Uhříněves Castle

Uhříněves Castle is a Renaissance-Baroque residence in Prague's Uhříněves district (Prague 22), built in 1591 on the grounds of an older manor farm. Closed to the public on a day-to-day basis, it is surrounded by an extensive landscape park that ranks among the most visited green spaces in this part of Prague.

Who built the castle, and when?

The settlement of Uhříněves was first recorded in 1227, and a Templar commandery is documented there by the end of the 13th century. The castle itself came much later: in 1579 the estate was bought by Jaroslav Smiřický of Smiřice, one of the wealthiest noblemen in Bohemia at the time, and in 1591 he had a single-storey residential building erected on the site of the existing farmstead, marked by a flat central risalit on its main facade.

What happened to it during the Thirty Years' War?

In 1639, during the Thirty Years' War, the building was burned by Swedish troops. It was rebuilt by its new owners, the House of Liechtenstein, who had taken over the estate in the first half of the 17th century. It was this family that gave the castle its present appearance: in 1711 Jan Adam Ondřej of Liechtenstein commissioned a Baroque remodelling.

How long did the Liechtensteins hold the estate?

The Liechtenstein family kept ownership of Uhříněves until 1919 - close to three centuries. The estate passed through successive generations, including Marie Terezie Savojská, who managed it from 1712 to 1772, down to Prince Jan II of Liechtenstein (1840-1929). In 1920, Jan II leased the Uhříněves farm to the agricultural department of the Czech Technical University (ČVUT) in Prague, opening a new, scientific chapter in the site's history.

Where does the surrounding park come from?

The park around the castle was laid out by Count Arnošt Emanuel Sylva-Tarouca, a renowned expert in horticulture and dendrology in his time. Under his direction the park grew into a botanical collection of real significance: by 1927 it already held close to 2,360 plant species, including many rare and exotic specimens brought in from around the world.

What is inside the castle today?

The building now houses the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a direct continuation of the site's pre-war horticultural and research tradition. The castle remains an important cultural monument of Prague 22, but because it serves as a working research institute it is not open to the general public - visitors can view it from the outside while walking through the surrounding park.

Is it worth visiting alongside a trip to Prague?

Uhříněves Castle offers a different side of Prague from the historic centre - a quiet, green district with centuries of history, where a Renaissance noble residence turned into a scientific institution set in a park full of rare trees and shrubs. It makes for a pleasant walk, especially combined with a look around the nearby historic centre of Uhříněves itself.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors go inside Uhříněves Castle? No, the building today houses the Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences and is not open to the general public.

Who built the castle? Jaroslav Smiřický of Smiřice, who had it erected in 1591 on the grounds of an existing manor farm.

What architectural style is the castle? A 16th-century Renaissance core, remodelled in Baroque style in 1711 under Jan Adam Ondřej of Liechtenstein.

Who created the park around the castle? Count Arnošt Emanuel Sylva-Tarouca, under whom the park held nearly 2,360 plant species by 1927.

How long did the Liechtenstein family own the estate? From the first half of the 17th century until 1919, close to three centuries.