Lower Castle in Benešov nad Ploučnicí

The Lower Castle in Benešov nad Ploučnicí is the Renaissance counterpart to the town's Upper Castle, together forming one of northern Bohemia's most notable noble residential complexes. Unlike its neighbour, the Lower Castle was founded by a separate branch of the Salhausen family and, from an early stage, had its own owners and its own share of administrative control over the town.

Who built the Lower Castle, and when?

The building was commissioned by Bedřich of Salhausen, who purchased the town hospital and four burgher houses standing on the main square and had them replaced with a new residence. Construction ran from 1540 to 1544, placing it almost exactly alongside the parallel expansion of the Upper Castle, though as an entirely separate family project.

Who was the castle built for?

Bedřich of Salhausen died in 1562, and the Lower Castle, together with half of the town of Benešov, passed to his son Jan. From that point the town's estate was formally split between two branches of the family, each administering its own half of Benešov and its own castle — a division that sets the Lower Castle's history apart from that of the Upper Castle.

What does the architecture look like?

The building is Renaissance in style, with lingering late-Gothic touches typical of the Saxon building tradition active in the region at the time. Distinctive features include side gables shaped like a "donkey's back," topped with volute-scrolled attics, and a three-storey rectangular tower projecting in front of the south façade. The upper interiors still show Gothic characteristics, including net-ribbed vaulting and spiral staircases set into polygonal towers, both common in local buildings of the period.

What happened to the castle in later centuries?

Ownership of the Benešov estate shifted at the start of the 17th century. In 1612, the indebted Antonín the Elder of Salhausen was forced to sell the Lower Castle, along with half of the town, to Jan of Vartemberg. From this point the fates of the Upper and Lower Castle diverged at times, even though the two buildings stood side by side in the same town.

Did the castle suffer damage in a fire?

In December 1969 a fire broke out on the castle grounds and seriously damaged the ethnographic exhibition then run by the National Museum. The structure of the Lower Castle itself was not seriously harmed, allowing the site to remain in use afterward.

Can visitors tour the Lower Castle today?

Yes. The Lower Castle was opened to the public in 1961 and has operated as a museum site ever since. Its exhibition focuses on the 16th and 17th centuries, displaying period furniture, porcelain, weapons, paintings, prints, and decorative crafts that together evoke the everyday life of the lesser nobility of the era. The property belongs to the Czech state and is administered by the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ).

Frequently asked questions

How does the Lower Castle differ from the Upper Castle? Both were built around the same period, but by different branches of the Salhausen family, and from 1562 they had separate owners who each governed their own half of Benešov.

When was the Lower Castle built? Between 1540 and 1544, commissioned by Bedřich of Salhausen on the site of a former town hospital and four houses cleared from the main square.

Is the castle open to visitors? Yes, it has been open since 1961, with an exhibition dedicated to 16th- and 17th-century noble life.

Was the castle damaged by fire? A fire in December 1969 damaged the ethnographic exhibition housed there, but the building itself was not seriously affected.