Hluboká Castle

Hluboká Castle is one of the most visited historic sites in the Czech Republic — a white, fairy-tale silhouette of turrets and battlements perched on a rocky outcrop above the Vltava River in the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou, near České Budějovice. Its deliberately Windsor-like appearance is no coincidence, and its story spans nearly eight centuries of Bohemian history.

When was the castle first built?

The site was first fortified in the mid-13th century, when Czech kings established a guard castle here to control the river crossing. Over the following centuries ownership changed hands repeatedly, as the property was frequently pledged to noble families as collateral for loans to the royal treasury — a common practice in medieval Bohemia.

Why does Hluboká look like Windsor Castle?

The turning point came in 1661, when Jan Adolf I of Schwarzenberg acquired the estate, making Hluboká one of the principal seats of the powerful Schwarzenberg family. The building's present appearance, however, dates from the 19th century. Prince Jan Adolf II of Schwarzenberg and his wife, Princess Eleonora (née Liechtenstein), traveled to England, where the princess was captivated by the royal castle at Windsor. On their return, the couple commissioned architect František Beer to remodel Hluboká in its image. Construction ran from 1840 to 1871 under master builder Damasus Deworetzky, transforming the castle into the Romantic neo-Gothic landmark seen today, with a skyline of towers and crenellations that still evokes its English model for visitors.

What happened to the castle in the 20th century?

The last private owner, Dr. Adolf Schwarzenberg, left Czechoslovakia in 1939 rather than cooperate with the German occupation authorities. After the war, in 1947, the Schwarzenberg family's Czech properties were nationalized under a special law known as the "lex Schwarzenberg." The castle has remained state property ever since and is now administered as a public museum.

What can visitors see inside and around the castle?

The interiors preserve much of the Schwarzenberg family's furnishings — period furniture, paintings, tapestries and family heirlooms that offer a glimpse into aristocratic life in a 19th-century Bohemian residence. The castle is surrounded by an extensive English-style landscape park, typical of Romantic-era estates, and its former riding hall now houses an art gallery. Perched above the Vltava, the castle is visible from a considerable distance and ranks among the most photographed landmarks of South Bohemia.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Hluboká Castle resemble Windsor Castle? Because it was deliberately remodeled in that style between 1840 and 1871, commissioned by Prince Jan Adolf II of Schwarzenberg and his wife Eleonora after a trip to England.

Who owned the castle historically? From 1661 until 1939 it belonged to the Schwarzenberg family, one of Central Europe's most influential aristocratic dynasties.

When was the first castle built on this site? A guard castle was first established here in the mid-13th century by Czech kings.

What happened to the castle after World War II? It was nationalized in 1947 under the so-called lex Schwarzenberg and has remained Czech state property, open to visitors, ever since.

Where exactly is the castle located? In the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou, on a rocky rise above the Vltava River, in the South Bohemian Region near České Budějovice.