Roztěž Castle

Roztěž Castle is a modest baroque-turned-classicist hunting chateau tucked into the woods between Kutná Hora and Uhlířské Janovice in Central Bohemia. It looks like a quiet, self-contained country estate, but its ownership history — from a Bohemian military magnate to a Taiwanese tech billionaire — makes it one of the more unusual private estates in the region.

Where did the castle come from?

The village of Roztěž is first documented in written sources in 1391, and even then a fortified Gothic manor already stood on the site, most likely a small moated stronghold typical of medieval Bohemian estates. The site's real transformation began in 1666, when Jan Špork acquired the Malešov estate, which included Roztěž. Špork belonged to a family known in Bohemia chiefly for military service and architectural patronage, and in 1674 he replaced the old manor with a new, compact rectangular baroque hunting lodge intended to support hunting parties in the surrounding forests.

How did the building change over time?

Špork's modest baroque structure did not survive unaltered. In 1814 the estate passed to Karel Maxmilián Dahlberg-Ostein, and under his ownership, between 1827 and 1830, the building underwent a substantial classicist remodeling designed by architect Josef Schleps, which added an upper floor and gave the house a more representative profile. An even more significant transformation followed at the turn of the 20th century: between 1900 and 1911, at the initiative of Karl Dahlberg, Viennese architect Leopold Bauer redesigned the complex in a historicizing secessionist style. Low, single-storey wings with an octagonal floor plan were added on either side of the two-storey mansard-roofed main block, and the entrance facade received a projecting risalit crowned with a triangular tympanum. The estate also retained a two-armed staircase leading down to a garden grotto, a terraced garden decorated with vases on pedestals, and a park with an approach avenue — features that still define the site today.

Who owned the castle after the Dahlbergs?

The property later passed to Marie Salm-Salmová, related to the Dahlberg family, but her ownership did not survive the upheavals of the postwar period: the castle was confiscated in 1945. For decades afterward, through the communist era, the building served as a recreational retreat for the Czechoslovak Journalists' Union, losing its character as a private aristocratic residence.

Who owns Roztěž Castle today, and can visitors enter?

The next major shift came in 2001, when the castle was purchased by Terry Gou, the Taiwanese billionaire and founder of Foxconn. Since then the complex has undergone extensive renovation managed by the Casa Serena company, and an adjacent golf course was developed alongside the estate. The castle remains private property and is not open to the public — there are no regular guided tours, and the grounds function as the owner's residence and recreational facility. The whole complex, together with its surrounding park, is protected as a cultural monument.

Has the castle appeared on screen?

Despite being closed to visitors, Roztěž is familiar to a wider audience through film and television. Its exterior and interiors served as a filming location for the Czech TV series "Život na zámku" (Life at the Castle), where the property appeared under the fictional name "Temniště." The castle also featured in the film "Poklad byzantského kupce."

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Roztěž Castle? No. It is private property with no public access and no guided tours available.

Where exactly is the castle located? In the village of Roztěž, in the forests between Kutná Hora and Uhlířské Janovice in Central Bohemia.

Who owns the castle now? Since 2001 it has belonged to Terry Gou, the Taiwanese founder of Foxconn, and is managed by the Casa Serena company.

How old is the castle? The current building dates from 1674, though a fortified Gothic manor already stood on the site as early as the 14th century.

Has the castle been used in film or TV productions? Yes — it served as a location for the TV series "Život na zámku" (under the name "Temniště") and for the film "Poklad byzantského kupce."