Castle of Žerotín in Valašské Meziříčí

The Castle of Žerotín stands in the heart of Valašské Meziříčí in Moravia, a Renaissance-turned-Baroque residence that is one of the region's few surviving traces of the once-powerful Žerotín family.

Who built the castle, and where does its name come from?

The building went up in the late 1530s and early 1540s at the initiative of Jan of Pernštejn, a member of one of Moravia's most influential noble houses of the time. Shortly after construction finished, the estate passed to Vilém the Elder of Žerotín, and it stayed in the hands of the Meziříčí branch of that family until 1692 — which is where the name still used today comes from. It was the Žerotíns who turned the fortified estate into a proper noble residence rather than a defensive stronghold.

How did the castle's appearance change over the centuries?

The original structure was Renaissance in style, typical of Moravian noble residences built in the sixteenth century. The decisive architectural shift came in the second decade of the eighteenth century, when Ludvík of Žerotín commissioned a major Baroque reconstruction. That project gave the castle roughly the shape it has today, layering Baroque and later Rococo decorative elements over the older Renaissance core.

What happened to the castle after the Žerotíns left?

Ownership changed hands repeatedly after 1692, and in 1815 Countess Marie Josefa of Žerotín sold the estate outright. The darkest chapter in the building's history opened in 1854, when the Austrian state purchased it. A year later, in 1855, the castle was converted into a women's penitentiary known as one of the harshest in the Habsburg monarchy. Nuns ran the institution under a regime of enforced silence, all-day labor, and religious instruction; inmates were forbidden from talking to one another or sharing their feelings. That grim period lasted until 1912 and remains the episode most vividly remembered in local history.

What does the castle look like and how is it used today?

After the prison closed, the building gradually changed hands again until it became the property of the town of Valašské Meziříčí. Today it houses the town's municipal cultural institution, and the castle grounds function as the town's cultural hub. Exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances and other public events take place there throughout the year. In this way, a former noble residence that later endured a dramatic spell as a prison has returned to something close to its original purpose — a place for gathering and representation.

Why is the Castle of Žerotín worth a visit?

The castle layers several distinct chapters of history into one building: its Renaissance origins, an ambitious Baroque rebuild, and a turbulent stint as a women's prison rarely documented so clearly at estates of this size. For anyone visiting Valašské Meziříčí, it is a natural stop — both for its architecture and for the year-round cultural program held within its walls.

Frequently asked questions

Who built the Castle of Žerotín? The castle was commissioned by Jan of Pernštejn in the late 1530s and early 1540s, and soon after passed to the Žerotín family, from whom it takes its name.

What architectural style does the castle represent? Originally Renaissance, the castle gained its current appearance through a Baroque reconstruction carried out in the second decade of the eighteenth century under Ludvík of Žerotín.

Was the castle really used as a prison? Yes. Between 1855 and 1912 it housed one of the stricter women's penitentiaries in the Habsburg monarchy, run by nuns under a regime of silence and labor.

What can visitors see there today? The castle belongs to the town and hosts its municipal cultural institution, with exhibitions, concerts and theatrical performances open to visitors.