Lázně Bělohrad Castle

Lázně Bělohrad Castle is a Baroque manor house in the small spa town of Lázně Bělohrad, in the Jičín district of the Czech Republic, built on the site of a medieval stronghold that once guarded a route through the Podkrkonoší foothills.

Where does the castle's name come from?

The earliest record of a wooden stronghold here, called Koštofrank, dates to 1354, when it belonged to Bořek of Poličany. In 1543 the estate passed to Jindřich Škopek of Bílé Otradovice, and after his death around 1566 it went to his son Jan. It was Jan who replaced the old wooden fort with a new stone building, and its bright white walls made such an impression on the local subjects that they started calling the seat the "White Castle" — Bělehrad, later Bělohrad. That name stuck, and it's the one both the castle and the town carry today.

Who owned the castle over the centuries?

The 17th century brought a rapid succession of owners, among them Kryštof Harant, the Czech nobleman, traveller and composer. From 1669 the estate belonged to the Wallenstein (Valdštejn) family, who held it for decades. It was under their ownership, around 1720–1721, that the Renaissance house was rebuilt into the Baroque residence seen today — possibly to a design by the architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel. Partway through the rebuilding, the property passed by inheritance to the Kyanast family, who saw the work through to completion. The final touches, giving the castle its present-day appearance, were added in 1724 by Count Jan Arnošt Antonín Schaffgottsch. Ownership changed hands several more times after that: the Štilfried family held the estate from 1818, and the Aichelburg family from 1848. In 1945 the castle became state property.

What does the castle look like today?

The building itself now houses a school and is closed to the public — there's no interior to visit. What is open, and worth the walk, is the historic park surrounding it. Within the park stands a former Empire-style winter orangery, converted in 1959 into a memorial to K. V. Rais, a Czech writer born in Lázně Bělohrad. One wing of the memorial holds a permanent exhibition on Rais's life and work along with the history of the town, while the other functions as a gallery hosting exhibitions from spring through autumn.

What else is worth pairing with a visit?

Since the castle interior itself isn't accessible, the real draw is the park and the exhibitions in the former orangery. Lázně Bělohrad is also a modest spa town in the Podkrkonoší foothills, so a stop at the castle grounds fits naturally into a broader walk around the town and its surroundings.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Lázně Bělohrad Castle? No — the building now serves as a school and is not open to visitors. The park around it, however, is accessible.

Where does the name Bělohrad come from? From the white walls of the stone residence built in the 16th century by Jan Škopek of Bílé Otradovice, which locals nicknamed the "White Castle" — a name that evolved into Bělohrad.

Who turned the castle into the Baroque building it is today? The Wallenstein (Valdštejn) family started the rebuild around 1720, the Kyanast family continued it, and Count Jan Arnošt Antonín Schaffgottsch completed the work in 1724.

What can you see in the castle park? A former winter orangery converted into a memorial for the writer K. V. Rais, with exhibits on his life and the town's history, plus an art gallery open from spring to autumn.