Červené Janovice Castle

Červené Janovice Castle sits in the village that shares its name, in the Kutná Hora district in the eastern part of Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. It's a modest baroque residence whose story reaches back much further than its current appearance suggests.

What stood here before the castle?

Long before the baroque building took shape, a Gothic fortified manor surrounded by a water moat occupied this spot — a structure dating back to the era of Charles IV. The first written record of the village (then called Janovičky) and its existing fortress comes from 1374, when it was held by Ješek z Janovic. Ownership changed hands repeatedly over the following centuries, until the mid-17th century brought a complete transformation.

How did the current baroque design come about?

Between 1650 and 1660, the owner at the time, Litmír Viduna Obytecký, had the old fortress rebuilt as an early baroque residence with four wings enclosing a courtyard fitted with a fountain. Interior decoration was entrusted to the Italian stuccoist Carlo Brentani, who was working at the same time on the nearby Český Šternberk castle. This rebuild gave the structure the layout still recognizable today.

Where does the name "Červené" (Red) come from?

The name the castle carries today only stuck in 1715, when the building was given a new red roof — a change that set it apart from the earlier name Janovičky and gave rise to today's "Červené Janovice."

Who owned the castle after the rebuild?

Following a brief period under the counts of Thürheim, the estate — together with nine surrounding villages — passed to the town of Kutná Hora in 1724. From that point on, the castle stopped functioning as a noble residence in the traditional sense and took on administrative and economic roles instead.

What was the castle used for over the centuries?

The building saw plenty of practical use: it housed the administration of the town's estate, then served as a hospital, followed by a brewery and a distillery. In more recent times, part of the premises operated as a pub, while other sections were converted into apartments. This adaptability is largely why the structure has survived to the present, even if in a role quite different from its original one.

What's notable about the building itself?

The four-wing layout around an enclosed courtyard with a fountain sets Červené Janovice apart from other small castles in the Kutná Hora region. The proportions of the structure and the restraint of its early baroque façade are typical of a mid-sized noble residence from the mid-17th century, without the more elaborate later alterations found at larger aristocratic estates.

How do you get there, and what's nearby?

The castle stands in the village of Červené Janovice, within the Kutná Hora district, easily reached from the nearby town of Kutná Hora — best known for St. Barbara's Cathedral and its historical silver-mining heritage. The surrounding countryside is typical of eastern Central Bohemia: quiet villages and small towns that make good stops for anyone touring the wider Kutná Hora region.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Červené Janovice Castle? Its current baroque form dates from 1650–1660, but the site's building history goes back to the 14th century, when a Gothic fortress stood here.

Where does the castle's name come from? The name "Červené" (Red) appeared in 1715, after the building received a new red roof.

Who built the current castle? The rebuild was commissioned by Litmír Viduna Obytecký in the mid-17th century, with interior decoration by the Italian stuccoist Carlo Brentani.

Who owned the castle in later centuries? After the counts of Thürheim, the estate passed to the town of Kutná Hora in 1724 and served practical functions — hospital, brewery, distillery, and later a pub and apartments.

Where exactly is it located? In the village of Červené Janovice, in the Kutná Hora district of Central Bohemia.