While examining the elaborate stucco decorations in sala terrena of the chateau, Jana Zapletalová, an art historian from Palacký University Olomouc, noticed that the cave was unusually shiny in certain places when she shone her flashlight on it. It soon became clear that amethysts were present almost everywhere, hidden beneath layers of deposits and mortar.
About the discovery
Gemstone Grottoes
Artificial caves designed to imitate nature were very popular among the European aristocracy during the Baroque period. Due to their water features and cool temperatures, they served as places for summer refreshment and entertainment, and their imaginative artistic decoration usually held some allegorical meaning. According to Jana Zapletalová, the use of precious stones for decoration in both Kroměříž Grottoes on such a large scale is unique in the world. Amethysts, along with other minerals and shells, adorn not only the walls and vaults but also the floor of the Mining Grotto. This unique decoration was commissioned by Bishop Karl von Liechtenstein-Castelcorn, who initiated the reconstruction of the Kroměříž Chateau and Gardens. However, he did not live to see the grottoes in their full glory, as he died shortly after their completion in 1695.
Amethysts of the Kroměříž Grottos
The largest number of amethysts used for decoration was found in the Apollo’s Grotto, surrounding the statue of the sun god, who allegorically represented Bishop Karl. “In various prints, the bishop is associated with a shining stone or sun, bringing spiritual and economic renewal to Moravia through the rays of his faith and knowledge. The reference to the symbolism involving light came from the bishop’s family name, Liechtenstein, which means light or shining stone, and was also featured in the family coat of arms. This explains the dazzling glow of amethysts around the statue of the sun god, who casts an arrow – i.e. a ray of light and faith – into the dark part of the grotto, full of fauns, wild animals and oak trees. Most of the amethysts in the chateau were lost over time, especially those in the amethyst wall behind the statue of Apollo. It is unclear whether this was the reason why the rest of the stones were covered with a layer of mortar and hidden from the public and experts, as well as when the camouflage took place In the 1950s, students from the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Uherské Hradiště also covered the walls with layers of paint,” added doc. Zapletalová.
Press conference
On 19 August 2025, a press conference about this significant discovery was held at the Archbishop’s Chateau. The conference attracted great media interest, as evidenced by a Czech Television report , at 15:15 or in an interview in Respekt magazine.
