Patriotický park Veltrusy: každodenní život a myšlenkové poselství

Zprávy památkové péče 2013, 73(4):283-288

The Veltrusy Patriotic Park: everyday life and the message of thought

Ivo Cerman

The study argues that during the reconstruction of Veltrusy Park, the park should be regarded not merely as a natural but also as a cultural monument of the Enlightenment. The park is an example of a patriotic landscape garden that was established in the Habsburg monarchy during the interim period between the wars with the Ottoman Empire and the French Revolution. These parks were intended not only to refresh the spirit by lingering in nature, but also to enlighten the mind with civic and patriotic virtues.
The Veltrusy Park, as far as its decoration is concerned, is a very significant representative of this type of park, as demonstrated by our reconstruction of the original objectives of the park's founder, Johann Rudolf Chotek. The main source of information for us is the diary of his wife, Maria Sidonia Chotková, which documents the emergence of the park and its use. The first part of the article focuses on the ideological message of the park as illustrated by the central significance of the Temple of Defenders of the Fatherland (today known as the Temple of Friends of Gardens and Countryside). This temple of the Enlightenment symbolically emphasized patriotism and encouraged its visitors to work for their fatherland in times of peace, and to defend their country in times of war. This message was explicitly expressed through two public ceremonies celebrating the laying of the foundation stone and opening of the Temple. The second part of the article shows how the park, after landscaping, obtained paramount importance in the everyday life of the family and pushed the chateau itself into the background. The noble family lived in it, and many buildings were thus based on the practical purposes of everyday life. This finding refutes the idea that the park served only as a place of relaxation and occasional outings. It also refutes the stereotypical picture of the lifestyle of the nobility for this period. We believe that the educational message of the park can prove beneficial to today's democratic society as well.