Kozel, meaning "male goat" in Czech, is the name of a hunting castle in the Classical style close to the city of Plzeň, Czech Republic. The castle was built at the end of 18th century by architect Václav Haberditz for Jan Vojtěch of Czernin. It is a ground-floor building around an inner rectangular court. Around the castle we can find also a chapel, a riding school and a stable. The area is surrounded by a large park that is popular amongst locals. It is whence a very ancient ancestor of Kozels in the United States today originated.

Komošín Castle

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When the castle of Starý Plzenec fell into disrepair in the first half of the 13th century, it was necessary to build a new centre of royal power for the administration of the region of Plzeň. Construction apparently began in 1353, during the rule of Charles IV, and was completed in 1361. The original name of Karlskrone (Charles' Crown) did not become commonly used in the district, and the castle gradually took the name of the hill on which it was built - Radyně.
The burgraves who governed the region were based in Radyně, and by the end of the 15th century it had been acquired by the Šternberks (1496–1561), who settled at the more comfortable castle at Bechyně. Its counterpart at Radyně, which was accessible only with difficulty, started to fall into disrepair, and its fate was sealed in the first quarter of the 16th century when it was burned down. As early as 1558, record indicated that it was abandoned, and not even the affluent Černín of the Crudenice family, owners of the castle as well as the surrounding district in the 18th century, invested in repair work. The mysterious abandoned ruin had to wait until the coming of the Romantic movement in the 19th century for more interest to be shown in it. Minor repairs and alterations were however destroyed by fire in 1886.
In recent years, the castle has been progressively renovated, and a permanent exhibition devoted to its history can now be seen. The tower is open to visitors of the castle, and its observation point affords wonderful views.

Radyně Castle

The chateau was built by Adam Vratislav of Mitrovice on the site of a former stronghold in 1617. Surviving late Renaissance elements of this period are 3 chateau wings, sgraffitos in the courtyard and 2 unique sandstone portals. Since 1990 the chateau has been renovated, now it houses a church vocational school. Parts of the chateau - the concert hall with an original Renaissance ceiling and the Museum of Spálené Poříčí District are open to the public.
http://historickasidla.cz/

Spálené Poříčí Chateau

Nebílovy Chateau is situated about 16 km south of Plzeň, in west Bohemia, Czech Republic. Older renaissance manor was rebuilt into a baroque by architect and builder Jakub Auguston, probably according to the project of imperial architect J. L. Hildebrandt. Nebílovy Chateau consists of two buildings facing each other which used to be connected by arcade corridors and terraces along their sides. The chateau was repaired by V. Haberditz and J. L. Palliardi in the 18th century.

Nebílovy Chateau

In the first half of the 16th century Mirošov was owned by Ferdinand Gryspek from Gryspach and it was probably he who first built a renaissance fort here with a courtyard and brewery. Because he died without heirs, his brother sold the property at the beginning of the 17th century to Adam Vratislav of Mitrovic.
Adam Vratislav´s grandson Jan Antonin was ennobled to the rank of count and began to build a prestigious residence. In building the present baroque chateau he got into debt and the property was taken into court administration. In 1725 the property was bought in auction by the Imperial Court Chamber. The chateau was at that time empty and dilapidated with many windows knocked out. The new manager of the estate organised repairs and apartments and an office were built in the chateau.
From 1834 the chateau was the seat of the Imperial Mining Administration which also used the premises as apartments and offices.
From 1868 to 1890 there were several changes of owners after which the estate was bought by the Mirošov Coal Mining Company, whose long-serving director was Jan Fitz. At that time (from 1893 to 1897) the chateau was thoroughly repaired at great expense. Amongst other things, it was given a new facade and roof and the wooden inlaid ceilings, doors and wooden panelling are from that period. Fitz later bought the property from the mining company and after his death Max Maendl bought the estate in a public auction. Maendl´s son Josef continued to manage the property after him, but in 1939, since he was Jewish, with the threat of German fascism, he sold the property to Dr. Ladislav Feierabend and fled abroad.
In 1940 Dr Feierabend, an economist and politician, was himself forced to escape abroad when his role in the resistance movement was uncovered and was about to be arrested by the Gestapo. He managed to get to England where he became Minister of Finance in President Beneš´s Government in exile. After the liberation of Czechoslovakia in 1945, Dr.Feierabend returned to the republic and began to manage his estate in Mirošov again. After the communist putsch in February 1948 he was forced once more into exile - this time taking his family with him - narrowly avoiding arrest by the communist secret police.
After 3 years of belonging to the state, in 1952 the management of Mirošov chateau with its estate was taken over by the Czechoslovak State Farm Institution. The interior of the chateau was again converted into flats and offices, as well as a kitchen for employees and a refectory.
At the beginning of the 1970´s the chateau was tranferred to the ownership of the Customs Office, which wanted to establish a training centre here. Soon, however, the building work began to falter and the Customs Office eventually abandoned its plan - not, unfortunately, before the chateau was substantially damaged by ill-conceived attempts at reconstruction.
The chateau then remained abandoned until 1991 when it was returned in restitution to Dr.Feierabend´s daughter - Hana Ludikar - who, with her family, decided to restore the property. The repairs begun at that time are still continuing and are being directed by her son Philip Ludikar.
http://zamek-mirosov.cz/

Mirošov Chateau

Originally a fortress, reconstructed at the end of the 17th century into a storeyed two-winged Baroque chateau. The building includes a three-storey tower (from 1689).
https://czecot.com/

Osek u Rokycan Chateau

In the place of a Gothic fortress a three-wing Baroque chateau was built at the behest of the Morzin clan in 1708. In 1759 Count Morzin invited Josef Haydn to Lukavice and put him in charge of the chateau’s music (but only for a short while, until 1760). The chateau has an English park with a fountain and several great and ancient trees (rare cypress, Weymouth pine, marsh oak, broadleaved linden).
https://czecot.com/

Dolní Lukavice Chateau

Storeyed, three-winged chateau standing on the site of a former fortress, it was reconstructed in Empire style in 1831. During the development of Communism the interiors were destroyed, the furnishings were gradually pilferaged and the chateau deteriorated.
https://czecot.fr/

Křimice Chateau

The first written mention of hradohrazení Green Mountain is from the year 1221. At the end of the 13th century Nepomuk let nearby Cistercian monastery built a church, into which reportedly regularly attended and later saint, John of Nepomuk. In the 1st half of the 15th century Hynek Krušina Švamberk highlights the castle, which was to replace the older Hussite fortifications. Subsequently adapted into a Renaissance castle and in the last third of the 17th century extensively rebuilt in the early Baroque style. Minor modifications castle building took place during the 19th century and early 20th century. It is still a place where legends are mixed with precious history, experience and beauty.
http://zelenahora.cz/

Zelená Hora Chateau

Original Renaissance chateau from the second half of the 16th century converted and expanded in 1886-1887 in the pseudo-Renaissance spirit. The designer of the chateau’s new style was its then-owner – the renowned architect Josef Hlávka, a native of nearby Příchovice. He was also the father of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts, the seat of which was right in Lužany. Several personalities of great renown in the fields of science and culture have passed through the chateau’s doors since that period.
https://czecot.com/

Lužany Chateau

The romantic castle lies above the lake and was used as a sanatorium. The original water stronghold was in the 17th century rebuilt into a castle and in the 19th century was adapted again with Italian Renaissance and German medieval architectonic features.
https://czecot.com/