In Vlašim, the castle park, the history of the castle and chateau, regional art, paraZOO and the observatory each offer a different focus. If you are looking for a hotel in Vlašim, it helps to first choose the main focus of your trip: would you like to explore natural assets and cultural monuments in the park, learn about the history of the town, or centre your visit on astronomy? The town offers a range of ways to do this, though they do not all share the same character.
Castle Park: Nature and Cultural Monuments
Vlašim Castle Park covers 75 hectares and is one of the largest castle parks in Central Europe. It is also a protected monument and part of the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas. These designations show two different sides of the park: its importance as a cultural monument and its place within a European protected area.
One way to explore the park's themes is the educational trail “Naučná stezka Vlašimským parkem”. Its 18 stops introduce visitors to the park's cultural monuments and natural assets. This makes it a thematic choice for anyone who wants to learn about both aspects not merely as keywords, but as part of an educational trail. Before your visit, it is worth checking local notices for possible changes due to maintenance work on the trail.
The History of the Castle and Chateau
The original castle of Vlašim was founded around 1300 on a promontory above the Blanice, together with a market settlement. Its ownership by Hynek of Vlašim is first documented in 1318. The two dates refer to different milestones: around 1300 marks its founding, while 1318 is the first documented record of ownership.
At Vlašim Chateau, the Mannerist addition of an extra storey to the tower offers views of the town, chateau and park. Another way to explore the history of the chateau is the “Tajemství sklepení” exhibition. It presents the history of the chateau's underground and includes the legend of the treasure of Jan Vostrovec of Kralovice. The tower views and the exhibition offer different focuses: one looks out over the town, chateau and park; the other explores the story beneath the chateau and a legend associated with it.
Regional Art and Animal Education
The Podblanická Gallery is located in the Vlašim Gate. It displays works by regional artists under the direction of painter Stanislav Příhoda. During the season, the gallery is open to the public as part of the park tour or for individual visits. Keep its seasonal opening in mind when planning; a visit can be combined with an interest in regional art.
paraZOO offers a different focus: the facility introduces animals from the Podblanicko region and uses their stories to teach about the relationship between people and nature. Those who include art and animal education in their travel plans will find two clearly distinct themes here. The gallery focuses on regional artists and their works, while paraZOO focuses on animals from the region and the relationship between people and nature.
Public Observing Sessions at the Observatory
Vlašim Observatory holds regular public observing sessions with explanations every Friday from early May to the end of September. As the regular schedule may change, you should check it before travelling. Visits outside the regular observing hours can be arranged by phone; you should also confirm the contact arrangements in advance. For planning purposes, the regular Friday programme and a visit arranged by phone outside those hours are two different options. You can decide whether a suitable date makes the observatory your main focus.
Discover more destinations: Krňany, Petroupim, Sobesovice, Nespeky, Stranný, Neustupov, Kozmice, Vodslivy.
For the broader travel overview: Okres Benešov.
