Visitors to the Loučeň Castle in Nymburk entered the advent season with a grand lighting ceremony of the most enormous Christmas wreath in the Czech Republic. The castle administrators organized this festive event on a Saturday afternoon and evening, invoking a sense of holiday spirit and excitement.
The wreath, which measures nearly sixteen meters in diameter, holds a record for its size and even has a certificate from the Good Day Agency and an entry in the Czech Book of Records. Castle castellan Vratislav Zákoutský waited with hundreds of onlookers for dusk to fall, creating the perfect, slightly mysterious atmosphere for the lighting of the wreath.
The castle grounds were filled with the sound of Christmas carols and the scent of mulled wine. Around 4 PM, everyone gathered around the giant wreath, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the angels who would light all the candles. The weather added to the scene with a flurry of snow as if on cue, giving the castle grounds an appropriately festive feel.
In addition to the wreath lighting, the castle tours reflect the holiday season. These tours traditionally focus on Christmas traditions, especially the decoration of Christmas trees. Every room features a decorated conifer, each one unique and different. Costumed guides, some in the role of a forester, others as a chamberlain, the White Lady, or a princess from the famous Thurn-Taxis family, explain the decorations’ origins.
During the Advent season, while tourists may not learn much about the castle’s history, they immediately step into the story of the Christmas tree upon donning classic slippers. The emblem with the inscription “The Story of the Christmas Tree” is even embroidered on these castle slippers for visitors. The castle of Loučeň captures the spirit of Christmas from the ground up to the ceiling.