Bezdružice Castle

Bezdružice Castle stands on K. Haranta Square in the small town of Bezdružice, in the Tachov district of the Plzeň Region, roughly between Mariánské Lázně and Konstantinovy Lázně. Its present, classicist-tinged appearance is the result of centuries of rebuilding, and its history traces a path from medieval prosperity through wartime destruction to a late-Baroque revival.

When did the first castle here appear?

The settlement itself is first recorded in 1227, but the castle came later. A small stone stronghold was built here in the 14th century, during the years when knight Bušek of Bezdružice held the estate, between 1360 and 1379. His family line gave the town its name, and one of its later descendants was the celebrated Renaissance traveler and writer Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice.

What happened under the Kolovrat family?

From 1390, the Bezdružice estate passed to the Kolovrat family, who held it until 1542 — more than a century and a half under a single line. During this long, stable period the town and its castle gained various privileges, and the Gothic-Renaissance manor grounds gradually expanded. A courtyard flanked by two wings of Gothic buildings, likely dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, survives from this era as the oldest surviving part of the complex.

How did the castle survive plague and war?

Bezdružice did not escape hardship. Plague epidemics struck in 1520 and again in 1614, claiming many lives among the townspeople. The heaviest blow came during the Thirty Years' War: in 1646, Swedish troops plundered Bezdružice, and the town burned along with the castle. The Renaissance residence, once ringed by a palisade and reached through a gatehouse across a moat with a drawbridge, was reduced to a ruin. As late as 1711, records still describe the building as badly damaged, its roof torn away.

Who rebuilt it into its present form?

The turning point came in 1712, when the princely Löwenstein family purchased the Bezdružice estate, which they held throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Under their ownership, between 1772 and 1776, Prince Karl Thomas Löwenstein commissioned a thorough late-Baroque and classicist reconstruction. The work was financially demanding, but it is precisely this rebuilding that gave the castle the form visitors see today, replacing the older, partly ruined structure with a new, representative main block.

What happened after the Löwensteins left?

The last private owners, the Löwenstein family, handed the castle over to the Austro-Hungarian authorities in 1868. From then on the building served administrative purposes rather than housing a noble family — it was put to use as a courthouse and prison, marking the end of its life as an aristocratic residence.

What can visitors see inside today?

The former castle chapel now holds an unusual attraction: a glass nativity scene created by Czech artist Jaromír Rybák. The piece is made from high-lead crystal imported from Brazil, worked using cutting, engraving, gilding and bronze detailing. It stands out as one of the more unusual glasswork pieces displayed in any Czech castle or chateau.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Bezdružice Castle located? On K. Haranta Square in the town of Bezdružice, in the Tachov district of the Plzeň Region, between Mariánské Lázně and Konstantinovy Lázně.

When was the first castle on this site built? A small stone castle already stood here in the 14th century, during the tenure of knight Bušek of Bezdružice (1360–1379).

Why did the castle need to be rebuilt? Swedish troops plundered and burned Bezdružice, including the castle, in 1646; as late as 1711 it still stood roofless and in ruins.

Where does the castle's current appearance come from? From a late-Baroque and classicist reconstruction commissioned by Prince Karl Thomas Löwenstein between 1772 and 1776.

What is the highlight of a visit inside? A glass nativity scene by artist Jaromír Rybák, displayed in the former castle chapel.