Malešice Castle

Malešice Castle is a modest baroque manor house standing in the Malešice district of Prague, within the administrative area of Prague 10, in the eastern part of the city. The building went up in the 18th century on the site of an older medieval fortified manor, and while it is not open to the public as a museum today, its history stretches back to the early 14th century.

When was Malešice first mentioned?

The earliest written record of Malešice dates to 1309, when part of the village belonged to a vicar named Vojslav, who bequeathed it in his will that same year to the Church of St Vitus at Prague Castle. The fortified manor itself — a so-called tvrz — first appears in documents in 1408.

Who controlled Malešice in the medieval period?

In 1525, owner Ladislav Malešický sold his holdings — the fortified manor, its farmstead, and part of the neighboring settlement of Dvorce — to the combined Old and New Towns of Prague for 2,000 Prague groschen. The city administered Malešice until 1635, when a shortage of funds to support the imperial army forced it to sell the estate, together with Štěrboholy, to General Jan Beck. During the Thirty Years' War, Malešice suffered heavy damage in the fighting around the siege of Prague.

How did the present castle come about?

The estate remained with the Beck family until at least 1685, after which it passed to the Vratislav family of Mitrovice. Prague University bought Malešice in 1727, and it was on the university's initiative that a modest, single-story baroque castle with a rectangular floor plan was built in 1755 on the site of the old fortified manor. The construction was carried out by the builder Jakub Antonín Canavalle. The original baroque door and window surrounds from that period have survived to the present day.

What is happening at the castle today?

Malešice became part of Prague on 1 January 1922, when a number of surrounding communities were incorporated into the capital. The castle itself is not currently open for visits — several institutions make use of the building, and it does not hold the status of a public museum. In recent years, local residents, including an initiative named after the builder Canavalle, have pushed for the building's restoration and for reopening it to serve the neighborhood.

Where exactly is the castle located?

The building stands at the heart of the Malešice district, within the administrative territory of Prague 10, in the eastern part of the Czech capital, a short distance from Malešické náměstí.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Malešice Castle located? In the Malešice district of Prague, administratively part of Prague 10, in the eastern part of the city.

When was the current castle built? In 1755, in the baroque style, on the site of an older medieval fortified manor, commissioned by Prague University after it acquired the estate.

Can Malešice Castle be visited? The building is not currently open as a museum — it is used by various institutions, though local initiatives have been pushing to make it accessible again.

Since when has Malešice been part of Prague? Since 1 January 1922, when the village was incorporated into the capital together with several neighboring communities.

Who built the current castle? The 1755 construction was carried out by builder Jakub Antonín Canavalle, commissioned by Prague University, which had owned the estate since 1727.