Zamek Pruhonice, Edited Version, Pruhonice, Bohemia (CZ), 2014

Zamek Pruhonice is on a hill, and this is evidence of its heritage as a medieval castle site. Many zameks, or chateaus, in the Czech lands were originally hrads, or castles, so when "zamek" and "hrad" are translated, they are frequently both translated as meaning "castle." The Pruhonice site is of somewhat unknown origins, but written records go back to the 1270's, when the Zdislav family owned it. The oldest building nearby is the Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, but the rest of the comlex is more recent. The first renovation was in the 16th Century, and it is believed that at this stage it retained its defensive fortifications, although no pictures have been found of the castle before or after this rebuild. It is believed that the entire estate was heavily damaged in the Thirty Years War, with the current buildings probably dating to the time that Sir Antonio Binago owned it, starting in 1636. However, several more reconstructions followed in 1742-1744, 1800, and 1889-1893, with most of these reconstructions being intended to make it more habitable for the nobles who lived there. Over the years, it has served as a manor house (prior to 1669), as a monastery (1669-1685), as a manor house again (1686-1927), and came under control of the Czech government in 1927. Although it remains a tourist attraction and can be a venue for weddings and other public functions, its official use is as a laboratory for the ASCR, which roughly translated is the Czech Institute of Botany. Extensive greenhouses are maintained on site for this purpose.