Plumlov Chateau

Plumlov Chateau is a Baroque residence of the Liechtenstein family in the Prostějov district of the Olomouc Region, built on the site of an earlier Gothic stronghold.

How old is the settlement of Plumlov, and what stood here first?

The first stronghold at Plumlov was founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, most likely on the initiative of Nicholas I of Opava. The site controlled the approaches to what is now Prostějov. Around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries the estate was bought by the lords of Kravaře, and after that family died out in 1466 it passed to Herold of Kunštát and later to Vratislav of Pernštejn. It was under the Pernštejn family, between 1495 and 1599, that the estate reached its economic peak.

What changed when the Liechtensteins took over?

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries Plumlov passed into the hands of the House of Liechtenstein, who held it until 1931. The real transformation, though, came in the 1680s: Jan Adam of Liechtenstein, grandson of Karl Eusebius, decided the old stronghold no longer matched the family's wealth and standing. Rather than repair the medieval walls, he raised an entirely new, grand residence beside them in an early Baroque, Mannerist style, drawing on Italian models — echoes of Vignola can be traced in the concept his father Karl Eusebius had originally sketched out. Construction ran from 1680 to 1685, with Jan Adam personally overseeing the site and, to his father's frustration, opting for simpler and cheaper solutions than the original design called for.

Why is only one wing standing today?

The plan called for a monumental four-winged building enclosing a central courtyard, but the ambition was never fully realised — only one wing was ever built. Even so, the finished part is richly decorated: the roof went up in 1685, and interior work began right away. The stucco decoration in the halls and corridors was carried out by the Italian master Jan Baptista Brentani, and the decoration of the main hall ranks among the most valuable features of the whole interior.

What happened to the old Gothic stronghold next door?

The medieval fortress stood beside the new chateau for more than a century afterward. In January 1801 a violent windstorm badly damaged both the old stronghold and the neighbouring chateau. Prince Alois of Liechtenstein was unwilling to fund repairs to two buildings at once, so, on the advice of the estate's officials, he had the older structure torn down. Demolition took place between 1801 and 1805, leaving the Baroque chateau as Plumlov's sole grand building from then on.

Who looks after the chateau today?

The Liechtenstein family lost the estate to confiscation in 1931. The chateau now belongs to the town of Plumlov, which is gradually restoring it and opening it up to visitors. It stands at the heart of the Drahany Highlands in the Prostějov district, close to the Plumlov reservoir (Plumlovská přehrada), a popular day-trip destination from nearby Prostějov and Olomouc.

Frequently asked questions

When was Plumlov Chateau built? The current Baroque chateau was built between 1680 and 1685 on the initiative of Jan Adam of Liechtenstein, on the site of a Gothic stronghold founded around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries.

Did the chateau originally have more wings than the one standing today? Yes, the design called for a four-winged building around a courtyard, but only one wing was ever completed.

What happened to the old stronghold beside the chateau? It was damaged by a windstorm in 1801 and demolished between 1801 and 1805 on the orders of Prince Alois of Liechtenstein.

Who owns the chateau now? Since the Liechtenstein family's estate was confiscated in 1931, the chateau has belonged to the town of Plumlov, which is restoring it step by step.