Starý zámek Ratboř

Starý zámek Ratboř (the Old Castle of Ratboř) is a former Gothic fortress transformed over the centuries into a Baroque, and later modernist, château in the village of Ratboř in the Kolín region of Czechia.

How to get there?

Ratboř lies in Central Bohemia, in the Kolín district, close to the small town of Červené Pečky. The easiest way to reach it is by car, as the village sits a short drive from Kolín, a major railway junction on the Prague–Kolín–Pardubice line, from where a local bus or taxi can cover the last stretch. The surrounding countryside is flat and agricultural, so cycling in from neighboring villages is also a comfortable option.

What will you see?

The Old Castle has an unusually long and layered building history. The first written record of a fortified manor on this site dates to 1389, when the estate reverted to King Wenceslaus IV — the fortification itself was most likely built around the mid-14th century, though its founder remains unknown. Over the following centuries the property changed hands and purpose many times.

A turning point came in 1723, when the estate was bought by Karel Jáchym Breda, owner of nearby Červené Pečky. He had the old fortress rebuilt as a Baroque residence: a single-story rectangular building under a broken shingle roof, which still forms the core of today's southern wing. Part of the northern wall of that wing survives from this earliest documented building phase.

In 1734, Countess Marie Karolína Khevenhüllerová bought Ratboř at auction and made the castle her main residence. Another major shift came in 1890, when the estate was purchased by Bernard Mandelík, a merchant from Kolín. It was his son Robert who commissioned a sweeping reconstruction in 1912–1915, designed by architect Jan Kotěra — one of the founding figures of Czech modernist architecture. Kotěra added a new central wing extending to the north and a distinctive glazed winter garden. The rebuilding of the Old Castle is regarded as one of Kotěra's boldest projects in the Czech countryside, blending the spirit of an old noble residence with early 20th-century ideas about modern living.

Since 31 December 1965, the Old Castle — together with an adjoining granary and the complex of the neighboring New Castle — has been listed in the Czech Republic's Central Register of Immovable Cultural Monuments.

The castle has also served as a filming location: it appeared in the Czech comedy "Ro(c)k podvraťáků" (2006) and in "Visiteurs 3: Revolution" (2016), and in March 2026 it hosted the crew of the American production "What Happens at Night," directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence.

When to visit?

Spring and summer are the best times to visit, when the rural, agricultural landscape of Central Bohemia is at its greenest and the long days leave plenty of time to explore other sights in the Kolín region as well. It is worth checking current access information before setting out, since the castle is occasionally closed to visitors during film shoots.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Old Castle differ from the New Castle in Ratboř? They are two separate, neighboring buildings in the same village. The Old Castle is the older structure, tracing back to a medieval fortified manor that was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century and then modernized by Jan Kotěra in the early 20th century. Both complexes, however, are listed as monuments together.

Who designed the castle's last major reconstruction? The 1912–1915 reconstruction was designed by Jan Kotěra, widely regarded as the father of Czech architectural modernism, commissioned by Robert Mandelík.

Can visitors see the interior of the castle? Access to the interior depends on the building's current use and any ongoing film production schedules, so it is worth confirming locally before planning a visit.

Why is the castle popular with filmmakers? Thanks to its picturesque, authentic architecture and quiet rural setting, the Old Castle has hosted several productions, including an international film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence.