Častolovice brings together a strong focus on culture and gardens: the history of the castle, sacred architecture and a large park offer different ways to explore the town. They are complemented by a rose collection and the castle zoo. When planning a trip with an overnight stay, you can first decide whether architectural history, gardens or wildlife will shape your stay.

Castle History and the Knights’ Hall

Častolovice Castle developed from a water fortress dating back to the 13th century. Between 1588 and 1615, the complex was converted into a Renaissance castle. Its architectural history can therefore be understood as a transformation from a medieval fortification into a later Renaissance form.

The Knights’ Hall contains 24 depictions from the Old Testament; the Šternberk family gallery is also located there. These two features offer different cultural and historical perspectives: one focuses on religious imagery, the other on the history of the Šternberk family.

Churches, Building Phases and the Organ

The churches and chapels can also be understood through their different building phases. The Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene was built in 1580 and converted into its present form in 1832. Construction of the Baroque Church of St. Vitus began in 1772; its tower is 36 metres high. The dates refer to different things: for the chapel, they mark its construction and conversion, while for St. Vitus, the date marks the start of construction.

The Church of St. Vitus also has a mechanical organ with two manuals and a pedal. Jan Jiří Španiel from Rokytnice v Orlických horách built it in 1795. “Two-manual” describes its configuration with two manuals; the pedal is an additional component. At St. Vitus, the history of the building and the history of the instrument thus offer distinct cultural and historical aspects.

English Park and Rose Collection

The castle’s English park covers more than 40 hectares. This gives a sense of the scale of the grounds; the rose collection adds a horticultural focus. It comprises more than 220 varieties of rose bushes. The area and the number of varieties tell you different things: the former describes the size of the park, while the latter indicates the diversity of the collection. The roses bloom at different times depending on the season. So if the rose collection is the main reason for your trip, take the timing of your visit into account when planning.

Castle Zoo and Animal Encounters

The castle zoo offers another highlight. It was designed as a place where children and adults can come into contact with domestic and exotic animals. The animal groups include emus, llamas, ponies, donkeys, goats, sheep and alpacas. The zoo is open to the public year-round. As the list of animals may change, check the latest operating information before your trip. Opportunities to interact with the animals are subject to the rules on site. Accessibility and animal encounters therefore concern different questions: year-round access describes when the zoo is open, while the rules on site determine the specific interactions with the animals.

Discover more destinations: Pěčín, Rampuse, Sněžné, Žďár Nad Orlicí, Voděrady, Borohrádek, Bílý Újezd, Rybná Nad Zdobnicí

For the broader travel overview: Okres Rychnov Nad Kněžnou.