Velké Dvorce

Velké Dvorce is a small settlement forming part of the town of Přimda, in the Tachov District of the Plzeň Region in the Czech Republic, roughly 2.5 kilometers northeast of Přimda's town centre. Until 1980 it was an independent municipality; since 1 January 1980 it has been administratively merged into Přimda. As of 2021, the settlement had 218 residents living in 51 houses, and the first written record of the village dates back to 1591.

What is the main landmark in Velké Dvorce?

The village's centrepiece is Velké Dvorce Castle (zámek Velké Dvorce), a Baroque residence commissioned by Count Jan Václav Novohradský of Kolovrat after he acquired the Přimda estate in 1675. The early Baroque building was completed in 1690 as the seat of a new branch of the family. Between 1907 and 1910, Leopold Filip Krakovský of Kolovrat had the castle rebuilt in a neo-Baroque style, and this is largely the form that survives today. The building was damaged by fire twice, in 1907 and again in 1912.

What happened at the castle over the centuries?

For such a small place, the castle has an unusually eventful history. In the early 20th century, Alexander Josef Krakovský briefly ran a film studio on the premises. During the First World War the building served as a military hospital, and during the Second World War it was planned — and partly used — as accommodation for the Hitler Youth. After 1945 the estate was nationalized and turned into the headquarters of an agricultural cooperative. Only after 1989, through restitution, did the property return to the Kolowrat-Krakovský family; since 1992 it has remained in private hands. The castle has been listed as a protected cultural monument since 1964 (register number 39955/4-1972), although it remains in poor structural condition.

Can visitors go inside the castle?

Available sources give no indication of regular public access to the interior — the building is privately owned and described as run-down. The castle's exterior and surrounding park can, however, be viewed from the outside while walking through the area.

What else is there to see nearby?

Around the castle stretch the orchards known as Kolowratovy sady (Kolowrat Orchards), still run by the same family that has held the estate since 1675. Fruit growing here is documented from at least 1872, when the orchards appeared on the third Austrian military survey map. Today the orchards cover roughly 125 hectares — down from about 150 hectares during the communist era — and have been managed since 2015 by Maximilian Kolowrat-Krakovský. Apples are the main crop, alongside pears, sour cherries and sweet cherries. A farm shop on site sells fruit, apple must, cider and honey, and the orchards host seasonal open-air events such as the "Days of Blossoms" festival.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Velké Dvorce located? It is part of the town of Přimda in the Tachov District of the Plzeň Region, about 2.5 kilometers northeast of Přimda's centre.

Is Velké Dvorce its own municipality? It was until 1980. Since 1 January 1980 it has been administratively part of Přimda.

What is the main historic sight? A Baroque castle from the late 17th century, rebuilt in neo-Baroque style in 1907–1910 and protected as a cultural monument since 1964.

Is the castle open to the public? There is no evidence of regular public access; it is privately owned and in poor condition.

What can visitors buy at the nearby orchards? Apples, pears, sour and sweet cherries, plus apple must, cider and honey from the Kolowratovy sady farm.