Castle in Nové Dvory

Nové Dvory Castle (Zámek Nové Dvory) is a Baroque residence standing at the heart of the small town of Nové Dvory, in the Kutná Hora district of Central Bohemia. It no longer serves as an aristocratic seat: for decades the building has housed an elementary school, and the castle itself is closed to visitors. Even so, its layered history and surviving architecture make it worth a stop, especially on the way to the nearby Kačina chateau.

Who built the castle in Nové Dvory?

The present building went up in 1686, commissioned by Count Bernard Věžník on the site of an earlier residence that had belonged to the Žerotín family and burned down. The new Baroque castle was laid out around two courtyards and quickly became a social hub of the region — during the 18th century it hosted three Habsburg rulers. Original stucco decoration and ceiling frescoes from that era still survive in some of the rooms. A covered gallery links the castle to the neighboring Church of St. Martin, which served as the castle's own chapel — one of the more distinctive architectural features of the whole complex.

How did the Chotek family come to own it?

In 1764 the estate was bought by Jan Karel Chotek, and it stayed in his family's hands for nearly a century and a half, until 1911. In 1784, under Count Karl Chotek, the south wing was demolished and the courtyard layout was reorganized. The real turning point came in 1823, when the family moved its main seat to the newly built Kačina chateau, raised on a hilltop about a kilometer away. From then on Nové Dvory lost its status as a noble residence: the building was turned into an estate administration office with staff apartments. The last Chotek owner was Count Emerich Chotek (1833–1911), after whose death the estate passed to his nephew, Count Quido Thun-Hohenstein.

What happened to the castle after 1945?

After the Second World War, in 1945, the estate was nationalized and handed over to the local authorities. An elementary school was set up inside the castle — and it has remained there ever since. The building is now owned by the municipality of Nové Dvory and still functions as a school, which means its interiors are not open to tourists. Much of the historic furnishing was also lost in the 1950s: a small collection kept in the attic was reportedly burned as a "bourgeois remnant," used simply to heat the school building during the socialist era.

Can you visit Nové Dvory Castle?

Not in the usual tourist sense — the building is an active elementary school and does not offer public tours. The listed opening times (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00–11:00 and 13:00–15:30, Wednesday additionally 16:00–17:00) correspond to the school's working hours rather than visitor hours. Still, the castle can be admired from the outside, and the adjoining Church of St. Martin is worth a look.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the castle located? In the town of Nové Dvory, Kutná Hora district, Central Bohemia, at coordinates 49.97086 N, 15.32277 E.

Who owns the building today? It belongs to the municipality of Nové Dvory and houses the local elementary school.

Is there anything else worth seeing nearby? About a kilometer away stands the Neoclassical Kačina chateau, built by the Chotek family after 1823 as their new main seat — a natural next stop when exploring the area.

Do the original interiors survive? Only partly — Baroque stucco work and ceiling frescoes remain in a few rooms, but most of the historic furnishings did not survive to the present day.