Zahrádky Castle

Zahrádky Castle is a modest manor house in the village of the same name near Česká Lípa in northern Bohemia, sometimes referred to locally as the New Castle. Built on the site of an older medieval stronghold, it passed through the hands of several major Bohemian noble families — from the Vartenberks to Wallenstein to the Kaunitz family — before a fire nearly ended its story in the 21st century.

Where exactly is the castle located?

Zahrádky sits south of Česká Lípa, in the rolling, pond-dotted countryside typical of northern Bohemia. The castle occupies a low rise above the village, which itself grew up in the building's shadow: first came farm outbuildings, then a mill and a brewery, and eventually the houses of the farmers and foresters who worked the estate. The settlement remains quiet today, and the castle is still the most recognizable landmark in the immediate area.

How did the castle come to be built here?

The village is first recorded in writing in 1376, and by the end of the 14th century a fortified stronghold already stood on the site. Around 1550, Kateřina of Vartenberk had a Renaissance-style château built on the same spot, which became known as the New Castle to distinguish it from the older fortification it replaced. That construction defined the character of the site for centuries afterward, even as later owners reshaped the interiors and grounds to suit their own tastes.

Who owned the estate after the Vartenberks?

The Vartenberk family held the estate until 1622. Jan Jiří, the last member of the line, took part in the Bohemian Estates uprising against the Habsburgs and lost the property as a result — a fate shared by much of the Bohemian nobility after the rebellion's defeat in 1620. The following year, in 1623, the estate passed to Albrecht von Wallenstein, one of the most powerful and controversial military and political figures of the Thirty Years' War. Under his ownership the castle took on a more representative role, furnished with a library and a picture gallery that reflected ambitions well beyond simple estate management.

After Wallenstein's death, the property passed to the Kaunitz family, one of the most prominent aristocratic houses of the Habsburg monarchy. The Kaunitzes held Zahrádky until the family line died out in 1897 — more than two and a half centuries of unbroken ownership, an unusually long run given the region's turbulent history.

What happened to the castle in more recent times?

On 30 January 2003, the castle was severely damaged by fire. The destruction was significant enough that the building remained closed to visitors for eleven years. Only in 2015 did the owner announce plans for a thorough reconstruction, with the intention of establishing a regional institute for lifelong learning affiliated with Charles University on the site — signaling a shift toward an educational rather than purely touristic future for the building.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors currently tour Zahrádky Castle? The castle was closed for eleven years following the 2003 fire, and the 2015 reconstruction plans were oriented toward an educational institute rather than standard sightseeing access.

Why is it also called the New Castle? The Renaissance building raised around 1550 by Kateřina of Vartenberk replaced an older medieval stronghold on the same site, which is why locals distinguished it as the "new" castle.

Who was Albrecht von Wallenstein, one of its owners? He was the famous general and statesman of the Thirty Years' War era, who acquired the estate in 1623 after the Vartenberk family's property was confiscated.

How long did the Kaunitz family own the estate? From Wallenstein's death until the family line died out in 1897 — the longest single period of continuous ownership in the castle's recorded history.