Mikulov and surrounding

Randez vous

Randez vous

After completing the Nový dvůr farm and submitting a project for the Pohansko hunting lodge, Prince John I commissioned another court building, Diana's Temple, to his court architect Josef Hardtmuth. It is also known as Rendez-vous, probably because it served as a gathering place and background for hunters before parfors hunts. Diana's Church stands near Valtice to the left of the road to Poštorná. The architect Josef Poppelack was entrusted with the management of the building, which took place in the years 1810-1813. The triumphal arch quoting the ancient tradition was created for three reasons. At the time of its construction, the official princely Liechtenstein historiography promoted the Baroque family legend, according to which the founder of the family was the Roman patrician Gaius Actius, who lived in the 4th century. In addition, a similar arch was a frequent addition to the landscape parks in England, which inspired the Liechtenstein-composed landscape, intensively built by John I. And perhaps the fact that John I was a successful military leader, cavalryman and field marshal, who became famous in the Napoleonic Wars and after the battle of Austerlitz, also participated as a capable and respected diplomat in negotiating the Prešpur Peace Treaty, also played a role. In addition to the former hunter's apartment, there is also a social hall in the building, according to period sources, "sixty shoes long and thirty shoes wide". On the translation on the south side there are three reliefs from the workshop of Josef Kliebr, celebrating with the Latin inscription the goddess Diana: DIANAE VENATRICI EIUSQUE CULTORIBUS IOAN, PRINCEPS A. LIECHTENSTEIN MDCCCXII. (The goddess of hunting, Diana, and her admirers, Prince John of Liechtenstein, in 1812.) Among the pilasters on the pillars we see Roman mythological and hunting motifs. On the north side we read again in Latin: HAS TIBI, BLANDA SOROR PHOEBI, SACRARIMUS AEDES: INTACTUS SEMPER CRESCAT TIBI LUCUS HONORI. (This house is dedicated to you, O shining sister of Foib, and in your honor may the forest continue to grow untouched.) Allegorical figures on the tops of the pilasters depict the seasons. The whole building is set in a romantic environment above the pond and is surrounded by a mature Boří forest, which was once interwoven with regular cuts allowing the English way of hunting game in the saddles of horses. Throughout the season, you can also see Rendez-vous indoors during a guided tour.