Bolehošť Castle in Bolehošťská Lhota

Bolehošť Castle, the hunting lodge of Bolehošťská Lhota, is a Baroque hunting residence standing on a hilltop above the village of the same name, part of the Bolehošť municipality in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou district, at the foot of the Orlické Mountains in the Hradec Králové Region. The building has stood empty for decades, but its history goes back to the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Who built the lodge, and why?

The lodge was built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries on the initiative of Count Jeroným Colloredo, owner of the neighbouring Opočno estate. The Colloredo family was among the noble houses that built up extensive landholdings in this part of Bohemia after the Thirty Years' War, and the lodge above Bolehošťská Lhota served as a base for hunting parties in the surrounding forests.

What architectural style does it show?

The building follows the Baroque style typical of hunting residences of the period — a modest, representative structure rather than a fortified stronghold. Its façade was originally decorated with sgraffito ornamentation, but this was lost during repairs carried out before the Second World War, so the decoration no longer survives today.

How did its function change over time?

The lodge kept its original hunting purpose for over a century. In 1840 it was converted into a forester's lodge, a role it kept until the 1980s — meaning it spent more of its history serving forestry management than the representative purpose it was originally built for.

What condition is it in today?

The building is currently unoccupied and closed to visitors. Without active conservation work, it has been slowly deteriorating. There's no exhibition or visitor centre on site — it's a protected but unused historic structure that can only be viewed from the outside.

Were there earlier fortifications in the area?

The settlement of Bolehošť itself has an older defensive history than the hunting lodge. Two fortified structures once stood in the area: an older one that was captured and destroyed in the 14th century, and a later one whose foundations and remnants survived into the early 19th century. The Baroque hunting lodge is therefore a separate, later building, constructed after those older fortifications had already gone out of use.

Where exactly is it, and how do you get there?

Bolehošťská Lhota sits on a hill above the settlement of the same name, within the Bolehošť municipality, roughly 8 km south of Opočno and 6 km north of Týniště nad Orlicí, in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou district. It's a rural, low-lying area at the foot of the Orlické Mountains — your own transport is the most practical way to get there, since it lies off the region's main tourist routes.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Bolehošť Castle? Count Jeroným Colloredo, owner of the Opočno estate, built it as a hunting lodge at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.

What style is the building? Baroque. It originally had sgraffito decoration, which was lost during pre-World War II repairs.

What was the building used for after 1840? From 1840 it served as a forester's lodge until the 1980s.

Can visitors go inside today? No — the building is unoccupied, closed to the public, and gradually deteriorating.

Where exactly is the castle located? In Bolehošťská Lhota, part of the Bolehošť municipality in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou district, about 8 km south of Opočno and 6 km north of Týniště nad Orlicí.