Aleje

Aleje is an Empire-style hunting lodge tucked into the forests southwest of Brtnice, in the Vysočina region, within the administrative territory of the village of Jestřebí. It's not the kind of place you stumble upon by accident — no main road runs past it, and plenty of regional guides skip it entirely — but for travelers exploring the Jihlava area on foot or by bike, it's a rewarding detour.

Where does the name "Aleje" come from?

The lodge sits at the center of a forest clearing from which seven avenues radiate outward: Stonařovská, Brtnická, Opatovská, Kněžická, Jestřebská, Zelená and Tabulní. "Aleje" is simply the Czech word for "avenues," and the name refers directly to this star-shaped layout — nothing more elaborate than that. This kind of radial forest-road design was a common feature of 19th-century aristocratic hunting estates, since it made it far easier to spot game and coordinate a hunt from a central point.

Who built it, and why?

Construction ran from 1815 to 1817, commissioned by Prince Eduard III of Collalto, a member of the Collalto family (in full, Collalto e San Salvatore), which had held the Brtnice estate for generations. The building went up in the Empire style and served from the outset as a hunting lodge — hence its other, less formal name, Jestřebí. The forester's cottages scattered around it housed the gamekeepers and forestry staff who managed the family's extensive hunting grounds.

One detail stands out: as early as the 1830s, a meteorological station was operating inside the lodge — a surprisingly scientific addition to what was, on paper, a provincial hunting retreat.

What happened to it after the war?

The Collalto family held onto the estate uninterrupted until 1945. The following year, under the Beneš decrees, the property was confiscated by the state. It was then handed to the Czech Fund for Visual Arts, which turned it into a retreat for visual artists — a quiet place to work away from city life. After the fund was dissolved in 1989, ownership of the building itself (without the surrounding land) passed to the Foundation of Czech Visual Art, which still holds it today.

Aleje has been listed as a Czech cultural monument since 1972.

Can visitors tour the lodge today?

This is the most current chapter of the story: the foundation has spent years trying to offload the property. In 2022, it offered the lodge to the towns of Brtnice and Jihlava, but neither showed interest in acquiring it. The building is now on the market for close to 42 million Czech crowns, and its condition reflects years of deferred maintenance — a thorough renovation is clearly overdue. Even so, the site still draws local residents, who hope that whoever buys it keeps the grounds open to the public rather than turning the estate into a private, closed-off residence.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Aleje located? In the forests southwest of Brtnice, within the cadastral area of the village of Jestřebí, in the Vysočina region.

Is the lodge open to visitors? The building itself has no museum or hotel function — it's private property currently for sale. The surrounding grounds, including the network of seven avenues, are open for walking or cycling.

Why is it also called Jestřebí? That's the name of the village whose administrative territory the lodge falls under; the two names are used interchangeably.

Who owns the lodge today? The Foundation of Czech Visual Art, which has put the property up for sale.