Castle Diana

Diana Castle (Zámek Diana) is a Baroque hunting lodge in the small settlement of Diana, right next to Rozvadov in the Tachov District of western Bohemia, on the edge of the Český les forest along the German border. It's a rarely visited, privately owned estate — but for travelers passing through this border region, it's a worthwhile stop for its unusual architecture and its long connection to the Kolowrat noble family.

Where is Diana and how do you get there?

The settlement of Diana sits immediately next to Rozvadov, the last Czech town before the border crossing into Germany, on the main route from Plzeň toward Bavaria. This is Český les country — a thinly populated forested ridge running along the frontier, better known for hiking and cycling than for mass tourism. The lodge stands within its own large park, off the main tourist trails, so the easiest way in is by car via Rozvadov or Tachov.

What is the history of the lodge?

Diana was built as a lovecký zámeček — a hunting pavilion — commissioned by the Kolowrat family in the first half of the 18th century. The first written record dates to 1742, under František Kolowrat Libštejnský; some sources push construction back into the 1730s. The name is no accident: the lodge was dedicated to Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, fitting for a building meant as the center of a hunting estate with its own game preserve. No documentation of the original architect survives, but the design is attributed, with some uncertainty, to Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel, a leading figure of Bohemian Baroque architecture.

The estate stayed in Kolowrat hands until 1945. From 1930 it housed the western Bohemian forestry operations of Jindřich Kolowrat, nationalized as early as 1943. After the 1948 communist takeover the complex passed to the state, and around 1950 (other sources say 1960) the lodge became a retirement home. Restitution followed communism's fall: in 1991, at 94, prewar owner Jindřich Kolowrat-Krakowský visited Diana in person, and the family formally recovered it after 1992. Since then his descendants have been gradually restoring the long-neglected building.

What makes Diana's architecture distinctive?

The core of the lodge is a two-story, four-wing building on a cross-shaped plan, with a six-sided, tower-like structure rising from its center under a domed roof. A metal stag figure crowns the dome — a clear nod to the building's hunting purpose and its namesake goddess. Two opposite wings connect via brick bridges to smaller pavilions, giving the complex a scattered, picturesque layout. Diana is surrounded by a large English-style park, laid out with the building as a game preserve and now valued for its mature trees: exotic conifers, tulip trees, oaks, copper beeches and horse chestnuts, with rows of ash on one edge and elm, maple and linden on another.

Can you visit Diana Castle?

The lodge has been listed as a Czech cultural monument since 1964, but it remains private property and is not currently open to visitors. Restoration work that began in the 1990s is still ongoing, so Diana is best treated as a striking sight to view from outside — of interest to fans of Baroque architecture and the history of Bohemia's border nobility — rather than a ticketed attraction with regular opening hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is Diana Castle open to the public? No — it's private property belonging to the Kolowrat family, currently under restoration, with no regular public access to the interior.

Where does the name Diana come from? From the Roman goddess of the hunt: the lodge was built as a hunting pavilion with its own game preserve, hence the dedication to the goddess of hunting.

Who built Diana Castle? The Kolowrat family, specifically František Kolowrat Libštejnský, in the first half of the 18th century; the design is tentatively attributed to the architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel.

What's architecturally unusual about Diana? Its cross-shaped floor plan with a central domed tower crowned by a stag figure, plus brick bridges connecting the main wings to side pavilions — a layout rarely seen among Czech hunting lodges.

Where exactly is the Diana settlement located? Right next to Rozvadov in the Tachov District, on the edge of the Český les forest, close to the Czech-German border.