The former princely settlement in Bechyně, first mentioned in the 9th century, is situated on the southernmost rock promontory overlooking the confluence of the Smutná and the Lužnice rivers. King Přemysl Otakar II obtained the "desert mountain of Bechyně" before 1268 from the property of Prague bishops and had a stone castle built there. Under the reign of King Jan Lucemburský a town was founded around the castle, and fortified with town walls in 1323. New mighty fortification of the castle was implemented in the 15th century.

Since the 1270s the castle changed owners several times, in 1340 even including the Lords of Šternberk (again in 1477 to 1530, and then between 1596 and 1715), who sold the Bechyně estate to Margrave Jošt in 1367. Under the Bechyně Family of Lažany at the turn of 1422-1423 the town was set on fire by the Hussite commander Jan Hvězda of Vícemilice; but the castle was only conquered by Prokop Holý in 1428.

The only remnants of the earliest seat, reconstructed in 1477 and then in the period of 1510 to 1527, include parts of two lengthwise buildings connected with a crosswise wing, which was attached in the renaissance period to the newly built Vok chateau. The fourth wing, closing the southern end of the yard, was pulled down in 1791.

Following the era of the Švamberk family, who owned Bechyně since 1530, the reign was taken over by Petr Vok of Rožmberk in the years 1569 to 1596, who celebrated his wedding there (on 14 February 1580) with Kateřina of Ludanice. By the marriage of Marie Terezie of Šternberk in 1715, whose husband became Jan Leopold Count Paar, the Bechyně estate came into the possession of the Paar family, who stayed there till 1948, when the chateau was confiscated by the state. Then the building was used by the Czech Academy of Science. After the revolution the estate was restituted and now belongs to a company with its seat in Vaduz (Liechtenstein) and the name Herrschaft Bechyne SE, owned by Josef Šťáva.

http://panstvi-bechyne.cz/