Special guided tour to commemorate the 100th birthday of Czechoslovakia. Our tour will explore the works of landscape architecture inherited from the old Austro-Hungarian Monarchy to later developments including the new designs at the forefront of sustainability.
(TRAVPR.COM) USA - May 8th, 2018 - OCTOBER 3-12, 2018
The tour will include buildings and landscapes that were preserved and nominated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites through the efforts of the World Monuments Fund. Our tour will be led by the Friends of Czech Greenways President, Stefan Yarabek. He is a highly regarded Landscape Architect who has been involved in Historical and Ecological Landscape Revitalization projects throughout the Czech Republic since 1989. Special access to exciting historic and ecological sites will be enhanced by contributions from carefully selected citizens, historians, landscape architects, horticulturists, vintners, educators and students, chateau and garden managers.
Our journey will begin with relaxing in the Weinviertel, in Austria. You will be welcomed with an introductory tour dinner, explore vineyards and have time to enjoy the spa. We'll depart the Weinviertel region visiting the historic Tulln Gardens. We will cross the former Iron Curtain into Valtice, Czech Republic, to reach a grand vista at the border pavilion remembering Austro-Hungarian Empire. From there, we will survey the largest man-made landscape in Europe, the Lednice-Valtice Estate and Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We’ll tour the largest collection of North American trees outside of North America in Lednice. We will also appreciate the legacy of the Bauer Brothers, celebrated botanic artists born in the 18th Century in Valtice. You will be treated to a behind the scenes tour of our award-winning Lu & Tiree Chmelar Herb Garden.
We'll spend several nights in the picturesque town of Mikulov, once home to Rabbi Loew, Golem’s legendary creator. Our paths will trace the prehistoric Venus of Věstonice in the Pálava Hills, UNESCO Biosphere, and the march of the X Roman Legion during the Marcomannic Wars of 166- 180 AD. We'll climb the lookout tower of the Minaret in Lednice Park, the tallest Islamic structure in Europe, taste the delicious Moravian wines and relax in the fragrant herb garden in Valtice.
On to Brno, Moravia’s storied capital, and marvel at the clean lines of the functionalist Villa Tugendhat, Mies van der Rohe’s masterpiece. Our travels will catapult us through the 1805 Austerlitz battlefield on to the sites of magnificent UNESCO MONUMENT Baroque chateaus and gardens. We will visit the homes of composer Bedřich Smetana and Art Deco artist Alphonse Mucha on the way to magical Prague.
We will revel in the mysteries of Praha tracing the steps of Antonín Dvořák, Franz Kafka, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Václav Havel, stroll in the magnificent gardens and parks, and be amazed by the diversity and synergy of architectural styles.
Organized by Friends of Czech Greenways in New York, a not-for-profit organization promoting Czech gardens and greenways.
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