the rock, which makes them an extraordinary and outstanding monument of the European sculpture of the 18th century. As the time went, the name Betlehem (according the most popular part) became more common for this forest area. Due to various circumstances, the original area is nowadays reduced to a fragment of 16 statues and reliefs. The rescue of M. B. Brauns works and the rehabilitation of the whole Novy les area has become an extremely urgent item, because of the rapid stone damage. At Kuks are today also placed collections of the Czech Pharmaceutical Musem, which is supported by Faculty of Pharmacy of Charles University with seat in Hradec Kralove. First part of the exposition was opened for a wide public in May 1996. It shows the development of apothecaries from the 17th to the 20th century. The historical collection includes a large number of widely varying items, for example apothecary jars, packagiing materials, as well as various instruments and apparati. Museum items are supplemented with large archives and a library, with 15 000 volumes the largest pharmaceutical library in Czech Republic.
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