Luhov Chateau

Luhov Chateau is a modest, late-Baroque single-storey manor house with a chapel in the village of Luhov in the Czech Republic, now open to visitors again after decades of neglect.

How far back does this site go?

Settlement at Luhov dates back to the 12th century, and a fortified stronghold on the site is first documented in writing at the start of the 14th century, though something may have stood there even earlier. Ownership changed hands several times over the centuries: until 1576 the estate belonged to the monastery at Chotěšov, which then sold the already-abandoned stronghold to Oldřich of Říčany and Pňovany. A more lasting shift came in 1676, when Luhov passed to the Steinbach von Kranichstein family, who would shape the estate's future for the next century.

Who built the chateau you see today?

The building's present form traces back to a marriage in 1779: Marie Anna Steinbach wed Count Mario Bořek Dohalský of Dohalice. A year later, in 1780, he commissioned the chateau that still stands in Luhov — a modest yet elegant, late-Baroque, single-storey structure. A chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows forms an integral part of the complex; consecrated in 1784, it remains one of the building's most notable architectural features.

What happened to the chateau in the 20th century?

The last private owner before nationalization was the physician Rudolf Jaksch von Wartenhorst, who held the estate until his death in 1946. Once the state took over, the chateau lost its residential purpose entirely — it was used to house workers, and part of the building was even turned into a coal store. Unflattering as that fate was for a historic building, it likely spared the structure from outright demolition.

Who brought the chateau back to life?

The turning point came at the end of 1996, when the estate was acquired by the Němec family. The new owners undertook a gradual restoration of the neglected building, steadily bringing it back toward its original appearance. Their work paid off in July 2006, when the chateau opened its doors to the public for the first time. Today it remains privately owned and continues to undergo restoration, looking a little better with each passing year.

What should you know before visiting?

Because the chateau is privately owned and still under renovation, the rooms open to visitors and the opening hours can vary depending on the season and the progress of conservation work, so it is worth checking current details before setting out. The property appeals above all to fans of intimate residential architecture — it is far smaller in scale than the great Czech castles, but it makes up for that with a genuinely medieval pedigree and a compelling story of decline and revival.

Frequently asked questions

When was the current Luhov Chateau built? The late-Baroque building standing today was constructed in 1780 on the initiative of Count Mario Bořek Dohalský of Dohalice, husband of Marie Anna Steinbach.

Was there an earlier structure on the site? Yes — settlement at Luhov goes back to the 12th century, and a documented medieval stronghold already existed there at the start of the 14th century.

What happened to the chateau after World War II? After the last private owner died in 1946, the property was nationalized and put to practical use, serving at times as staff housing and even as a coal store.

Since when has the chateau been open to the public? After the Němec family bought it at the end of 1996 and carried out renovations, the chateau opened to visitors in July 2006.