Hochperk

Hochperk is a small industrial chateau near Bašta, in the Břasy municipality of the Rokycany district, Plzeň Region, Czech Republic. It stands between the villages of Kříše and Vranovice, on the ruins of an older stronghold, and forms one of the stops on a local educational trail dedicated to the region's coal-mining history.

Who built Hochperk?

The chateau was built around 1780 by Baron Antonín Hochberg of Hennersdorf, son of Jan Antonín Hochberg, who had already been running industrial operations in the area since about 1730 — ore mining and processing, metalworking, and glass production. Antonín expanded the family business into coal mining and, toward the end of the 18th century, set up one of the region's first plants producing Bohemian sulfuric acid. Hochperk was never a manor house at the center of a landed estate in the classic sense; local historians describe it instead as an "industrialist's chateau," a representative residence built by an entrepreneur overseeing local mining and metalworking operations.

What is there to see today?

Around the building, the terraced gardens, an old park with mature trees, and a pond in front of the façade have survived — a layout typical of a 19th-century residence. About 400 meters east of the chateau stood the former "Katharina" ironworks, part of the Hochberg family's industrial base. The building itself changed function several times: under the Starck family, around 1880, it served as a hunting lodge, later as factory offices, and between 1965 and 1992 as a retirement home. It is now privately owned, and its technical condition is described as badly neglected — so a visit is best thought of as a walk around the exterior and through the surrounding park rather than an indoor tour.

How do you get there?

Hochperk sits along a walking route linking Kříše and Vranovice, right next to the Břasy municipality. The easiest approach is to drive to Břasy or Kříše and continue on foot from there — the route crosses former coal-mining grounds, turning the walk into a short lesson on the industrial history of the Plzeň region. The chateau is marked as one of the information points on the educational trail devoted to mining around Břasy.

When should you visit?

Because the visit is essentially a walk through park remnants and old mining traces, spring through autumn is the best window, when the paths are dry and easy to follow through the park around the building. In winter the trail can turn muddy or snow-covered, making the less-traveled stretches harder to reach.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Hochperk chateau? No — the building is privately owned and in poor technical condition. Visits are limited to viewing it from the outside and walking through the surrounding park.

Who built Hochperk, and when? It was built around 1780 on the initiative of Baron Antonín Hochberg of Hennersdorf, an entrepreneur who ran coal mining, metalworking, and glass production in the region.

What is Hochperk's connection to coal mining? The chateau was the seat of the Hochberg family, who oversaw local mining works and the nearby "Katharina" ironworks — today it is a stop on the educational trail covering the mining history of the Břasy area.

Are there other sights along the same route? Yes — the educational trail continues through further stations tied to historic coal mining around Břasy, so a visit to Hochperk pairs easily with a longer history-and-nature walk.