Skřivany Castle

Skřivany Castle stands on the eastern edge of the village of Skřivany, in the Hradec Králové district of eastern Bohemia, beside a branch of the Cidlina River. Its interiors are closed to visitors, but the striking Neo-Gothic exterior and surrounding park make it a worthwhile stop for anyone touring the countryside around Nový Bydžov.

How to get there?

Skřivany lies in the Hradec Králové region, a few kilometers from the town of Nový Bydžov, along the route connecting the area with Jičín. Driving is the easiest option — there's parking near the St. Anne church right by the castle grounds. Buses run from Nový Bydžov and Hradec Králové, though schedules are limited, so it's worth checking timetables in advance. The village itself is small, and the walk from the bus stop to the castle takes only a few minutes.

What will you see?

The castle's present appearance comes from a reconstruction carried out in 1867–1868 under architect Josef Niklas, who redesigned the building in an English late-Gothic style, sometimes described as "Windsor Gothic," with battlements, turrets, and pointed-arch window openings. Before that, the site held a Renaissance fortress from the mid-16th century, first documented in 1628, which was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Its ruins were rebuilt as a Baroque residence in the second half of the 17th century, and around 1720 a castle chapel dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was added — it later served the whole parish as the Church of the Holy Family, and since 1842 has been known as St. Anne's Church.

The castle is surrounded by a park with outbuildings that can be explored on foot from the outside. The interior isn't open to the public — the building has long served as a social care home, so a visit here means admiring the façade and walking the grounds rather than touring rooms. One lesser-known chapter worth knowing: between 1822 and 1828, the celebrated Czech poet and folklorist František Ladislav Čelakovský lived here and worked as a private tutor, one of the more interesting footnotes in the castle's history.

Since 1958, the castle has been a protected cultural monument, and in 1964 it was entered into the Czech Republic's Central Register of Cultural Monuments. A repair carried out in 1956 helped preserve the structure in the good condition visitors see today.

When to visit?

Since the castle can only be seen from the outside, it's a fitting stop at any time of year. Spring and summer are the most pleasant, when the park is in full green and there's more reason to linger on a walk around the grounds. In autumn, the changing colors of the park's trees set off the Neo-Gothic architecture nicely. It's worth planning extra time nearby — St. Anne's Church and its pond sit right next to the castle, Sloupno Castle is about 1.3 km away, and the town of Nový Bydžov, with its synagogue and historic churches, is only a few kilometers further, making it easy to combine a stop in Skřivany with a longer day trip through the region.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the inside of Skřivany Castle? No. The building functions as a social care facility and isn't open for tours. Visitors can only view it from the outside while walking through the surrounding park and grounds.

Why does the castle look Neo-Gothic? Its current appearance dates to a 1867–1868 reconstruction designed by architect Josef Niklas, who reshaped the building in an English late-Gothic Neo-Gothic style.

What stood on the site before the current castle? A Renaissance fortress from the mid-16th century, destroyed during the Thirty Years' War. Its ruins were rebuilt into a Baroque residence in the second half of the 17th century.

What else is worth seeing near the castle? St. Anne's Church and its pond sit right beside the castle, Sloupno Castle is about 1.3 km away, and Nový Bydžov, with its synagogue and historic churches, is just a few kilometers further.