Zamek Konopiste (German: Schloss Konopischt) is a chateau (castle) located in the Czech Republic, about 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Prague, outside the city of Benesov.  It has become famous as the last residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir of the Austro-Hungarian throne, whose assassination in Sarajevo triggered World War I.  The bullet that killed him, fired by Gavrilo Princip, is now an exhibit at the castle's museum.
  The castle was initially constructed as a Gothic fortification in the thirteenth century.  It was later transformed in a Baroque style. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria bought Konopiste in 1887, with his inheritance from the last reigning Duke of Modena, and rebuilt it into a luxurious residence, suitable to the future Emperor; which he preferred to his official residence in Vienna.  He invited William II, German Emperor to see his roses early in June 1914; insofar as they discussed politics, they discussed Romania, but conspiracy theories about their planning an attack on Serbia or a division of the Austro-Hungarian Empire arose at the time and since.  (After the Archduke's assassination, later in the month, the memory of this visit may have moved the Emperor to give Austria more rein in dealing with Serbia than he had in the Bosnian crisis of 1909.)  Since 1921, the castle has been property of the Czechoslovak and later Czech state, one of 90 such in state ownership.  The Ministry of Culture is said to spend more than US$ 800,000 per year to maintain the castle, and recovers about as much from entrance ticket sales and rental for occasional functions.   Konopiste Castle is now open to the public.  Visitors can observe the residential rooms of Franz Ferdinand, a large collection of antlers (Franz Ferdinand was an enthusiastic hunter), an armory with medieval weapons, a shooting hall with moving targets and a garden with Italian Renaissance statues and greenhouses.  It is a popular place for weddings.  (Referred to the site of "Wikipedia")

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
	knp2010-001	(Thursday 17 June) A lake near Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-002	(Thursday 17 June) A lake near Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-003	(Thursday 17 June) A lake near Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-004	(Thursday 17 June) A lake near Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-005	(Thursday 17 June) Illustrated map of Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-007	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-008	(Thursday 17 June) Statues (dated 1775), Konopiste Chateau
Konopiste Chateau		Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-009	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-011	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-012	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-013	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-014	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-015	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-016	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-017	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-018	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-019	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau
	knp2010-020	(Thursday 17 June) Konopiste Chateau