The Oslavany chateau - originally the first women's Cistercian convent in Moravia "Vallis s. Mariae" (Mary valley) was founded in 1225 by Heilwig from Znojmo. In 1228, the Olomouc archbishop was ordained in the presence of Premysl Otakar I and his family.

In 1423, the convent was allegedly burnt down by the Hussites and in 1471 William of Perstejn received rights of disposal to it from King Vladislav Jagelonsky.

The convent began to be rebuilt into a chateau after an extensive fire in 1517.

Other administrators that had to forfeit the chateau were the Kuns of Kunstat and later the Krajirs of Krajka. After 1577 Krystof of Althana acquires the chateau from Emperor Rudolf II and Krystof's successor Adolph of Althana carries out extensive Renaissance reconstruction during 1580 - 1590.

In 1599, the chateau was held by Wolf Ditrich of Althana, from whom it was confiscated by Emperor Ferdinand II for his participation in the Stavovske rebellion. As seized property the manor was handed over to the administration of cardinal Frantisek of Ditrichstein. In 1621 the catholic Michal Adam of Althana, brother of Wolf Ditrich, acquires the chateau into his ownership. After him the owners of the chateau were subsequently his sons Michal I and Michal Jan II. In 1654, via marriage it comes into the ownership of the Mollart family. In 1712, Petr Arnost of the Mollarts sells the chateau to the Old Brno cloisters. In 1783, during the Josephine reforms they lost it and the manor fell into the hands of the Emperor's chamber. In 1789, the chateau was sold into the inheritance ownership of Jan Nepomuk Schraffovi. The last owners of the chateau were the Gomperzs. The brothers of Max and Philip bought it in 1885 and in 1939 the chateau was confiscated by the German army as Jewish property. It was changed into Wermacht barracks. After 1945 the chateau was confiscated by the State as German property and was the headquarters of various organizations, which used it as a warehouse.

In 1993, the devastated chateau became the property of the town and since 1996 this monument has been integrated into the Saving Our Architectural Heritage Program of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and its renovation is being carried out.

The chateau is an extensive Renaissance structure with an arcade courtyard. The original Gothic convent church was preserved and served as the chateau's chapel and now is utilized for concerts. "The History of Mining and Power Engineering" exhibition is located in the chateau. For the time being the chateau is open to the public only several times a year. Traditionally this is on "Open Doors Day" on 1 May, the Karmel fair on 16 July or the first Sunday after the 16th, and the "Oslavany's Historical Celebrations" always on the second weekend in September. The town is looking for an investor to commercially utilize the chateau in accordance with the conditions of monument care.

http://oslavany-mesto.cz/