Trhanov Chateau

Trhanov Chateau stands in the small municipality of Trhanov, in the Domažlice district of the Plzeň Region, on the western edge of the Czech Republic at the foot of the Český Les hills. Home to roughly 500 people, the municipality is made up of two parts — the village of Trhanov itself and the smaller hamlet of Pila — and the chateau is known both for its Baroque architecture and for its ties to the Stadion noble family and one of the classics of Czech historical fiction.

Where is Trhanov, and how big is the municipality?

Trhanov sits in the Chodsko region, an area on the border with Bavaria known for its distinct folk traditions and dialect. Census figures put the population at just over 500, making it a typical small rural municipality for this part of the Plzeň Region. Administratively, it consists of two cadastral parts: Trhanov, where the chateau stands, and Pila, a smaller settlement within the same municipal boundary. For travelers passing through Chodsko, Trhanov is the point where manorial architecture meets the quiet farmland of the border country.

Who built the chateau, and why is it linked to a character called "Lomikar"?

The present building went up between 1676 and 1677 under Wolf Vilém Lamingen of Albenreuth, the local estate owner remembered by the people of Chodsko as a harsh landlord under the nickname "Lomikar." That figure — and his conflict with the Chodsko peasants — later became the seed of the best-known literary story tied to this place. The chateau replaced an earlier, more modest manor house and was built as a representative aristocratic residence.

How did the Stadion family reshape the building?

After the Lamingen family, the estate passed to the House of Stadion, who rebuilt and enlarged the chateau between 1703 and 1706 following a fire, expanding its original Baroque core. A second fire struck the building in 1810, by which time it belonged to Jan Filip Stadion, a statesman who served as Austrian foreign minister and later as finance minister. Stadion had the chateau rebuilt quickly, adding a second floor, and moved into the renovated residence in 1811. That taller, more compact version of the building is essentially what visitors see in Trhanov today.

What connects the chateau to the novel "Psohlavci"?

In 1853, Josef Thomayer was born in Trhanov, the son of the chateau's gardener. He went on to become one of the most respected Czech physicians of his era and also wrote fiction himself. Thomayer invited his friend, the writer Alois Jirásek, to visit the chateau, and that visit — together with local Chodsko lore about past disputes between the peasants and the lord of the manor — inspired Jirásek to write "Psohlavci" ("The Dog-Heads"), one of the standard works of Czech historical literature. Through that novel, the character of Lomikar and the chateau itself became fixed points in Czech popular culture.

What is there to see at the chateau today?

The building today serves the local community directly: it houses the municipal office and a post office, and part of it is used for nature-focused educational activities. Trhanov is not a museum piece kept behind ropes — it is a working building that has remained the center of the village for centuries, changing function over time while keeping the Baroque form it took on after the 19th-century rebuilding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Trhanov Chateau located? In the Trhanov municipality, Domažlice district, Plzeň Region, in western Czech Republic; the municipality also includes the hamlet of Pila.

Who built the chateau? Wolf Vilém Lamingen of Albenreuth, nicknamed "Lomikar," built it between 1676 and 1677; the Stadion family later expanded it.

What is the chateau's connection to literature? Physician and writer Josef Thomayer was born there and invited Alois Jirásek to visit; the trip inspired Jirásek's novel "Psohlavci."

How many people live in Trhanov? Around 500 to 540, according to census data.

What is inside the chateau now? The municipal office, a post office, and space used for nature education.