Křinec Chateau

Křinec Chateau is an early Baroque residence standing in the market town of Křinec, in the Nymburk district of Central Bohemia. The village of Nové Zámky, sometimes linked with this listing, is actually one of the administrative parts of the Křinec municipality — it sits in the same area, a few kilometers from the town center. The chateau has 122 rooms and has been a listed cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1965.

Who built the chateau, and when?

Construction on the site of an earlier fortified manor began in 1649, commissioned by Count August Paul I of Morzin. The work took about ten years and proceeded in two stages: the main building went up first, followed by the side wings between 1659 and 1660. The design is usually credited to Carlo Lurago, an Italian builder active in Bohemia at the time. The chateau became the administrative seat of the large Kuncberg estate, later renamed after Křinec itself.

How did ownership change over time?

The Morzin family held the estate until 1796, when it passed to Baron Wimmer. Twelve years later, in 1808, the Frankfurt banker Simon Moritz von Bethmann bought the property. He modernized the building and its park in a Classicist style and added further wings. After World War II the chateau fell into disrepair; the National Museum administered it until 2003, when it was sold to a private owner in 2006. That owner has since been restoring the building gradually, with support from the Central Bohemian Region.

What can visitors see inside?

Tours cover the representative wing: an entrance hall, an Empire-style staircase, and the Stone Hall — a Baroque interior with a chapel niche decorated in rich stucco work. A separate highlight is the so-called Blue Salons, rooms decorated with Rococo frescoes depicting scenes of aristocratic life. The current private owner personally leads tours through the interior about once a month, which is unusual among Czech chateaus in private hands.

Is there a park around the chateau?

The chateau is surrounded by a freely accessible park laid out in the English style. It isn't manicured in a formal sense — the grounds hold a large collection of trees and feel more naturalistic than ornamental. The park can be visited free of charge, independent of the chateau's own opening hours.

Is Nové Zámky a good base for visiting, and how do you get there?

Nové Zámky is a small village, home to about 37 residents as of the 2021 census, that belongs to the Křinec municipality, roughly a dozen kilometers from Nymburk. The chateau itself stands in the center of the town of Křinec, so anyone planning a visit should look for the town of Křinec specifically, not just the village of Nové Zámky — they are two distinct, though administratively connected, places in the same district.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors tour Křinec Chateau? Yes, though access is limited — the private owner leads tours personally, usually once a month, as part of the ongoing restoration.

Who built the chateau? Count August Paul I of Morzin, between 1649 and 1659, likely to a design by Carlo Lurago.

What are the Blue Salons? Rooms decorated with Rococo frescoes depicting scenes of noble life, one of the interior's main attractions.

Are Nové Zámky and Křinec the same place? Not exactly — Nové Zámky is a small village that forms an administrative part of the market town of Křinec. The chateau itself stands in the center of Křinec, in the same Nymburk district.

Since when has the chateau been a protected monument? It has been continuously listed as a Czech cultural monument since 1965.