Česká Olešná Castle

Česká Olešná Castle is a modest Empire-style manor house about three kilometres north of Strmilov, in the Jindřichův Hradec district of the South Bohemian Region. Sitting on the shore of a castle pond, the building looks unassuming today, but its history stretches back to the late Middle Ages and passes through a Gothic stronghold, a Renaissance seat, a Baroque residence, and finally the neoclassical villa visitors can see now.

When was Česká Olešná first mentioned?

The village of Česká Olešná appears in written records as early as 1349. A fortified manor house, or tvrz, is documented on the site from the second half of the 15th century, specifically from 1464. By 1513 the fortress was held by brothers Hynek and Jindřich of Vydří. Nothing of this early defensive structure survives above ground today, but it marked the spot where later residences would be built.

Who turned the old fortress into a residence?

By the mid-17th century the estate belonged to the Allmann family, who carried out a Baroque rebuilding that shifted the site from a defensive stronghold toward a more representative country residence. Ownership changed hands several times over the following decades, passing through the Allmann, Moschlitz, and Trautmannsdorff families — typical of the minor nobility and landed gentry who invested in South Bohemian estates during this period.

The decisive change came in 1810, when the property was bought by Josef Laboriette de Saisao, a French émigré. He gave the building its present Empire-style character, adding an extra floor, a corner tower, and a landscaped park, while the older Renaissance core remained underneath. Before his death in 1827, Laboriette bequeathed the castle to Countess Theresa Trautmannsdorff, who in 1838 passed it on to her son Josef.

What happened to the castle in the 20th century?

In 1892 Česká Olešná was acquired by the industrialist Karel Brdlík, and his descendants held the estate until 1951, when it was nationalised by the communist state. For the following decades the building was put to uses far removed from its original purpose: it served as outbuildings for a state farm, a retirement home between 1956 and 1967, and later a social-welfare facility. The castle only returned to private ownership in 1995. Since 2013 it has belonged to the Sýkora family, who have been carrying out a gradual restoration. It has been listed as a Czech cultural monument since 1963.

What does the castle look like today?

The current building is a two-winged, multi-storey structure with a distinctive corner tower topped by a mansard roof — a legacy of the early-19th-century rebuild. It stands beside a pond, surrounded by the remnants of its original landscaped park. The castle remains private property and is not open for visits, as restoration work is still ongoing, so the best way to see it is from the outside, walking along the pond or the country roads leading toward Strmilov.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Česká Olešná Castle? No — it is privately owned, undergoing restoration, and closed to visitors. You can still view it from the outside, for example from across the pond.

How far is it from Strmilov? The castle lies about three kilometres north of Strmilov, in the Jindřichův Hradec district.

Was there ever a defensive fortress on the site? Yes, a fortified manor house (tvrz) stood here from the second half of the 15th century, first documented in 1464.

Who gave the castle its current appearance? Its Empire-style look dates back to French émigré Josef Laboriette de Saisao, who rebuilt it after 1810.

Since when has it been a protected monument? Česká Olešná has been listed as a Czech cultural monument since 1963.