Dalešice Castle

Dalešice Castle stands in the small town of Dalešice in the Vysočina region, a short drive from Třebíč. What looks today like a Baroque country residence actually began its life as something quite different — a medieval convent.

How did Dalešice Castle come to be?

The site's earliest history has nothing to do with nobility. At the end of the 13th century, a convent of the Order of Penitent Sisters of Saint Mary Magdalene was founded here. It didn't survive the turbulence of the Hussite wars intact — in 1430, troops under Prokop the Great razed the convent buildings almost to ruins. The community lingered on in reduced form for more than a century before finally dissolving in 1560. The Kraličtí of Kralic family then took over the remains and converted them into a residence. The Baroque castle recognizable today only took shape in the second quarter of the 18th century, when Heinrich Joseph Daun reused the surviving perimeter walls of the old convent to build his new seat, adding a formal courtyard of honor in front of the entrance.

What does the architecture look like today?

At its core, the building is Renaissance, later reworked in Baroque style during successive rebuildings. It kept the three-wing layout that largely follows the footprint of the early Gothic convent, with the wings enclosing a square "paradise" courtyard — a layout typical of older monastic complexes. Inside, the richly stuccoed walls and ceilings stand out. The most impressive room is the great hall on the upper floor of the west wing, decorated with stucco reliefs on military themes dating from Daun's rebuilding, a nod to his career as a military commander.

Can visitors go inside?

The castle remains privately owned; the property changed hands in 2007 after a long search for a buyer. The interiors are not part of a regular public tourist circuit, so a visit typically means viewing the building's exterior and courtyard from outside rather than touring the rooms. Anyone planning a trip should check the current access situation locally before arriving, since private ownership can mean limited or no public opening hours.

What else is worth seeing in Dalešice?

The town itself is known internationally for something quite different from its castle — one of the most recognizable breweries in the Czech Republic, with a brewing tradition dating back to the 17th century. Its fame largely comes from Jiří Menzel's 1980 film "Postřižiny" (Cutting It Short), based on Bohumil Hrabal's novella and filmed on the brewery grounds. Today the site combines a working brewery with a hotel and restaurant, alongside a multimedia exhibition on Austro-Hungarian-era brewing history, where visitors can see the original brewhouse and a preserved steam engine. It makes a natural pairing with a stop at the castle.

Frequently asked questions

When was Dalešice Castle built? The Baroque castle standing today dates from the second quarter of the 18th century, though the site had earlier housed a convent founded at the end of the 13th century, destroyed in 1430 and dissolved for good in 1560.

Who converted it into a Baroque castle? Heinrich Joseph Daun, who reused the surviving walls of the former convent and added a formal courtyard of honor at the entrance.

Is it possible to visit the interior? The castle is privately owned and is not run as a regular public attraction, so visits are generally limited to viewing it from the outside.

What else is Dalešice known for besides the castle? The town is famous for its brewery, with roots going back to the 17th century, well known for its role in Jiří Menzel's 1980 film "Postřižiny" and for its exhibition on the history of brewing.