Zámek Nalžovice

Zámek Nalžovice is a Baroque château in the centre of the village of Nalžovice, in the Příbram district of the Central Bohemian Region, in the historical Sedlčansko area. The village itself is documented far earlier than the château standing there today, and the building's story ends up somewhere most visitors would not expect: it now houses a social care facility rather than a museum or hotel.

How old is the village, and when did a fortified seat first appear?

Nalžovice is first recorded in 1364, when the village belonged to a certain Vilém z Nalžejovic. His successors are believed to have built a fortified seat known as a tvrz on the site, though it is only explicitly mentioned in 1545, by which time the village formed part of the Červený Hrádek estate. For roughly two centuries, then, Nalžovice was a dependent holding rather than an independent property.

When was today's château built?

Nalžovice only became an independent estate in the second half of the 17th century, after it was bought by Jan Kryštof Koppl z Adlersberku. It was either under him or under the next owner, Mikuláš Franchimont z Frankenthalu, that a new Baroque château replaced the older tvrz. Mikuláš's son, Antonín Alexander, later added a château chapel, a feature that underlined the residence's representative role.

How did ownership change through the 18th and 19th centuries?

After Antonín Alexander's death in 1709, the estate passed to his sister Josefína, married into the Koňas family of Vydří, who in turn bequeathed Nalžovice to a relative, Jan Václav Alsterl z Astfeldu. Under him the château was extended further, a project linked to his elevation to the rank of baron in 1756. Following his death in 1799, his daughter Jindřiška sold the property to the Hruškovský z Hruškova family. Ownership then changed hands fairly often until 1948, and at some point the estate also belonged to the Schwarzenberg family.

What happened at the château during the Second World War?

The darkest chapter in the château's history dates to the Nazi occupation. It served as the seat of a military staff responsible for the forced clearance of the Sedlčansko region, and also as the seat of the highest SS court for the whole of Europe. Those the court sentenced to death by shooting were executed by the wall of the château park, a detail that still shapes how the place is remembered locally.

What is the château used for today?

After the war, the state confiscated the Schwarzenberg estate and first turned the building into a retirement home. Since 1986 it has operated as a social care institution for girls with intellectual disabilities, and it continues in that role today. In practice this means Zámek Nalžovice is not a conventional tourist attraction: it remains an active care facility, and visiting the interior is not part of its current function.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Zámek Nalžovice located? In the centre of the village of Nalžovice, in the Příbram district of the Central Bohemian Region, in the Sedlčansko area.

When was the current château built? The Baroque château replaced an earlier tvrz in the second half of the 17th century, under Jan Kryštof Koppl z Adlersberku or his successor Mikuláš Franchimont z Frankenthalu.

Who owned the château in the 20th century? Before its postwar confiscation by the Czechoslovak state, the estate belonged, among others, to the Schwarzenberg family.

What role did the château play during the Second World War? It served as the seat of a German military staff and as the highest SS court for Europe; those sentenced to death were executed by the wall of the château park.

Can the château be visited today? No — since 1986 it has housed a social care facility for girls with intellectual disabilities, so the building functions as a closed institution rather than a tourist site.