Kačina

Kačina is an Empire-style castle in Svatý Mikuláš, in the Central Bohemian Region, regarded as one of the purest examples of Empire architecture in the Czech Republic. Since 1945 the property has belonged to the state, and it now houses the National Museum of Agriculture.

Who built the castle and when?

Construction ran from 1806 to 1824, commissioned by Count Jan Rudolf Chotek, who at the time served as president of the governorate and highest burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia. The Chotek family was among the most prominent noble families in Bohemia, managing estates including Bělošice, Nové Dvory, and Veltrusy. The family lived at Kačina until 1911, when the local branch of the line died out.

Why is Kačina considered a model of the Empire style?

The building was designed as a compact, symmetrical block set flat within the landscape, avoiding the decorative excess typical of earlier styles. Its clean lines and classical architectural order lead art historians to point to Kačina as one of the most consistent examples of Empire architecture in the Czech lands. The castle is listed as a national cultural monument.

What can visitors see inside?

The tour includes thirteen rooms once occupied by the Chotek family, furnished in period style, along with the family library of roughly 40,000 volumes dating from the 16th to the 19th century — one of the most significant private book collections ever assembled in Bohemia. Other stops on the route cover the servants' quarters below stairs, the castle chapel and theatre, the greenhouse, and an herb garden. Separate thematic exhibitions are devoted to subjects such as beekeeping and the history of wood as a material.

What kind of park surrounds the castle?

The castle stands in the middle of an extensive English-style landscape park, whose basic layout was first drawn up in 1789 by the Vienna-based botanist Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin. The park covers a large area and ranks among the largest of its kind in the country, holding rare tree species brought in from around the world. Its naturalistic arrangement of paths and tree groups, typical of English landscape parks, stands in deliberate contrast to the strict geometry of the building itself.

What museum operates at the castle today?

Since the state took over the property, the castle has housed the National Museum of Agriculture, presenting the history and present-day life of the Czech countryside, farming, and food production. The museum combines a display of the aristocratic residential interiors with exhibitions on agricultural work, making Kačina an unusual pairing of a noble residence and a themed museum under one roof.

Where exactly is the castle located?

Kačina lies within the Svatý Mikuláš municipality in the Kutná Hora district, Central Bohemian Region. The same municipality also includes the village of Svatá Kateřina, a short distance from the castle grounds — which is why sources sometimes refer to the location by different village names belonging to the same municipality.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Kačina Castle? It was commissioned by Count Jan Rudolf Chotek and built between 1806 and 1824.

Since when has the castle belonged to the state? Since 1945, when it was declared national property; it is also protected as a national cultural monument.

What is there to see at Kačina? Thirteen rooms furnished in the style of the Chotek family, a family library of about 40,000 volumes, a chapel, a theatre, a greenhouse, and the exhibitions of the National Museum of Agriculture.

What park surrounds the castle? An extensive English-style landscape park, whose layout was first sketched in 1789 by the botanist Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin.

Where is Kačina located? In the Svatý Mikuláš municipality, Kutná Hora district, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic.