Velké Březno Castle

Velké Březno Castle is a small late Empire-style chateau belonging to the Chotek family, set on a hillside above the Elbe river in northern Bohemia's Ústí region.

When and why was it built?

Count Karel Chotek, the last supreme burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia, began construction in 1842 as a retirement retreat on the family's own land after stepping down from public office. The design came from Ludwig Förster, a Viennese architect who was still relatively unknown at the time but later went on to fame. Work finished in 1845. The building was placed higher up the slope than usual because the Elbe valley had suffered major flooding in 1842; in its original form the chateau looked plainer than it does today, closer to a period railway station than an aristocratic residence. Karel Chotek moved in with his wife and six sons in 1844.

How did the building change over time?

The modest 1840s structure did not stay that way for long. Between 1885 and 1910, and especially around 1900, the chateau was rebuilt in Neo-Renaissance style: a four-sided tower, a chapel, an attic storey, balconies, balustrades, turrets and dormer windows were all added. The richer, more ornamented building visitors see today dates from this later remodeling rather than from Karel Chotek's original design.

What is the chateau's connection to the Chotek family?

Velké Březno stayed in the hands of a single family throughout its history — the Choteks. Sophie Chotek, Karel's granddaughter, married Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este and was assassinated alongside him in Sarajevo in 1914, an event that triggered the outbreak of the First World War. The chateau also received notable guests: a young Franz Joseph, the future emperor, visited in 1847, and composer Franz Liszt came three times. The last aristocratic owner, Karel Maria Chotek II, declared German nationality and belonged to the NSDAP, which led to the estate's confiscation after the war under the Beneš decrees.

What happened to the chateau after the Second World War?

Its original furnishings were largely dispersed after the war — pieces were moved to other castles, sold, or destroyed. The building then served in turn as a children's home, a Communist Party political school, and later an army warehouse. Only at the end of the 1960s was the decision made to restore it toward its earlier appearance. Since 1963 it has been protected as a cultural monument; it is state-owned and managed by the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ).

What is worth seeing in the castle park?

The chateau sits within a five-hectare English-style park with a small French section, laid out in the mid-19th century and given its present form at the start of the 20th century. It holds more than 130 rare trees and shrubs, including tulip trees, fragrant Japanese magnolias, several types of large-flowered magnolias, both deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons, Japanese stewartia, American arborvitae, numerous oak varieties and five kinds of maple. A pond with water lilies, reeds and carp forms part of the park's layout.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Velké Březno Castle? Count Karel Chotek, supreme burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia, between 1842 and 1845, to a design by Viennese architect Ludwig Förster.

Why does the chateau look different from when it was first built? The originally plain, late Empire-style building was remodeled around 1900 (mainly between 1885 and 1910) in Neo-Renaissance style, gaining a tower, chapel and much richer decorative detail.

How is Sophie Chotek connected to the castle? She was Karel Chotek's granddaughter and the wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este; both were assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914.

Who owns the chateau today? It has been a protected cultural monument since 1963, owned by the Czech state and managed by the National Heritage Institute.

What's the main draw of the grounds around the chateau? A five-hectare English park with over 130 rare trees and shrubs, including magnolias, rhododendrons and Japanese stewartia.