Dolni Lukavice Castle

 memorial, castle, park

(In Czech the local name Dolni Lukavice means a "down meadow").
The U-based barroque manor was built in 1708 by an italian architect Guiseppe Auguston through Franciscus Count of Morzin. Following owner of this manor Karl Friedrich Count of Hatzfeld, was at that time Austro-Hungarian minister of forreign affairs. Just then time the Morzin property, concretely in 1758 - 1760 a great composer Joseph Haydn was the conductor of the castle orchestra and known Lukavice Mass he created here his early work, the Symphony No. 6 in D Major “Le Matin”, a kind of concertante symphony, with solo violin, cello, horn and flute playing solos against the orchestra. Till 1774 to 1945 was the manor in ownership of Count´s family of Schönborns. Contemporary Austrian catholic primas, born in Czech, Archbishop of Wienna Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has been a direct descendant of this family. At present is the manor in private hands and inapproachable to the community. A nice and widespread landcape park in the neighbourhood with valuable and curious trees, e.g. some bald cyprus (Taxodium distichum) is located to the bottom land of the Uhlava river.
A Haydn´s Memorial Musical Festival has been performed every year in Dolni Lukavice.

Restoration of the castle in Lower Lukavice would save one of the valuable baroque monuments of the region. May be there would remain its cultural functions, especially in the context of the organization of the Haydn Music Festival. This event has already proven tradition and is the subject of international concern. One must believe that the restoration of the castle would have increase its tourist attraction. Any addition of accommodation and catering option would also increase the attractiveness of the place.

Some pictures of the surrounds at www.dolni-lukavice.cz/historie/