Zprávy památkové péče 2015, 75(5):413-419

Forestry construction of the Lichnowsky princes

Jiří Jung

The Lichnowsky princes owned, in addition to the Chuchelná estate in Prussian Silesia, the dominion of Hradec near Opava with castle and large forest from the late 18th century. The forests were used mainly for hunting at first, but from the beginning of the 19th century forestry gradually became an integral part of the princely economy and scientific methods of forest cultivation were applied. From the 1870's until the First World War, new, modern, comfortable and prestigious hunting and warden buildings were built for the forestry staff which replaced the older, still mostly wooden buildings. Their style reflected, besides Neo-Gothic influences, primarily elements of vernacular architecture (alpine and Norwegian style, carved wooden elements, partition walls, etc.). The oldest preserved buildings originate from the 1870's (warden buildings in Hradec, Strahovice, and Píšť). At the end of the 1890's several other projects were built under the Opava architect Julius Lundwall in a very romantic spirit, combining Neo-Gothic and alpine style (Bolatice, Chuchelná, Křeménky). In the first decade of the 20th century, others were built according to the project of local architect Josef Holuschi (Chuchelná, Bleška, Píšť, Ovsiště). The authors of the finest buildings, currently reflected in Heimatstil, are unfortunately unknown (Hradečná, Kajlovec). The construction of forestry buildings is an interesting phenomenon of the architecture of aristocratic estates of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Keywords: forestry, hunting, architecture, historicism, Silesia, Lichnowsky

Published: December 1, 2015  Show citation