Košátky Castle

Košátky Castle stands on the northern edge of the village of Košátky, in the Mladá Boleslav district of Central Bohemia. Built up over several centuries around an original Gothic fortified tower, it counts among the more architecturally striking country houses in the region.

Where did the castle come from?

The village of Košátky was first recorded in 1365, and a fortress already stood on the site by the second half of the 14th century. In the first half of the 15th century, Jan Košátecký of Veitmile rebuilt the older stronghold in Gothic style. The massive, pyramid-roofed tower from that rebuilding still dominates the site today and remains the oldest surviving part of the complex.

Who shaped the castle you see today?

Around the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the estate passed to the Kolovrat family, first recorded under Václav Bezdružický of Kolovrat. In the second half of the 16th century the Kolovrats added a Renaissance wing decorated with figural sgraffito, and a Baroque wing followed in later decades. The family held the property until the land reform of 1923-1924, when ownership restrictions forced its sale.

What happened to it in the 20th century?

During the German occupation, in 1940-1942, the occupying administration carried out further rebuilding of the castle and its farm buildings. The estate was confiscated in 1945, and from 1958 to 1999 it housed a retirement home. Afterward, the property returned to the heirs of Robert Weisse. Today the castle is privately owned and closed to the public — visitors can only view it from outside, along the road through the village.

What can you actually see on site?

Beyond the tower itself, the protected complex includes a bridge, moats, vaulted cellars, a Marian statue, a mill, and a park that once held a pheasantry. Walking around the perimeter shows off the different building phases at a glance — from the plain Gothic tower to the decorative Renaissance facades and the heavier Baroque additions. Local legend also tells of a "Black Lady" ghost said to haunt the castle's rooms, one of the region's more frequently repeated ghost stories around Mladá Boleslav.

How do you get to Košátky Castle?

Košátky lies a short drive from Mladá Boleslav, in Central Bohemia, roughly an hour by car from Prague. It's best combined with a wider day trip, since several other castles and historic sites in the Central Bohemian Region are within easy reach.

When is the best time to visit?

Since the visit is limited to the exterior, spring and summer are the most rewarding times, when the surrounding park is green and the longer daylight hours make it easy to explore the village and nearby countryside without rushing.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Košátky Castle? No. The castle is privately owned today and not open for interior visits — you can only see it from the outside.

What is the oldest part of the castle? The massive, pyramid-roofed tower, built during Jan Košátecký of Veitmile's Gothic reconstruction in the first half of the 15th century.

Which family owned it the longest? The Kolovrat family, who acquired the estate around 1500 and kept it until the 1923-1924 land reform.

Is there a legend connected to the castle? Yes, locals tell of a "Black Lady" ghost said to appear in the castle's rooms.