Čimelice Castle

Čimelice Castle is a Baroque chateau in the small village of Čimelice, in the Písek District of the South Bohemian Region. Built on the site of an older fortified manor, it belonged to the powerful Schwarzenberg family for nearly a century and today stands largely empty, opened to visitors only for occasional events.

What stood here before the Baroque chateau?

The earliest written record of a fortified manor at Čimelice dates back to 1483. In 1543 the estate passed to brothers Petr and Aleš Deym of Střítež, and after their line died out, ownership changed hands repeatedly over the following decades until Jan Jindřich of Bissingen bought the property in 1685.

When was the current chateau built?

It was his son, Count Karel Bissingen, who commissioned a grand Baroque residence next to the old manor. Construction ran from 1728 to 1730 under builder Antonio Canevalle, a notable figure of Baroque architecture active in Bohemia at the time. The structure raised in those years, later altered, still forms the core of the chateau standing today.

How did fire and later renovations shape the building?

A fire damaged the chateau in 1767, after which it was rebuilt and enlarged. Further interior work followed in 1817 to designs by Prague architect J. F. Jöndl — changes that were largely decorative, updating the interiors to the taste of the period rather than altering the building's structure.

What was the Schwarzenberg family's role?

Karel Schwarzenberg acquired Čimelice in 1850, and the estate stayed in his family's hands until 1948. It was during the Schwarzenberg era that the English-style park surrounding the chateau was laid out — a park that survives today and hosts a well-known flower show held every two years.

What happened to the chateau after 1948?

After the war, once the Schwarzenberg family had left the country, the chateau stood empty for a time. From 1952 until it closed in 1982, the building housed a secondary technical school for the film industry. Since then it has had no permanent institutional use: the surrounding outbuildings and parts of the estate are rented out for housing or business purposes, while the chateau itself remains unoccupied and is only opened up occasionally, for one-off events.

What legend surrounds the chateau?

Local tradition tells of the ghost of Josef Vratislav of Mitrovice, a former owner remembered for his harshness. According to the story, at midnight a howling black dog appears in front of the chateau gate — said by locals to be the nobleman's restless spirit.

Where is Čimelice located?

The village lies in the Písek District of the South Bohemian Region, not far from Mirovice and the Vltava River, in an area known for its Baroque chateaux and former noble estates.

Frequently asked questions

When was Čimelice Castle built? The Baroque chateau was built between 1728 and 1730 by builder Antonio Canevalle for Count Karel Bissingen, on the site of an older fortified manor first recorded in 1483.

Can visitors tour the chateau today? The building stands empty with no regular visitor route; it opens only for occasional events, while the surrounding park hosts a biennial flower show.

How long did the Schwarzenberg family own Čimelice? The Schwarzenbergs held the estate from 1850 until 1948, when the family left the country after the war.

What institution operated in the chateau under communism? From 1952 to 1982 the building housed a secondary technical school for the film industry.

What legend is connected to the chateau? Local lore tells of the ghost of the harsh former owner Josef Vratislav of Mitrovice, said to appear at midnight before the gate as a howling black dog.