Leontýnský zámek

Leontýnský zámek sits on the edge of the vast Křivoklát forests, along the road toward Karlov, roughly eight kilometers south of Křivoklát itself. It's a small but strikingly picturesque neo-Gothic chateau, tucked among old trees and wrapped in a quiet that's hard to find closer to bigger towns.

How far back does the site's history go?

The ground the chateau stands on has a much older story than the building itself. Back in the 16th century, Archduke Ferdinand, then owner of the Křivoklát estate, set up a game enclosure here for hunting. By 1651 a gamekeeper's lodge and a store for hunting equipment had been built on the site — so this spot served the court's hunting parties long before it looked anything like a castle.

When was the current building built?

The Classicist hunting lodge that forms the core of today's chateau was built in 1820 by Karel Egon of Fürstenberg. At the time it was simply called Obora, after the neighboring farmstead and forest. The real transformation came in 1865–1866, when Prince Max Egon Fürstenberg had it rebuilt as a summer residence for his wife, Princess Leontýna of Khevenhüller. Architect J. Jirusch oversaw the work, and the building took on the name it still carries — Leontýnský zámek, or Leontýn for short.

A second, decisive remodeling followed around 1893–1894. Architect J. B. Urban added an extra floor and reworked the façades in a romantic English Neo-Gothic style — the source of the turrets, battlements, and pointed-arch windows that catch the eye today.

What happened to the chateau in the 20th century?

In 1929 the state took over the property and installed the administration of the state forests of Obora there. From 1950 the building briefly housed a school for children with speech disorders relocated from Prague, followed by an auxiliary technical battalion. In 1964 it passed to the National Committee of the City of Prague, which carried out a full renovation and set up a social care institution for young people. Today Leontýn operates as a facility for people with disabilities, which means the interiors aren't open to visitors — the chateau is one to admire from the outside.

What's worth seeing there?

Leontýn's biggest draw is its setting: the building stands on raised ground at the edge of the enormous Křivoklát forest complex, in the Rakovník district of Central Bohemia. Its Neo-Gothic architecture — turrets and ornamented façades — stands out sharply against the surrounding woodland, making it one of the more photogenic sights in the region. It's a natural stop along a hiking or cycling route through the Křivoklát forests, pairing scenic landscape with genuinely interesting architecture.

How do you get to Leontýnský zámek?

The chateau sits on road II/236, connecting Roztoky u Křivoklátu with Karlov. The easiest way is by car, though it's equally reachable on foot or by bike via the network of trails crisscrossing the Křivoklát forests — a region well loved by hikers and cyclists alike. The nearest major landmark is Křivoklát itself, about eight kilometers away, home to its well-known royal castle.

When's the best time to visit?

Given the forest setting and the lack of interior access, spring, summer, and early autumn tend to work best, when the Křivoklát woods are at their greenest (or most colorful) and the trails are dry and easy to walk. It's worth combining the trip with a visit to Křivoklát Castle or other attractions in the area.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the chateau? No — the building currently houses a facility for people with disabilities, so it can only be viewed from the outside.

Where does the name Leontýn come from? From Princess Leontýna of Khevenhüller, wife of Prince Max Egon Fürstenberg, for whom the building was remodeled in 1865–1866.

How far is it to Křivoklát Castle? About eight kilometers, making it easy to combine both sights in a single day trip through the region.

Are there hiking trails nearby? Yes — the chateau sits at the edge of the extensive Křivoklát forests, a popular area for hikers and cyclists with a dense network of marked trails.