Behind everything is a lock

At the age of 21, Petra Sternbergová married nobleman Jiří Sternberg, who reacquired Jemniště Chateau through restitution. In 1995, they embarked on their joint project. The story begins with the meeting of two young people at Český Šternberk Castle and continues at Jemniště.

The transformation of the Baroque chateau into a highly attractive tourist destination took nearly 30 years, a period captured across 23 chapters. Professional work, social status, a touch of privacy, and the loving upbringing of children all rolled into one – in short, the author's memoirs.

Most people only know aristocratic environments from photos, tours, or stories, but this text draws you directly into the life of a private Czech chateau, a jewel of the Baroque. This book of quick memories, which would otherwise be forgotten, is interwoven with humour and kind, elevated thoughts. Without these, life would be mere work rather than fulfilment born of a search for deeper meaning. Last but not least, it offers valuable self-reflection which, as the author hopes, future generations will build upon.

Indeed, she says of her literary debut that by writing this book of quick memories, she aims to establish a tradition for future generations to continue, whichever member of her expanding family might be called to the page. Perhaps it will even inspire some of you to sit down and write, whose own family stories deserve to be shared with others.

She repeatedly asks herself whether any generation of castle or chateau owners will manage to live in such a way that the pace and content of their lives are dictated by the heart, rather than exclusively by a beautiful, albeit historic, house. And whoever holds monuments and avenues in their heart must then come to terms with a life as fast-paced as her lines.

She also questions the role historic monuments play in the lives of new generations, and whether it is even possible for anyone to love these "old houses" as much as those who lost them and who, through repeated restoration work, also heal their own family dynamics.