This Renaissance castle was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century, when it belonged to the House Wallenstein. The interiors are decorated with a unique Baroque stuccoes and Renaissance wall paintings.
https://czecot.com/

Komorní Hrádek Chateau

Account

by category

Login

Name

by region

Title

Name in English

The castle was initially built in 1241 by Zdeslav of Divisov, later called Zdeslav Sternberg. The development of new firearms in the 14th century posed an unexpected threat to the defensibility of the castle. Its 13th century architects hadn't foreseen the danger of long-range firearms and its reinforcement became a necessity. During this period the Český Šternberk castle's fortifications were improved through the construction in the north of a three-story tower, which was connected to the castle by a rampart. In 1467 the castle was seized by the royal armies of George of Poděbrady (Czech: Jiří z Poděbrad). Later, the ruined castle was regained by Šternberk's aristocracy, who, by the turn of the 15th to 16th century, had reconstructed the castle, renewed its defensive system and expanded it with the construction of a new cylindrical tower in the south and the Dungeon in the north. The castle managed to survive the looting of the rebels in 1627, during the Thirty Years' War. With the death of Jan Václav in 1712, the Holicý branch of the Sternberg family died out and its ownership passed to other families, who in 1751 built the lower palace next to the surrounding wall.
The ownership of the castle was returned to the Sternberg family in 1841 when Zdeněk of Sternberg from the Konopiště branch of the family bought it. It remained in Sternberg's ownership until 1949 when it was "nationalized" by the Communist government of the Republic of Czechoslovakia. The family moved to a small flat in Prague and Jiří Sternberk, agreed to work as a steward in his own property and gave tours within the castle, which became a sightseeing spot. After the fall of Communism and the Velvet Revolution, in 1992, thanks to the restitution's law, Český Šternberk castle returned to Jiří's son, the count Zdeněk Sternberg, the current owner of the castle.

Český Šternberk Castle

Talmberk Castle was probably founded by Hroznata of Úžice from the Moravian family of Kounic. Between 1248 an 1286 he was the Burgrave of Prague Castle and in the service of King Václav II. The first existence of the castle is proven indirectly in 1297 in connection with Vilém of Talmberk - possibly Hroznata’s son. In 1312 Jošt called himself after Talmberk. He was a proven son of Hroznata who obtained Černice and Kácov soon after 1213 and became the founder of the Černický family of Kácov. In 1316 descendants of deceased Vilém, brothers Diviš and Nezamysl of Talmberk are mentioned as residing in Talmberk. Diviš was still alive in 1353. Between 1357 and 1374 the castle belonged to Ješek of Talmberk and between 1357 and 1382 to Vilém of Talmberk. In 1390 the castle was owned by Diviš of Talmberk. In that year the castle was unlawfully seized by Havel Medek of Valečko who imprisoned Diviš. He released Diviš only in 1397, due to the decision of the Land Court, and returned Talmberk to him.
Another record of Talmberk comes from 1473 when it was owned by Bedřich of Očedlice. In 1487 the castle belonged to Bedřich of Šumperk and Talmberk who in 1488 intended to sell the castle to the owner of the neighbouring Rataje estate, Bohuslav of Vamberk. The contract, however, was never signed. Following this, all record of Talmberk vanished until 1533 when it is remained as a part of the Čestín estate which was owned by Michal Slavata of Chlum. At that time the castle was already deserted.
Since then Talmberk Castle has been left to its destiny; inhabitants of the village under the castle started to use its stone to build and gradually, mainly in the course of the 18th and 19th century, they started to build their houses within the grounds of the castle.
http://czech.republic.cz/

Talmberk Castle

The reconstructed beautiful chateau Berchtold-Vidovice including a hotel and a restaurant “Magic Garden” and an open fairy land for your children. This object also offers sports facilities (tennis, golf, football) and also offers meeting and training rooms with accommodation.
There are several exhibition halls at the Chateau. On the ground floor of the Chateau there is Museum of Kunice. This museum is unique in several points. Its expositions are concentrated on the history of the village and its surroundings. You can see here an archaeology, ethnography, products of local artisans, guild sites, glass , collection of armours, hunting trophies, coins, paper banknotes etc.
When you visit chateau Berchtold you can also visit its garden. You can find here a lot of replicas of Czech chateaux, castles and other historical sites.
http://waymarking.com/

Vidovice Chateau

14th century castle built by Jindřich of Lipa. Following the peasant uprising in 1627 it was abandoned. In the 18th century it was transformed into a rectory and belfry. The cylindrical tower, palace with rounded corners, and bailey with a wall and loopholes have been preserved.
https://czecot.com/

Pirkštejn Castle

The chateau was built in 1675 by a builder de Guarde for Franz Maximilian Talmberk on the spot of the original Gothic castle from the 14th century. Three-winged castle story building is U-shaped with an arcaded courtyard.
You can find here a mixture of Renaissance and Baroque style. Today it houses the Municipal Museum and a permanent exhibition of historical and architectural development of surrounding region.
The castle is currently under a reconstruction.
http://waymarking.com/

Rataje nad Sázavou Chateau

This Baroque chateau was built around 1724 near the yeoman stronghold from the 14th century. Count František Adam of Trautmannsdorf had it built by František Maxmilián Kaňka, a reputable architect of the Czech Baroque period.

