Náměšť na Hané Castle

Náměšť na Hané Castle stands in the market town of Náměšť na Hané, about 13 km south of Litovel in the Olomouc Region of Moravia. Ringed by a circular park with radiating lime-tree avenues, the estate ranks among the more notable chateau complexes in the region.

How far back does the settlement's history go?

The village is first documented in 1141, and in 1319 King John of Luxembourg (John of Bohemia) granted it market-town rights at the request of the local gentry family, who took their name from the settlement itself. By 1371, records already mention a fortified stronghold here, held by Artleb and Parcifal of Náměšť — proof that a defensive seat existed on this spot centuries before the chateau seen today.

Who turned the stronghold into a Renaissance residence?

Between 1536 and 1592 the estate belonged to the Lords of Vrbno, a period during which the market town flourished economically. It was this family that rebuilt the old fortress into a Renaissance-style castle, though little of that phase survives in the building's present form — what visitors see now dates from a later, more ambitious rebuilding.

Where does the current Baroque chateau come from?

In 1726 the Náměšť estate passed to the Harrach family, one of the prominent noble houses of the Habsburg monarchy, whose original seat was the so-called Lower Chateau. Count Ferdinand Bonaventura Harrach chose to erect an entirely new summer residence near the ruins of the medieval castle: the foundation stone was laid in 1766, and construction followed the most fashionable style of the day — early Classicist Moravian Baroque, with clear French architectural influence. That building is the chateau still standing at Náměšť today.

How did the Kinský family come to own it?

After Count Ferdinand Bonaventura Harrach's death in 1778, the chateau passed to his daughter, Countess Marie Rosa, who since 1777 had been married to Count Josef Kinský. The Kinský family left the deepest mark on the estate's history — they had a family tomb built in the local cemetery, where seven members of the count's family are laid to rest. Ownership later passed to the ironmonger František Ottahal, who ran the estate until it was nationalized in 1945.

Who owns the chateau today?

Until 1999 the property belonged to the Regional Museum of Olomouc. Since 1 July 2000 it has been owned by the market town of Náměšť na Hané itself, a change that opened the way for the chateau's interiors and grounds to be progressively made accessible to visitors.

What is there to see beyond the chateau building?

The chateau is encircled by a circular park from which lime-tree avenues fan out toward every point of the compass — a distinctive feature that gives the whole layout its recognizable, symmetrical plan. Together, the residence and its park are considered among the more significant estates not just in Moravia but in a wider European context.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the chateau located? In the market town of Náměšť na Hané, roughly 13 km south of Litovel, in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic.

When was the current chateau built? Construction of today's Baroque building began in 1766, commissioned by Count Ferdinand Bonaventura Harrach in the early Classicist Moravian Baroque style with French influences.

Which noble family is most closely associated with the chateau? The Kinský family, who acquired it in 1778 through the marriage of Marie Rosa Harrach to Count Josef Kinský and who left behind a family tomb in the local cemetery.

Who owns the chateau now? Since July 2000 it has belonged to the town of Náměšť na Hané; before that, until 1999, it was the property of the Regional Museum in Olomouc.