Mlázovy Castle in Kolinec

Mlázovy Castle is a Baroque chateau in the village of Mlázovy, part of the small town of Kolinec in the Klatovy District of western Bohemia, Czech Republic. It rose on the site of a medieval fortified manor and today combines the roles of a heritage building, a small hotel, and a museum devoted to the history of the local estate.

What stood in Mlázovy before the chateau?

The first written record of Mlázovy dates back to 1369. Already in the 14th century, a fortified manor house, a tvrz, stood here, home to a noble family that carried the predicate "of Mlázovy". That tvrz first appears clearly in written sources in 1557. When the new Baroque residence went up in the 18th century, only two cellars from the older stronghold survived, both located outside the footprint of the new building; everything else gave way to the modern residence.

When was today's chateau built, and who built it?

The Baroque chateau was raised in 1721 on the initiative of Jan Vilém Bernklau of Schönreith (also recorded as Vilém Bernklau, or Pernklo, of Schönreithau). It was designed as a two-story, rectangular building topped with a hipped roof and a small tower. In 2021 the estate marked the 300th anniversary of its construction.

How did the building and its owners change over time?

Across the following centuries the estate passed through the hands of several owners, and the building itself underwent alterations that gave it its present Neo-Renaissance appearance. A particularly prosperous period came under František Václav Veith, who managed the estate from 1829 to 1851. During his tenure, in 1834, a Classicist rectory and school with a substantial library were built, along with a poorhouse and a new Classicist wing of the chateau itself.

What is the estate's literary connection?

Mlázovy is tied to the writer Karel Matěj Čapek-Choda, whose mother worked here as a cook at the rectory and who himself spent part of his youth in the village. He set the action of one of his plays in the local chateau and immortalized the village priest in one of his short stories, turning Mlázovy into both a family seat and a literary backdrop.

What is the chateau used for today?

Since 2001 the chateau has belonged to private owners who have carried out a gradual, careful restoration. The building now houses a hotel with a restaurant, and the castle park is open to visitors as well. Inside, an exhibition traces the history of the former Mlázovy estate, letting visitors follow the fortunes of the family who owned it, the building's various rebuildings, and everyday life at the old manor.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Mlázovy Castle located? It stands in the village of Mlázovy, part of the town of Kolinec in the Klatovy District of western Bohemia.

Did an earlier building stand on the site? Yes. From the 14th century, a fortified manor house belonging to the "of Mlázovy" family stood here, first documented in 1557. After it was replaced, only two cellars outside the new chateau's footprint survived.

When was the present Baroque chateau built? In 1721, on the initiative of Jan Vilém Bernklau of Schönreith. Its 300th anniversary was marked in 2021.

Who contributed most to the estate's prosperity in the 19th century? František Václav Veith, who owned the estate from 1829 to 1851 and funded a Classicist rectory, a school with a library, a poorhouse, and a new wing of the chateau.

Can visitors tour the chateau today? Yes. It houses a hotel with a restaurant, the castle park is open to the public, and the interior features an exhibition on the history of the Mlázovy estate.