Laškov Castle

Laškov Castle stands right in the centre of the village of Laškov, in the Prostějov district of the Olomouc Region, roughly 9 km east of Konice and 17 km northwest of Prostějov. It's a modest Baroque-turned-Neoclassical manor house best known today as the seat of the local municipal office rather than as a sightseeing destination.

How did the castle come to be?

The village of Laškov was first documented in 1349, but the fortified manor itself only enters the record in 1492, when it appears as a moated stronghold (tvrz). Through the 16th century, the estate passed through the hands of the Švábenice family and the Kokorský z Kokoru family, who reworked it with late-Gothic and Renaissance features.

The decisive transformation came in 1693, when the property belonged to the Augustinian canons regular of Olomouc. The monks rebuilt the old stronghold into a four-wing Baroque castle, using it as a summer residence away from the monastery.

Who owned the castle after the monastery?

In 1825 the estate passed to the Kolář family, also recorded under the Germanised spelling Kollarz. Between 1882 and 1890, Karl Jaroslav Kollarz had the building thoroughly remodelled, giving its façades a pseudo-classical appearance.

It was during Kollarz's ownership that the castle had its best-documented moment: in 1887, Emperor Franz Joseph I stayed there during military manoeuvres. In recognition of the hospitality, the emperor ennobled Karl Jaroslav Kollarz, granting him the title "of Laškov and Lešany."

What happened to the castle in the 20th century?

After Czechoslovak independence, the sugar refinery of Drahanovice bought the property in 1918 and turned it into a storage facility. After 1945 the building was repurposed for municipal use, and between 1953 and 1965 it underwent renovation and further adaptation. Since 1958 the castle has been legally protected as a cultural monument.

What is there to see at the castle today?

The building now houses the Laškov municipal office, a post office and several municipal flats, while the surrounding grounds function as a public park open to everyone. There is no fixed visitor route or regular opening hours — the interior is only accessible occasionally, usually around events organised by the municipality. For anyone travelling through the Prostějov area, it's worth a stop for its architecture and history rather than as a museum destination.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Laškov Castle located? In the centre of the village of Laškov, in the Prostějov district of the Olomouc Region, between Konice and Prostějov.

Can visitors tour the inside of the castle? There is no regular tour route — the building serves administrative and residential functions, though the surrounding park is freely accessible.

What architectural style does the castle show? A four-wing Baroque layout from 1693, remodelled in a pseudo-classical style between 1882 and 1890.

Why is Emperor Franz Joseph I associated with the castle? He stayed there in 1887 during military manoeuvres, and afterwards ennobled the castle's owner in gratitude for his hospitality.

Since when has the castle been a protected monument? It has held cultural heritage protection status since 1958.