Kardašova Řečice Chateau

Kardašova Řečice Chateau is a Baroque manor house standing at the edge of a small town in the Jindřichův Hradec district of South Bohemia, Czech Republic. Unlike many Czech chateaux, it is not open to visitors — it has served as a convent building for nearly a century — yet its structure and surrounding grounds remain a recognizable landmark for anyone exploring the area around the far more famous Červená Lhota chateau nearby.

How a fortress site became a Baroque chateau

The town of Kardašova Řečice once belonged to the domain of the lords of Hradec and grew as a market town built around three manorial farmsteads. A Gothic fortress originally stood near the settlement. Between 1725 and 1755, that older fortified structure was replaced by the Baroque residence that stands today, built alongside the estate's manorial brewery as a combined residential and administrative building.

Who owned the chateau over the centuries

Ownership passed through several hands during the 18th and 19th centuries. Count František Karel Sweerts-Špork held the estate from 1746 to 1752. He was followed by František Josef Jungwirt, who owned it from 1752 to 1768. The longest tenure belonged to the Paar family, who held the chateau from 1768 all the way through to 1930 — more than a century and a half under a single noble house.

What happened to the chateau in the 20th century

A major change came in 1930, when the Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame purchased the building. By 1949, under the new political order, it had been converted into a retirement home, a use that continued until 1991. After the change of regime, the property was returned to the congregation, and it has since operated as a charitable residence for nuns.

Can visitors tour the chateau today

No. The chateau remains the property of the Congregation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and is not open to the public, and the same restriction applies to the extensive English-style park surrounding it. This sets it apart from many regional chateaux that now function as museums or event venues. Visitors passing through the town can still view the building's exterior and the park's edges from outside the grounds.

Frequently asked questions

Is Kardašova Řečice Chateau open to the public? No. It belongs to a religious congregation and functions as a home for nuns, so the interior is not accessible to tourists.

When was the chateau built? The current Baroque building dates from 1725 to 1755, replacing an earlier Gothic fortress on the same site.

Who owned the chateau the longest? The Paar family, who held it continuously from 1768 until 1930.

What surrounds the chateau? A large English-style park, which, like the building itself, is not open to the public.

Where is Kardašova Řečice located? It's a small town in the Jindřichův Hradec district of South Bohemia, not far from the well-known Červená Lhota chateau.