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Black Kitchen
The Black Kitchen of Jindřichův Hradec is one of the oldest and best-preserved castle kitchens in this country. The development of housing culture in aristocratic residences shifted the late-Gothic kitchen equipment to the edge of the castle complex or to an independent kitchen wing. In the late 15th century an independent building was built for the Black Kitchen in the castle of Jindřichův Hradec, called the Red Tower. The inner space of the kitchen with a high vault is largely original and comes from around 1500. The surviving parts include late Gothic open fires, bread ovens as well as the original smoke ducting by means of four corner chimneys. The romantic outer appearance of the kitchen, which was renovated in the Gothic style by the early 20th century architect Humbert Walcher of Molthein, makes a picturesque impression.
The Black Kitchen is associated with a lot of traditions, and the best-known of them is giving out sweet porridge to the poor of the town and its surroundings on Maundy Thursday. There is an enthralling description of this custom in Alois Jirásek’s legend “The White Lady“. The White Lady of the local Black Kitchen was Margaret of Hardegg, who lived in the 14th century and was the wife of Jindřich of Hradec. The start of the tradition of giving out food to the poor at Easter is ascribed to her. According to contemporary records, she was trying to undo her husband’s ill deeds. After he died, she entered the Order of St. Clare and, dressed in their white vestment, she would come at Easter to give out sweet porridge to the poor.
The local lord Adam I. of Hradec (1494 – 1531) even appeals to his heirs to “continue giving out porridge on Maundy Thursday, according to the ancient custom”. Should any of his descendants want to break his decree, he asked the king “to take away the domain of Hradec from him and take it himself”.
Sweet porridge was a fasting dish, the preparation of which requires certain experience owing to its ingredients.
The basic ingredient was wheat semolina boiled together with beer. It got its taste from honey and its richness from poppy-seed oil. In the course of the years, the menu for the poor on Maundy Thursday was enlarged by soup, a portion of boiled or roasted fish, peas, peeled barley, rolls, bread and beer. In some years those who came got a little money, too, and the charitable event became much frequented. In the 16th century, on Maundy Thursday it was attended by four to five thousand people and in the late 17th century the number reached nearly ten thousand people.
The well-preserved condition of the local Black Kitchen allows us to occasionally present it in operation to the public. The kitchen livens up with its mediaeval atmosphere, for two days of the year as part of the Advent festivities and Christmas market again.
