Zámek Čelina

Zámek Čelina is a modest, low-key chateau in the village of the same name near Borotice, in the Příbram district of the Central Bohemian Region. It has none of the fame of the big Czech castle circuit, but it carries a documented history going back to the Middle Ages and, unusually, it is still a working, lived-in place rather than a museum piece.

Where exactly is the chateau located?

Čelina is a small village in Central Bohemia, next to Borotice, in the Příbram district. The surrounding landscape is quietly rural — rolling countryside, small settlements, no crowds of tour buses. That makes it an appealing detour for travelers assembling their own route among the manor houses and chateaux of Central Bohemia, well off the main tourist trail.

How far back does its history go?

The earliest written record of the Čelina estate dates to 1336. At the time, the land belonged to the domain of the royal castle of Kamýk, and in a charter issued on 28 December 1336 King John of Luxembourg (Jan Lucemburský) granted the Čelina estate free status. From that point on, Čelina operated as an independent economic unit rather than an appendage of its parent castle.

Who built the chateau, and how did ownership change over the centuries?

The chateau in its original Baroque form was built by the Machta family of Löwenmacht, who took over the estate in the 18th century. Ownership then passed through several hands: Jan von Unwerth held it in 1787, and the Kučera family took over in 1820. At some point the building was damaged by fire, and it was rebuilt in 1831 in the Classicist style it still shows today — a two-story house topped with a mansard roof.

In 1893, the estate was bought by Gustav Adámek, director of Prague's Municipal Savings Bank. After 1950, during the collectivization era, the building was taken over by a state farm based in Dobříš and used to house agricultural workers. It was only in 1992, through post-communist restitution, that the chateau returned to the family — to Gustav Adámek's grandchildren, Otakar Adámek and Eugenia Vychodilová.

What is there to see on site?

The standout feature of the chateau complex is an octagonal Baroque chapel dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk, built in 1726–1727. Its design is attributed to the circle of architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel, while the actual construction was carried out by Jakub Spinetti of Příbram. The chapel, with its distinctive hexagonal interior, is protected as a cultural monument in its own right — alongside the chateau itself, it is the main draw for visitors interested in Bohemian Baroque church architecture.

Can visitors tour the chateau today?

Zámek Čelina is not a castle-museum in the usual sense. Since the restitution of the 1990s, it has served as the owners' private residence and as the headquarters of their family farm, known as Statek Adámek. Access for visitors tends to happen around farm-related events rather than through regular guided tours — the experience is closer to agritourism than to a standard castle visit.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Zámek Čelina located? In the village of Čelina near Borotice, in the Příbram district of the Central Bohemian Region, in a quiet rural area away from the main tourist routes.

When was the current chateau built? The Baroque house was built in the 18th century by the Machta family of Löwenmacht; after a fire, it was rebuilt in 1831 in the Classicist style.

What is the main highlight of the chateau grounds? The octagonal chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, built in 1726–1727 and linked to the circle of architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel.

Who owns the chateau today? Since the 1992 restitution, it has belonged to the descendants of Gustav Adámek, who bought the estate in 1893; it now serves as the seat of the family farm Statek Adámek.

Is the chateau open to the public? Not as a standard castle-museum — it is a private residence and working farm, generally accessible around occasional events rather than day-to-day tours.