Lobeč Castle

Lobeč Castle is a Baroque chateau in the village of Lobeč, about 6 km northeast of Mšeno in the Mělník District of Central Bohemia, right on the edge of the Kokořínsko – Máchův kraj Protected Landscape Area. For travelers touring the sandstone-rock country of the Máchův kraj, it's a small but rewarding stop — a private estate with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages that now doubles as a countryside guesthouse.

Where is Lobeč Castle and how do you get there?

Lobeč is a small village on road II/273, immediately next to Mšeno. The easiest way in is via Mšeno itself, which has bus connections from Mladá Boleslav, Mělník and Dubá, plus a train station on the Mladá Boleslav–Mělník line. From there it's a short hop to Lobeč, and the local bus stop sits right next to the chateau grounds.

What is the history behind the chateau?

The earliest record of the Lobeč estate dates to 1323, when Přísnobor of Lobeč handed the property over to his friend Jindřich of Mutěnice. The fortified manor house (tvrz) itself isn't mentioned until 1513, when Záviš of Harasov sold the by-then-abandoned tvrz, together with the surrounding farmstead, to Johanka of Víska, wife of Jan Lobečský of Lobeč. Their descendants held the estate throughout the 16th century.

After the property confiscations that followed the Battle of White Mountain, Lobeč — along with Bezděz — passed in 1623 into the hands of Albrecht von Wallenstein. Following his assassination, it went to colonel Robert Geraldin, and it was under Geraldin, sometime in the mid-17th century, that the present chateau was built, most likely on the foundations of the vanished medieval tvrz.

Through the marriage of Geraldin's daughter, Marie Klára, the estate passed to the Věžník family, who held it for more than a century, until 1765. The building was rebuilt in 1833, and in 1913 its owner at the time, Helena Kreutzerová, had the interiors thoroughly modernized. Kreutzerová later sold the chateau to Josef Šimonek, general director of the Škoda Works in Plzeň, whose family kept the estate until 1948.

What can visitors actually see there today?

Beneath the chateau lies a cellar cut into sandstone, dating from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries — very likely the only surviving piece of the original medieval tvrz. It now serves as a wine cellar. The chateau itself, in private hands today, functions as a guesthouse: fully equipped apartments with private bathrooms and kitchens occupy the courtyard buildings outside the main house. Lobeč Castle is listed as a Czech cultural monument and regularly hosts weddings and corporate events.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Lobeč Castle without a car? Yes — take a bus or train to Mšeno, then continue a short distance to Lobeč; the local bus stop is right next to the chateau.

Can you stay overnight at the castle? Yes, it operates as a guesthouse with self-catering apartments in the courtyard buildings, complete with private bathroom and kitchen — a popular base for exploring the Kokořínsko region.

Is anything left of the original medieval fortress? The one confirmed survivor is the sandstone-cut cellar beneath the chateau, dating from around 1500, now used to store wine.

Does the castle host weddings? Yes, the venue is regularly booked for weddings and corporate events, making use of its courtyard and period interiors.