The castle gained its name (orlík = young eagle) due to its location high on a rock and above the valley of the Vltava River and is attractive even today thanks to its unique location in the countryside on the bank of the Orlík Reservoir. The castle obtained its current appearance in the style of English Neo-Gothic in the 19th century, and it consists of four wings and an enclosing yard. The castle interiors, which were richly decorated by the Schwarzenbergs, are an excellent example of the lifestyle of the 19th century. The furnishings of the representative rooms on the second storey are some of the best examples of Empirical style in Bohemia; especially the Teska hall with its carved soffit ceiling and the Knight Hall are very interesting. You can also see the trophy passage, a great collection of hunting weapons, and the castle library. The castle is surrounded by an extensive English park where the Schwarzenberg family tomb is also located.
Attraction:
The Orlík Reservoir has been under the castle since 1961. Before the water surface was raised in the 1950’s, discussions took place whether to demolish the castle, since the rock under it is eroded, and filling a water column to a height of 60 meters would speed up the destruction process. Finally, the rock was reinforced with concrete and the castle remains untouched today. The castle was also preserved thanks to the Czech Tourist Club, who stood behind the Orlík Castle as a favorite tourist destination. Boat transport has been operated on the lake since 1962.