Malovaný sklep

Painted Cellar

Useful Information

Location:	Satov. 10 km south of Znojmo, close to the Austrian border.
Open:
Fee:	Adults CZK 25, including a glass of wine.
Classification:	Cellar, Wine cellar
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=22 m, D=20 m.
Guided tours:	(only in Czech)
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Cellar Guide: Mr Josef Kuèera, 671 22 Satov 459, Tel: +420-624-221678.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

18??	cellar built, most likely as a wine cellar.
1934	Max Appeltauer started to paint.
1968	Max Appeltauer finished.
1972	Max Appeltauer died.

Description

This cellar is really strange, as is is painted with naive and disturbing paintings by Max Appeltauer. He was one handed and had to paint at canlelight, and he was painting for 30 years to cover the whole cellar with pictures. The pictures show scenes of daily life, like the arrival of the first tractor. Others show scenes from fairy tales or legends. Local sights, like Prague Castle, engravings or the Satov coat of arms can also be found. Running off of the main tunnel are five smaller rooms, each depicting a separate theme. One of tis rooms shows some erotic pictures.

This cellar was once really popular among the local. Young couples went here to be undisturbed. But also wives, searching for their husbands. Local lore has it that Hitler visited the cellar when inspecting the military bunkers nearby.