New Castle in Votice

The New Castle in Votice stands on the southern edge of the town's historic centre, sandwiched between the Old Castle and the former Franciscan monastery, together forming one of the recognisable landmark clusters of this small town in the Benešov district, in the Central Bohemian Region, roughly 60 km south of Prague. Despite its grand name, the building did not start out as an aristocratic seat at all — it began life as an ordinary burgher's house that only later grew into a manor.

How did the building begin its life?

Registered under cadastral number 2, the structure was originally the townhouse of Vít Pasecký, who served as mayor of Votice in 1614. At the time, the property came with a sizeable estate attached to it — numerous plots of land and two fish ponds — a clear sign of Pasecký's standing in the town. The ground floor still preserves handsome vaulting dating from this early phase, one of the few visible traces left of the building's original burgher-era construction.

Who took over after Pasecký fled?

Everything changed in 1625, when Pasecký was forced to leave the area amid religious persecution, part of the wider re-Catholicisation drive that followed the Battle of White Mountain. His house and estate were seized by Sezima of Vrtba. Ownership then passed quickly through several hands: in 1627 the property went to the estate steward Jan Košický, and around 1631 it passed to Bohuslav Kořenský of Terešov. The Kořenský family held onto the house until the mid-18th century, making them its longest-standing owners.

When did the house turn into a castle?

The turning point came when the property was bought by Daniel Štorch, an estate administrator, who had it rebuilt in the Baroque style between 1766 and 1768. This renovation is what gave the building the character that led locals to start calling it the "manor house," even though it was not, strictly speaking, an aristocratic castle at that point. In 1775 the estate was purchased by Ernest František of Vrtba, who once again turned it into a proper manor residence, restoring its representative function.

What happened to the castle in the 20th century?

After the property was nationalised by the communist authorities in 1948, the building housed a plant belonging to the state enterprise Tesla. This industrial use kept the building away from its original residential purpose for decades. Once that industrial activity ended, the New Castle stood empty and neglected for years, and by 2017 it was put up for sale in a badly deteriorated state.

What is happening to the New Castle today?

The property was bought by a married couple who live abroad but have ties to Prague. The new owners have stated their intention to consult architects and heritage conservationists about a possible reconstruction of the building and the renewal of the adjoining park. The New Castle therefore remains a work in progress — a building with a centuries-long history of changing hands, now moving from decades as an abandoned industrial site toward a restored future.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors tour the New Castle in Votice? The building is privately owned and currently going through a planned reconstruction process, so it does not operate as an open tourist attraction — it's worth checking current information locally before visiting.

How does the New Castle differ from the Old Castle in Votice? The Old Castle is a separate building in the same part of town with its own distinct architectural history; the New Castle grew out of a burgher's house that was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 18th century.

Why is the building known locally as the "manor house"? After the Baroque reconstruction of 1766–1768 and its conversion into an aristocratic residence in 1775, residents of Votice began informally calling it the manor house, even though its official name remained the New Castle.

What was housed in the building after 1948? Following nationalisation, the building was used by the state enterprise Tesla — a common fate for many manors and castles taken over by the communist authorities in Czechoslovakia.