Castles of the Czech Republic

Over 2000 castles, chateaux’s, keeps, and castle ruins have been preserved and can be found in the current day Czech Republic.

According to the Guinness book of World records the Czech Republic has the most castles per-square mile of any country in the World.* ( any major country. Liechtenstein has more per square mile, but it’s only a few square miles. ( 61 sq. km ) while the Czech Republic has 78,863 sq. km.)

Why ? Briefly, because it is in the heart of Europe, and is a major crossroads of trade routes, and cultural influences. Starting with the structures of the ancient Slav settlements ( about 1000 AD ) to the golden age of castle building in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Forty years of communism kept most of this a secret until 1990, and today a free country is proudly restoring and updating these treasures as fast as they can…

Discover some of the many wonderful treasures of the Czech Republic with me on a...

Prague castle has a very long history; it was built on the site of an old Slavic settlement on a hill overlooking the Vltava River. A wooden fortress already stood on the hill by 870 AD, slowly it got larger and larger, built of wood, but parts being replaced by stone buildings over time. (Building in stone was much more expensive) By 1135 most building were made of stone, and the Czech Kings made the castle their main residence. The castle reached it's zenith of importance during the rein of Czech king Charles IV, as he had very ambitious plans for it and his capitol city. Charles son Vaclav had a new Royal palace built in the old town in 1383, where the Kings resided after that date.

After the Czech's lost the battle of White Mountain in 1620 to the invading Austrian army. The castle lost it's importance as the Austrian Emperors ruled the Czech kingdom from Vienna and mostly ignored their Prague residence. So only a few things were remodeled into the Baroque style. Austrian Empress Maria Theresia added a few buildings in Rococo and Classicism. However she ordered that the whole side of the complex facing the old town, be remodeled to appear as one building. (One common design and color) As it was a whole conglomeration of different buildings, styles and colors. She loved the color of yellow, so that was the color used and many buildings in the Empire were painted that color. (As soon as the Czech nation became free, it was repainted)

The Castle was then only used to accommodate army garrisons and visiting foreign VIP's. The Czech National Revival brought an end to the decay. The towers and western wing of St. Vitus cathedral was completed and the Czech president used the Prague Castle as their principal office since 1918. When the square Presidential flag waves above the royal palace the president is in the country.

Becov	Castle from the late 1200’s, chateau added in the mid-1500’s Chateau has been restored, they are working on the castle.
Bezdiz	North Bohemia NE of Melník
Bitov	Bítov is one of the oldest castles in our country, dating to 1061
Blatna	South Bohemia South East of Plzen	MUST SEE
Bouzov	The woodland at Litovel is over looked by the Romantic castle Bouzov.
Breznice	South Bohemia East of Plzen
Buchlov	A visit may be combined with a tour of the private cemetery of the owners of the chapel of St. Barbora.	MUST SEE
Cervena Lhota	South Bohemia North East of Ceske Budejovice
Frydlant	North Bohemia North of Liberec
Helfenberg	Built in 1351 it has been under extensive restoration to it's original splendor
Helfstyn	Among cultural events held at the castle, the meeting of art smiths has achieved international fame
Hluboka	The most eye-catching castle in the Czech Republic	MUST SEE
Jansky Virch	Near the Polish border in North West Silesia
Jindrichuv Hradec	South Bohemia North West of Ceske Budejovice
Karlstein	A Gothic castle built by Emperor Charles IV in the years 1348-1357	MUST SEE
Kokorin	Ccentral Bohemia North of Prague
Konopiste	From the 14th to the 17th century, the Sternberk family lived here.
Kost	North Bohemia North East of Prague
Krivoklat	Central Bohemia West of Prague
Krumlov	This castle is situated in South Bohemia and is founded in the 13th century by Vítkovec	MUST SEE
Kuneticka Hora	East Bohemia South of Hradec Kralove
Landstejn	South East Bohemia South East of Jindrichuv Hradec
Lipnice	Just North of the freeway, between Prague and Brno
Loket	West Bohemia a little South West of Karlovy Vary
Melnik	South Moravia East of Brno
Nachod	East Bohemia North East of Hradec Kralove
Orlik	South Bohemia South of Prague
Pardubice	East Bohemia East of Prague
Pecka	East Bohemia North West of Hradec Kralove
Pernstejn	Central Moravia North East of Brno	MUST SEE
Rabi	South West Bohemia South East of Plzen
Rozmberk	South Bohemia Way South of Ceske Budejovice
Sternberk
Strakonice	South West Bohemia Between Plzen and Ceske Budejovice
Svihov
Tocnik Zebrak	Central Bohemia Between Plzen and Prague
Velhartice	South West Bohemia South of Plzen
Vranov nad Dyji	Extreme South Moravia West of Znojmo
Zvikov	South Bohemia South of Prague	MUST SEE