The Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of Krumlov’s size.
It is the second largest castle in the Czech Republic, after the Hradcany castle complex of Prague.
The Rosenberg family had a long association with bears.
The bear motif is also found in the Rosenbergs coat-of-arms, in which two bears are shown as shield-bearers.
But Petr was forced to sell the castle to the Romans in 1601.
His death, a decade later, brought to a kill the three-hundred-year-long reign of an illustrious dynasty.
But the bears survived.
Bears were kept in the moat throughout most of the 18th century.
In 1907, bears returned to the moat, and since then, the moat has never been bear-free.
As of January 2000, the moat had four bears and two cubs.
Every year at Christmas and on the occasion of the bears birthdays, the castle operators organize bear festivals.
During these occasions the moat is festively decorated and there are piles of presents and food for the bears.
The bears and these festivals are very popular among children visitors of the castle.
The Cesky Krumlov Castle.
Photo credit:Ralf Peter Reimann/Flickr
Sources:www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/Wikipedia
