Chlumec nad Cidlinou
Karlova Koruna Castle
1721 - 1723, new building; investor Francis Ferdinand, Count Kinsky
Between 1721-1723, Santini realized a family house for Count Franz Ferdinand Kinsky that was originally designed as a monumental hunting pavilion. Shortly after its completion in 1723, Emperor Charles VI visited the construction and the chateau was called Karlova Koruna in his honour. This literally meant Charles’ crown. The building itself has an extraordinary layout: three-storey side square wings are adjacent to the middle two-story cylindrical core. Both floors of the interior of the castle are divided into ten main areas that symmetrically overlap independently of the external volume. Santini often uses the perfect layout of a centre with beams for religious buildings. The chateau in Chlumec is an example that emphasizes the Italian experience Santini gained during his travels, where he mainly encountered Gianlorenzo Bernini’s legacy. The extraordinary architecture of the chateau demonstrates Santini’s knowledge of a wide range of then current Baroque practices.
