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The name Krumlov comes from the German "Krumme Aue", the "banded Stream" after the Moldau River that encompasses the city. According to history, the brothers Budivoj from a famous Czech family founded the city on the old commercial route of the lower Danube region. The first written mention of the castle and city is from 1253. Over the centuries the castle grew to become one of the most important princely residences with the growing might and influence of the owners. After Hradcany in Prague, it became the second most important castle in central Europe. The immediate surrounding of the castle was called Latran from the Latin "ad latera castelli" translated as on the side of the castle. The town centre on the other side of the river developed later and is today Old Town. Over the centuries very little has changed. Walls were built around the city and the main development ended in 1347.
From 1302 and for the next 300 years the mighty family of the Rožmberks also known as Masters of the Rose was the rulers and owners of the city. The city grew in importance. Trade and manufacturing were developed. The beautiful cathedral of Holy Vitus was built and the Fransiscan, Jesuit and Clerist brotherhoods were invited to the city. Silver and gold mining in the area brought prosperity to the city. During the Reformation and the following Hussite wars, Krumlov became a safe haven for the mainly Catholic aristocrats and well-educated citizens of Prague. Due to the might of Rožmberks it became the most important city in South Bohemia and achieved a placing in the holly Roman Empire of Germanic nations.
Petr I of Rožmberk was the most important memher of the family during the central European Renaissance, it was he that invited the Holy Orders to Krumlov. And subsequently a Jewish community to settle in the city in order to establish trade and finance. The 15th century was dominated by the personality of Oldøich of Rožmberk. He was a remarkable politician who maintained his family's might and properties throughout the Hussite wars. Vilem of Rožmberk another remarkable man ruled Krumlov during the 16th century.
In 1601 the last of the Rožmberks, debt ridden Petr Vok who almost bankrupted his family, sold Krumlov to the Habsburg emperor Rudolph II, he is turn gave it as a gift to the Eggenberg family for their support cluring the 30 year war. They kept the city for three generations but without extending it. However, the last Eggenberg, John Christian I finally brought the city out of stagnation. Under his patronage the beautiful castle gardens were created and the remarkable castle theatre, that today is the world's most complete working Baroque theatre and is occasionally used for performances. An intricate mechanism controls the 10 different sets of scenery and houses, more than 500 costumes and accessories.
In 1719 the Schwarzenbergs inherited Krumlov. Under the rule of Joseph Adam of Schwarzenberg, Krumlov became again a centre of culture and art inspired by the style of the Viennese Imperial Court. In the l9th century onwards, Krumlov ceased to be an aristocratic residence. Economic stagnation followed and it is due to this factor that Krumlov has kept it's medieval character up until the present time. It was then that most of the city walls were demolished.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the renaissance of Czech nationalism caused conflict between the Czech and German population in the city. During WWI a peaceful coexistence between the inhabitants was achieved. The word Èeský (Czech) was added to the name Krumlov. This was not to last by the middle of the 1930's Krumlow and his hatred of religion poisoned the minds of the German population of Krumlow and they requested annexation by Germany, expulsion of the Czechs and Jews from the city. 1945 saw the American liberation of an undamaged city. The German inhabitants were expelled to Germany and Czechs came from all over country to settle in Krumlov.
During the Communist period city development and maintenance of historical buildings came to a standstill. The regime did not welcome tourism, fearing its influence on the local people. Paradoxically, this policy preserved Krumlov and in 1989 in awoke from a "long sleep" to he named by UNESCO as a world heritage city and has now become an international tourist attraction visited by many thousands of guests from all over the world.
The development of Krumlov is inseparable from the history of the Rožmberk family. The heraldic emblem of the city being tkat of the main stem of the family - the five red petals, rose on a silver background. This emblem can be seen in differing colours, according to the branch of the family throughout South Bohemia.
The Master of the Rose ruled the city and surrounding area for over 300 years during which time in attained great prosperity. When Petr Vok was forced to sell the city this ended the Rožmberk era and increased the absolute power of the Habsburgs culminating with the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the early part of the 20th century.
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