Týnec (castle)

Týnec Castle stands in the village of Týnec, about 6 kilometres south of Klatovy in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. This Baroque château carries a history that swings from a medieval stronghold to an interwar luxury hotel and, more recently, to a private rescue project.

How old is the site, and what stood here first?

The settlement of Týnec is first documented in 1227. The original noble seat on this spot took the form of a fortress founded in the second half of the 14th century, which later gave way to the grander residence seen today. East of the present château, an older Renaissance-era manor known as the Rochcov house still survives as a remnant of that earlier seat.

Who built the Baroque château that stands today?

In 1584, Jan Vidršperk purchased the Týnec estate and held it until his death in 1620. Ownership then passed to his daughter, Anna Eva, who in 1607 had married Vilém Albrecht Krakovský of Kolovrat — a union that tied Týnec to the Kolovrat family for the next two centuries.

Construction of the current Baroque château began in the early 18th century, designed by the architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi. Building work ran from 1704 to 1710 under Maxmilián Norbert of Kolovrat, and the château reached its present form around 1760 under his son, Jan Josef Krakovský of Kolovrat. Historians count it among the earliest fully Baroque residences built in Bohemia.

What happened to the château during the 19th century?

The building's fortunes declined after its heyday. Through the 19th century it stood largely empty, was let out to tenants, and part of it reportedly served as a cattle barn. The Týnec branch of the Kolovrat-Krakovský family remained the formal owner throughout, even as the residence itself fell into disrepair.

Why did the château briefly become a hotel?

The turning point came in 1927, when Jindřich Kolovrat-Krakovský sold the property to the Czech architect Jaroslav Polívka. Polívka carried out extensive repairs and completed the west wing to his own design. After a costly renovation, a 40-room luxury hotel opened on the site on 1 May 1928, drawing guests such as the singer Karel Hašler, the painter Alfons Mucha, and Alice Masaryková, daughter of Czechoslovakia's first president. The venture was short-lived: the 1929 economic crisis pushed the hotel into bankruptcy.

What survived into the modern era?

Following the hotel's collapse, the château changed hands repeatedly and was later used by the Czechoslovak People's Army, deteriorating steadily over the following decades. It was not until 2000 that the Czech art collector Jan Pelánek Lazarowitz acquired the building and began restoring it. Under his ownership, the château today blends its layered history with contemporary art and an ongoing story of preservation, gradually recovering from decades of neglect while standing as a record of Bohemian aristocratic life and Baroque architecture.

The site sits at coordinates 49.3464 N, 13.2633 E, useful for anyone planning a visit around Klatovy.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Týnec Castle located? The château lies in the village of Týnec in the Klatovy District of the Plzeň Region, roughly 6 km south of Klatovy.

Who designed the Baroque château? It was designed by architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi and built between 1704 and 1710 for the Kolovrat family.

Did the château ever operate as a hotel? Yes — a 40-room luxury hotel ran there from 1928 to 1929, hosting guests including Alfons Mucha and Alice Masaryková, before the economic crisis forced it to close.

Can visitors see the château today? Since 2000 it has belonged to art collector Jan Pelánek Lazarowitz, who has been restoring the building and combining its history with contemporary art.