Some places are built upon legends, and some places seem to be pulled right out of legends. Bouzov Castle is one such place. Today, we took a day trip to a nearby village and, within it, Bouzov Castle cast its ancient gaze over the grassy hills. Many of the castles we have visited, thus far, have all seemed modernized. Prague castle was more of an elaborate palace, more modern and updated. When I think of a castle, I imagine Gothic spires, the cold, dead eyes of the gargoyles, and the portcullis suspended over the door. However, nothing I have encountered on this trip, thus far, had come close to my expectations. Well, today, I finally saw a castle from the storybooks. There was the bridge that connected the castle with the mainland, there was the moat that lay underneath, there was the window at the top of the tower where the princess would cast those hopeful, gleaming eyes out in search of her prince, and there was the brick structure that the dragon would perch upon to let loose his battle cry upon the Earth. Naturally, pictures were prohibited within the walls of the castle, but they could be utilized in the courtyard areas. Thus, I did not capture enough of the beauty of this place to do it any justice. Our first stop was a small room with baroque style furniture and chandeliers. The castle had been utilized from the 13th century until the 19th century. Thus, we saw plenty of objects that came from different eras. The stoves, beds, cupboards, clocks, tables, candles, and chandeliers were all ornate, elaborate, and majestic in every way. The next room resembled this in much the same way. But, there was a huge column in the center that held up the giant ceiling. As one might expect, this room was deemed, "The Column Room." Pictures were carved along the column, rising as a spiraling staircase along its outer edge. We climbed some stairs and crossed the archway, where we could get a view of the courtyard from a higher view. Behind us, along the wall, there were latches that could be opened so the fighters could strike back with their countermeasures during an attack. We saw some rooms where the nobles would stay. After all, it is said that this castle acted as a hotel for the nobility and privileged officials. I must admit that the rooms were bigger and nicer than most hotels, even nowadays. We saw the Grand-master's bedroom, working station, and, on the far end, yet connected, was the room where the privileged would meet to confer about certain topics. Of course, there was a huge chair at the front, with several smaller chairs running along the perimeter of the room. Suspended from the ceiling was a 700 pound brass chandelier. It had 48 candles and, in the center, depicted Saint George slaying the seven-headed dragon; the dragon represented the seven deadly sins. We walked back to the courtyard to see the chapel. It was, originally, a kitchen. At the time of its prime, a chapel was not installed, but, after the Order of the Knights gained control of the castle, then the chapel had to be installed by law. It was small, clearly once used as a kitchen. From there, we saw the armory. Again, small, but still could prove useful in an ensuing battle. What surprised me the most was the size of the castle. Nothing about it, other than the towers, was very big. I mean, the biggest room, in the castle, was not much bigger than my kitchen back home. Perhaps they were minimalists, conservationists, or other. The Gothic/baroque style made for an interesting spectacle, I must say. The tour only lasted about an hour, and it was the only stop we had time for today. Later on, I have a final I must take for one of my classes, so I must now begin preparations. Wish me well, and I will post some pictures of the castle, from what I could get, anyway. Enjoy the rest of your day. "May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!"
                                                                              -Anthony-

View from the outside.

Found on the wall in the courtyard.

From the archway.

Soldier's view as he fought back.