Veselí Castle

Veselí Castle stands abandoned in the hamlet of Veselí, part of the town of Janovice nad Úhlavou in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. From a distance the building still looks like a romantic manor with a tall tower, but up close it is a decaying ruin that a small group of local volunteers is now trying to save.

How do you get to Veselí Castle?

Veselí sits directly on the road connecting Janovice nad Úhlavou with the village of Běhařov, only a few kilometres from the centre of Janovice. The easiest way in is by car or bike, since the spot is included in several marked hiking and cycling routes around the Klatovy district that also pass through Janovice and continue to the castle and art gallery in Klenová. Hikers can start from the Janovice nad Úhlavou railway station and treat Veselí as one stop on a longer walk that also leads to the ruins of a water fortress where the Jelenka stream meets the Úhlava river.

What will you actually see there?

The building standing today dates from the second half of the 19th century, but it was raised on the foundations of an older fortified tower (tvrz), whose surviving perimeter walls have been dated to the 16th century. The estate itself is documented as far back as the second half of the 14th century, hinting at a long but only partially recorded history.

The turning point came in 1863, when Fridrich von Stadion-Thannhausen acquired the property and had the old tower rebuilt into a picturesque residence in the spirit of romantic historicism. A wing with a flat roof, battlements and small turrets was added to the western façade, while a three-storey octagonal tower topped with a gallery was raised on the northeastern side. That combination — a tall lookout tower attached to a lower residential wing — gave the castle the distinctive silhouette still visible in old photographs and in today's ruins.

For decades now the building has stood unoccupied and without maintenance, and it shows: roofs have partly collapsed, the interior is unsafe and off-limits, and vegetation has taken over much of the surrounding grounds. Even so, it remains one of the more photogenic spots in the area — the neglected tower, the remnants of a courtyard and the larger outbuildings still give a sense of how extensive the estate once was.

Who looks after the ruins today?

In 2014, local residents founded the Tvrz Veselí association with the goal of protecting the ruins from further decay and gradually opening the site to visitors. Volunteers regularly carry out clean-up and stabilisation work, although a full restoration remains a distant goal. It is worth checking the association's current announcements before visiting, since access to the interior is sometimes restricted for safety reasons.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons: lower vegetation makes it easier to walk around the ruins and take photos, and the temperatures are comfortable for longer hikes or bike rides in the surrounding countryside. In summer, an early morning or late afternoon visit helps avoid the heat on the approach from Janovice. In winter the ground can be muddy and harder to navigate, though frost-covered ruins have their own distinct atmosphere.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Veselí Castle? The building is a ruin in poor structural condition, so entry to the interior can be unsafe and is sometimes prohibited. The outer grounds and courtyard are usually accessible to visitors.

How far is the castle from central Janovice nad Úhlavou? Veselí lies within the town limits of Janovice nad Úhlavou, right along the road to Běhařov, so reaching it typically takes only a short walk or drive.

How does Veselí Castle differ from other sites in the region, such as Klenová Castle? Veselí is a small 19th-century remodelling of an older fortified tower, now reduced to a ruin, while the nearby Klenová Castle is a well-preserved, active cultural institution housing an art gallery.

Is there any preservation effort underway? Yes. Since 2014 the Tvrz Veselí association has been working to secure the ruins and gradually open the site to the public.