Choceň Castle

Choceň Castle (Zámek Choceň) sits on the left bank of the Tichá Orlice river, right in the heart of the small town of Choceň in the Pardubice Region, not far from Pardubice itself. Despite the name "castle," it's a Renaissance-turned-Baroque chateau that has changed hands and appearance several times over more than four centuries.

Who built the chateau in Choceň?

The present building was commissioned between 1562 and 1574 by Sigismund of Šelmberk, lord of Kost and Mrač, as his new Renaissance residence. It rose on a freshly formed Choceň estate: the town and its surrounding villages had belonged to the Pernštejn family until 1555, when Jaroslav of Pernštejn, weighed down by heavy debts, sold the property to Sigismund of Šelmberk.

What did the chateau go through over the centuries?

The chateau's history was far from peaceful. In 1646, during the Thirty Years' War, it was plundered by Swedish troops. It also suffered several fires over the years, each followed by partial rebuilding. At the start of the 18th century, ownership passed to the Kinský family of Vchynice and Tetov, who gave the building a representative Baroque makeover during that same century.

Another turning point came with a fire in 1829, after which the chateau received the Classicist façade that still largely defines its appearance today. Between 1849 and 1850 the east wing was rebuilt, and a pseudo-Gothic chapel dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was added there.

What can visitors see at the chateau today?

Following restoration, the chateau is owned by the town of Choceň and serves a cultural and educational role. It now houses the Orlicko Museum (Orlické muzeum), with exhibitions covering archaeology, paleontology, geology, and the history of the Orlice river region, as well as premises used by the local art school. The building is listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Visitors can take in the early-19th-century Classicist façade from the outside and explore museum displays inside that trace the story of Choceň and the surrounding Podorlicko region.

How do you get to Choceň Castle?

The chateau stands directly in the town center of Choceň, on the bank of the Tichá Orlice, within easy walking distance of the train station and the main square. Choceň lies on the route connecting Pardubice with Ústí nad Orlicí, making it reachable by both car and rail.

Frequently asked questions

When was Choceň Castle built? Construction of the present Renaissance residence began in 1562 and finished in 1574, commissioned by Sigismund of Šelmberk.

Was the chateau ever attacked? Yes — in 1646, during the Thirty Years' War, it was plundered by Swedish forces.

Who rebuilt it in the Baroque style? The Kinský family of Vchynice and Tetov, who acquired the estate in the early 18th century and remodeled the building in Baroque style during that period.

Where does the current Classicist façade come from? It dates from after a fire in 1829, and this is the form the façade has kept to this day.

What is inside the chateau now? The Orlicko Museum, with archaeology, paleontology, geology, and history exhibitions, plus premises used by a local art school.

Does the chateau have a chapel? Yes — a pseudo-Gothic chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built in the east wing between 1849 and 1850.