Nový Světlov Chateau

Nový Světlov Chateau stands above the confluence of the Olšava and Kaménka rivers, right next to the small town of Bojkovice in the Zlín Region of eastern Moravia. Today it works as a hotel and a venue for weddings and cultural events, but its story begins in a much harder era, when this stretch of countryside marked the border between Moravia and Hungary and needed a fortress rather than a ballroom.

Why "New" Světlov?

The name points to what came before it. The lords of the Světlov estate originally held court at an older stronghold nearby, known simply as Starý Světlov ("Old Světlov"). When that fortress was badly damaged during the Czech-Hungarian wars, three brothers of the Landštejn family — Zbyněk, Ctibor and Jaroslav — chose not to rebuild it, but to raise a new castle at a stronger position over the river confluence instead. Built before 1480 in the late Gothic style, it took over the defensive role once played by both the old castle and the nearby Bojkovice stronghold.

How did the castle survive so many attacks?

Sitting on a contested borderland made Nový Světlov a frequent target, and it held its ground remarkably well. During the Thirty Years' War, in 1645–1646, Swedish forces laid siege to the castle but eventually withdrew without taking it. In 1663 it repelled three separate raids by Ottoman-Tatar troops, and in the early 18th century, between 1703 and 1709, it also fended off attacks during the Kuruc uprising. Despite this long string of assaults, the castle was never captured.

When did it stop being a fortress?

The shift from stronghold to residence began in the second half of the 18th century, when the building was reworked into a Baroque chateau better suited to comfortable living than to warfare. It reached the form visitors see today in the mid-19th century, when it was remodeled in the English Tudor Gothic style — a look that still sets it apart from the more typical Moravian chateaus of the period.

What happened to the chateau in the 20th century?

Between 1957 and 2008, Nový Světlov housed the regional Bojkovice museum, which has since moved into the town centre. After the political changes of the early 1990s, the property returned to private hands and underwent a thorough restoration, carried out with support from the town of Bojkovice. The work, which included roofing over the chateau's courtyards, was completed in 2011, and the chateau reopened to the public on 9 June of that year.

What can visitors do there today?

Nový Světlov now combines its historic role with active commercial use: it operates as a hotel and restaurant, and its halls and courtyards are a popular setting for civil weddings and receptions. Throughout the year it also hosts concerts, theatre performances and other cultural events, keeping the chateau tied to the everyday life of the region rather than just its past.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Nový Světlov Chateau located? Above the confluence of the Olšava and Kaménka rivers, right next to the town of Bojkovice, in the Zlín Region of eastern Czech Republic.

Who built the castle, and when? Brothers Zbyněk, Ctibor and Jaroslav of Landštejn, before 1480, as a replacement for the damaged nearby castle of Starý Světlov.

Was the castle ever captured? No. It withstood Swedish sieges in 1645–1646, Ottoman-Tatar raids in 1663, and Kuruc attacks in 1703–1709, and was never taken by force.

How has its appearance changed over the centuries? It began as a late Gothic fortress, was converted into a Baroque chateau in the second half of the 18th century, and took on its current English Tudor Gothic look in the mid-19th century.

What is housed in the chateau today? A hotel, a restaurant, and event spaces for weddings and cultural programmes; until 2008 it was also home to the regional Bojkovice museum.