The story
Step closer to the stone balustrade of the bridge crossing the deep, dry moat between the first and second courtyards of Český Krumlov Castle. You are standing at Zámek 59, the threshold of one of the most storied fortresses in Europe. If you look down into the lush greenery and shadowed corners below, you might catch a glimpse of a tawny shape moving through the grass or cooling off in a stone pool.
These are the famous Castle Bears, a living tradition that has endured here for over four hundred years. The story begins in the 16th century with the powerful Rožmberk family, the lords of this magnificent estate. Vilém of Rožmberk, a man of immense ambition and cultural sophistication, sought to elevate his family’s prestige across Europe.
To do so, he reached back into the mists of genealogy and claimed that the Rožmberks were distantly related to the noble Orsini family of Italy. The name Orsini is derived from the Latin word ursa, meaning bear. To solidify this legendary connection to Roman nobility and prove their high-born status, the Rožmberks began keeping bears in the castle moat as a living heraldic symbol.
It was a grand, visual statement of power: we are the people of the bear. The first recorded evidence of bears living here dates back to the late 1500s. Since then, while the castle changed hands from the Rožmberks to the Eggenbergs and eventually the Schwarzenbergs, the bears remained.
They became as much a part of the castle's identity as the Painted Tower itself. Over the centuries, the enclosure has evolved from a medieval pit into the more naturalistic habitat you see today. As you watch them, consider that these bears are more than just local mascots.
They are the keepers of a tradition that bridges the gap between medieval myth and modern conservation. Today’s residents, such as the beloved Maria Theresa or the gentle Ludvík, are cared for by dedicated bear keepers who maintain a lineage of stewardship. If you happen to visit during the Bear Festival at Christmas or on their birthdays, you will see the local community gather to drop honey-covered treats and fruit into the moat, continuing a cycle of celebration that has lasted for generations.
Take a moment to appreciate the height of these walls and the cool air of the moat. The bears have seen the rise and fall of empires from this very spot. They represent the wild heart of the Bohemian forest brought into the center of aristocratic life.
As you continue your walk forward into the Second Courtyard, look back one last time at these heavy, silent sentinels. They are living proof that in Český Krumlov, history isn’t just written in stone; it breathes, it moves, and it endures in the golden fur of the Orsini bears.