The chateau has kept its current appearance since a partial reconstruction was made after a fire in 1754. It is an example of a typical aristocratic estate of the high Baroque period. St. Joseph´s Chapel, with a fresco and altar paintings by Václav Vavřinec Reiner, is one of the most attractive parts of the chateau. Also sculptures by Matyáš Bernard Braun are part of the chapel´s decoration. All rooms open to the public display historical furniture as well as collections of the Šternberk family dating from the 17th to 19th century. The chateau premises are surrounded by a large English park.
http://middleczech.kr-stredocesky.cz/

Jemniště Chateau

The castle was apparently established in the 1280s by Prague Bishop Tobiaš as a Gothic fortification in the style of a French castle with a rectangular plan and round towers protruding from the corners, making the most effective defence possible. Accounts show that the Benešévic family from nearby Benešov were the owners in 1318, and that in 1327 the castle passed into the hands of the Šternberks. In 1468, it was conquered by the troops of George of Poděbrady after a siege that lasted almost two years.
In 1603, the estate was purchased by Dorota Hodějovská of Hodějov, who made Renaissance alterations to the old gothic fortification. The Hodějovský family fortified their property because of their active participation in the anti-Habsburg rebellion in 1620. Albrecht von Waldstein acquired the castle, and after him it was passed to Adam Michna of Vacínov. Michna gained notoriety through his repression of the serfs, who revolted against him and conquered Konopiště in 1627.
The Swedes occupied and plundered Konopiště in 1648, and the Vrtba family then purchased the dilapidated structure. After 1725, they had it transformed into a Baroque style château. The drawbridge was replaced by a stone bridge, and near the east tower a new entrance was inserted in the wall. The gate which embellished it was designed by František Maxmilián Kaňka and featured statues from the workshop of Matthias Bernard Braun. In 1746, the upper levels of four of the towers were destroyed and one tower was completely demolished. During repair of the interiors, mythological and allegorical frescoes were painted on the ceilings of the great hall, and marble fireplaces with carved decorations by Lazar Wildmann were created.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria bought Konopiště in 1887 with his inheritance from the last reigning Duke of Modena. He had it repaired between 1889 and 1894 by the architect Josef Mocker into a luxurious residence, suitable for a future Emperor, which he preferred to his official residence in Vienna. The extensive 225 ha English-style park, with terraces, a rose garden and statues, was established at the same time.

Konopiště Chateau

A part of a Romanesque castle, enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries, consisting of a rotunda, a prismatic tower with a view, an attached, originally Gothic building and uncovered bases of a Romanesque palace. Týnec pottery, archaeology of the region, an exhibition halls with regular expositions of modern applied art. http://camp.cz/

Týnec nad Sázavou Castle

The predecessor of the current chateau in Líšno used to be the Castle of Léštno, established probably after 1367 when the sons of Ondřej of Dubá divided their inheritance. Beneš of Dubá who was given this section of land built his seat in a suitable spot protected by swamps and ponds. His son Václav of Dubá accompanied Master Jan Hus to Constance, however he did not join the Hussites  and therefore the Taborites besieged his castle in 1420. In 1467, in the fights of Zelenohorská jednota against  Jiří of Poděbrady,  Léštno was conquered  and reduced to rubble.  At that time the estate belonged to the Šternberk family  who later reconstructed and fortified the castle. The castle was reconstructed in 1478 and 1536. During the 30-years War, when the whole area suffered due to the consequences of the war, the local estate was ravaged too. The dishevelled castle became dilapidated and the ever changing owners had very little interest in its destiny. Between 1873 and 1884 Čeněk Daněk, a rich Prague industrialist, renovated the castle from scratch and converted it into a luxurious home, however maintained some Gothic and Renaissance Style parts. Thus the current chateau of Líšno, surrounded by a decorative park, was created. It has been built as a three winged two storey chateau around an oblong courtyard closed with a wall with a gate in the fourth side. The middle wing has a ground floor arcade. The courtyard facade of the left wing is decorated with statues of knights and a coat of arms. There is a prismatic tower in the corner of the right wing. In the park, there are pavilions, a statue of St. Florian, vases,  a pool, a pond with a meadow and woodland areas. The chateau was acquired by the state in 1945.
http://tourist.posazavi.com/

Líšno Chateau

Zásmuky Chateau, firstly mentioned in 1285 as a fortress of squire Sulislav of Zasmuky, kitchen master to Queen Guta, the wife of King Vaclav II. The Lords of Zásmuky owned the fortress until 1533, when it was bought by Adam of Rícany, who rebuilt the Gothic castle into a Renaissance chateau with open arcades into the courtyard. Zásmuky demesne was then sold to Jan Vchynský of Vchynice, the Royal Burgrave, in 1583.
After the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), which devastated whole Kingdom of Bohemia, was damaged chateau bought by an unscrupulous war profiteer, Vaclav Michna of Vacínov, who, within a year (in 1637) exchanged it with Jan Rudolph of Sternberg. His son, Adolph Vratislav of Sternberg (1630-1703), highest Burgrave of the Czech Kingdom, rebuilt Zásmuky in the spirit of the early Baroque by adding a tower, replacing the fortification with a park. Also a large complex of administrative and farming buildings with huge entrance tower, decorated with Sternbergs' coat of arms, was constructed.
The last Sternberg to live in Zasmuky was Leopold (1896-1957). In 1941, during the German occupation, the SS occupied Zasmuky and Leopold Sternberg with his family was forced to live elsewhere. In 1945 the properties were returned only to be confiscated in 1948 by the Communist Regime. In 1949 the Castle of Zasmuky was given to the Czech Army and it became a store for weapons. In 1982, due to uncertain circumstances, the house caught fire, which spread through the whole of the northeast wing. The burnt out shell remained unrepaired and further deteriorated until 1992 when it was returned to Diana Phipps Sternberg, the daughter of the last owner. She is trying to manage the estate so that the profits can help rebuild the house, or at least preserve it for future generations.
http://waymarking.com/