Červená Řečice Castle

Červená Řečice Castle is a former stronghold of the Prague bishops and archbishops, standing in the small town of Červená Řečice in the Vysočina Region of the eastern Czech Republic. For nearly eight centuries the building served as the administrative heart of the church's estates, and since a thorough restoration completed in 2023 its restored rooms, two courtyards and an archaeological exhibition have again been open to visitors.

How old is the fortified site at Červená Řečice?

The earliest written record of a small stronghold here dates back to 1144. The settlement and its fortification soon passed into the hands of the Prague bishopric, which in the 13th century replaced the earlier structure with a proper stone fortress. A church dedicated to St Mary Magdalene was built alongside it around the same time and still stands next to the castle hill today. For centuries the site functioned as one of the administrative anchors from which the bishops managed their extensive estates across the Vysočina region.

When did the medieval fortress become a Renaissance chateau?

A major transformation came in the 1560s, when the Leskovec family rebuilt the plain fortress into a representative Renaissance residence. The façades were decorated with characteristic sgraffito patterns, and stone Renaissance portals were added around the entrances — details that survive in part to this day and remain among the main reasons visitors come to see the building up close.

What happened after the estate returned to church hands?

After 1623 the property returned to the ownership of the Prague archbishopric and, for the next three centuries, served as the seat of the economic administration of its estates, overseeing the farms, forests and other holdings belonging to the archbishops. That arrangement lasted until 1948, when the new communist authorities nationalized church property across the country, ending the archbishopric's long ownership of the castle.

What legend surrounds the castle cellars?

A dark local legend is attached to the castle's underground spaces: a ghostly procession of executed Templar knights is said to appear there. The historical basis of the story is impossible to verify today, but it has become a fixture of local folklore and is often mentioned during tours of the oldest parts of the building.

What can visitors see today?

After years of closure and restoration, the castle reopened to the public on 1 July 2023. It now offers two guided routes: a shorter one through the restored interiors, and a longer one that also takes in rooms still awaiting renovation. The tour is accompanied by a videomapping projection, and the ground floor houses an archaeological exhibition centred on the historic castle kitchen, alongside a so-called plague chamber in the Old Palace wing. Both courtyards can be explored independently, without a guide. Groups of at least ten people, including foreign-language tours, can also be arranged by phone outside the regular opening hours.

Frequently asked questions

When was the first stronghold at Červená Řečice built? The first written mention dates from 1144, and in the 13th century the Prague bishopric replaced it with a stone fortress.

Who rebuilt the castle into a Renaissance residence? The Leskovec family carried out the transformation in the 1560s, adding sgraffito façades and Renaissance stone portals.

Until when did the castle belong to the church? It belonged to the Prague archbishopric from 1623 until 1948, when it was nationalized by the communist authorities.

When did the castle reopen to visitors? After restoration, it reopened to the public on 1 July 2023.

What legend is connected to the castle's cellars? Local tradition holds that a ghostly procession of executed Templar knights appears in the underground spaces.