Lažany in the Strakonice District

Lažany is a small village and municipality in the Strakonice District of the South Bohemian Region in the Czech Republic, home to roughly 55–60 residents. The place is best known for its small Renaissance-Baroque chateau set inside an English-style landscape park, and for a quiet, rural character well off the main tourist routes.

Where exactly is Lažany located?

The village sits about seven kilometres south of Blatná and around twelve kilometres north of Strakonice, in the heart of the South Bohemian Region. České Budějovice lies roughly sixty-one kilometres to the north-west, while Prague is about ninety kilometres to the south-west. The municipality covers just 3.23 square kilometres and sits at an elevation of around 506 metres above sea level.

What is there to see — Lažany Chateau

The centrepiece of the village is a small chateau, built in the second half of the sixteenth century on the site of an older fortified residence. Its present Baroque appearance is the result of later reconstruction and further alterations, and the building, together with its surrounding park, is protected as a cultural monument. The English-style landscape park around it, planted mostly in the nineteenth century, still frames the chateau today and makes for a pleasant, low-key walk.

How has the chateau's use changed over time?

From 1955 onward, the chateau served as a retirement home. That changed in 2002, when the building was returned to restitution claimants — heirs of the former owners — and the retirement home relocated to a newly built facility in nearby Blatná. Since then, the chateau has remained in private hands.

Where does the name come from, and what is the village's history?

The first written mention of Lažany dates back to 1384, when the village belonged to a man named Ježek of Lažany. After him, from 1402 until the middle of the sixteenth century, the estate was held by the Žakavec family. Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Lažany belonged to the Enis (Enys) family — which is why the village was historically also known as Enisovy Lažany, or "Lažany of the Enis family."

What parts make up the municipality?

Today's village consists of two parts. The main part is made up of houses adjoining the chateau, strung along the access road coming from Strakonice. The second part, called Sázky, lies about 250 metres away. The municipality also includes a mill by the Kořenský pond and a nearby gamekeeper's lodge — remnants of the estate's former working infrastructure.

How has its administrative status changed?

Between 1907 and 1950, Lažany belonged to the Blatná district, and afterward to the Strakonice district. From 14 June 1964 to 31 December 1991, the village was absorbed into the neighbouring municipality of Doubravice and lost its independent status. Since 1 January 1992, Lažany has again been a self-standing municipality.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Lažany located? In the Strakonice District of the South Bohemian Region, about seven kilometres south of Blatná and twelve kilometres north of Strakonice.

How many people live in Lažany? The municipality has around 55–60 residents, making it one of the smaller villages in the region.

Can visitors tour the chateau in Lažany today? Until 2002 the building operated as a retirement home. After being returned to restitution claimants, it became private property.

When was the village first mentioned in written records? In 1384, when Lažany belonged to Ježek of Lažany — ownership later passed through the Žakavec family and then the Enis family.

How many parts does the Lažany municipality have? Two: the main settlement by the chateau along the road from Strakonice, and the Sázky part 250 metres away, along with a mill by the Kořenský pond.