Nový zámek Ratboř

The Nový zámek (New Chateau) in Ratboř is an Art Nouveau-to-classicist villa near Sedlov, one of the most significant works by architect Jan Kotěra in the Czech countryside.

The building was constructed between 1910 and 1913 as a family residence for brothers Ervín and Ota Mandelík, sons of the entrepreneur Bernard Mandelík, who owned an extensive estate in Ratboř. Kotěra designed a single-story villa on a rectangular plan, with two projecting side wings topped by triangular gables and a dome above the centre of the main facade. The building belongs to a group of works in which the architect moved away from Art Nouveau ornamentation and sought a new, classicizing order inspired by the Palladian tradition — which is why locals call it the "new" chateau, to distinguish it from the older baroque residence standing within the same estate.

What can you see on site?

The facade is decorated with sculptural work by Jan Štursa, one of the most important Czech sculptors of the early 20th century. The allegorical figures of Spirit and Matter on the pediment count among the most valuable details of the entire building and show how closely Kotěra collaborated with artists of his generation — the interior and exterior of the chateau were conceived as a unified work of art, in which architecture, sculpture and applied decoration form a single whole.

The interiors illustrate how a wealthy entrepreneurial family lived at the turn of the era — a shift from a historicist model of residence to a functionally and aesthetically modern villa. After 1945 and until 1996, the building served as a school, which considerably altered its interiors. Between 2000 and 2002 a thorough reconstruction took place based on surviving historical photographs, restoring furnishings appropriate to the building's original period.

How do you get there?

Ratboř lies in the Kolín district, just a few kilometres from the town of Kolín, with Sedlov located in its immediate vicinity. Driving from Kolín takes under ten minutes, and the village is reachable via local roads from the direction of Malín and Ovčáry. Ratboř has no railway station of its own — the nearest one is in Kolín, from where you continue by bus or car.

How is the chateau used today?

The building currently operates as a hotel, run under a name that references its architect, Kotěra. This means visitors can not only view the estate from the outside but, in some cases, also see the interiors as part of a stay or a guided tour, where the operator offers one. The site is a rewarding destination for anyone interested in early 20th-century architecture, as well as for those who want to combine a visit to a historic monument with a stay in an unusual historical setting.

The surroundings of Ratboř and Sedlov offer the quiet, flat farmland landscape of the Elbe lowlands (Polabí), well suited to walking and cycling, and a visit can easily be combined with nearby Kolín, home to a Gothic Church of St Bartholomew and a well-preserved historic centre.

Frequently asked questions

When was the chateau built? It was constructed between 1910 and 1913 to a design by architect Jan Kotěra.

Who was it built for? It served as the family residence of the Mandelík brothers, sons of Bernard Mandelík, owner of the Ratboř estate.

What makes the chateau architecturally significant? It represents Kotěra's transition from Art Nouveau to a modern, classicizing order, and features sculptural decoration by Jan Štursa.

Can visitors access the chateau? The building now operates as a hotel, so seeing the interiors is possible mainly in connection with a stay or an occasional guided tour.