Zámek Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí

Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí Chateau is a Renaissance castle standing in the village of the same name, in the Ostrava-město district of the Moravian-Silesian Region, right next to Ostrava. The building has survived in an unusually authentic Renaissance form and ranks among the finest examples of this architectural style in Moravia.

Where did the chateau come from?

The chateau was built on the site of an older medieval water fortress, which was rebuilt in Renaissance style during the second half of the 16th century. The work was started by Jaroš Syrakovský of Pěrkov and continued by his son Ctibor Syrakovský, who around the mid-1570s gave the building its most distinctive decoration. Construction followed Italian models, likely with the involvement of Italian stonemasons and plasterers, visible today in the stone interior portals and the rich sgraffito decoration on the facades.

What does the chateau look like?

It is a three-storey building on an almost square floor plan, with a small inner courtyard surrounded by open arcades and a prominent projecting tower. The tower is topped with a replica of a Baroque onion-shaped dome. The facades are decorated with sgraffito that combines fine, scratched ornamentation with figural scenes — biblical motifs, scenes of battles with the Turks, and portraits of noble figures. This decoration is what makes the chateau one of the region's Renaissance gems.

Why has it survived in such good condition?

Until the end of the 17th century, the chateau served as a noble residence, but afterwards it was used solely for farm and economic purposes. Paradoxically, it was this lack of later modernizing rebuilds that allowed the building to survive in an almost unchanged Renaissance form, without the Baroque or Classicist layers that obscured the original appearance of many other residences.

What happens at the chateau today?

After 1989 the property passed into municipal ownership, and since 2004 part of it has housed the local municipal office. Toward the end of the second decade of the 21st century, and continuing into 2020, the chateau underwent an extensive reconstruction, financed partly by grant programs and partly from the municipal budget. Today the chateau functions as the village's cultural center: it hosts an exhibition gallery, concerts are held in its courtyard, and the surrounding park invites visitors for a stroll. Conservation work and architectural research also uncovered Renaissance-era latrines, confirming the high authenticity of the surviving historic fabric.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the chateau located? In the village of Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí, in the Ostrava-město district of the Moravian-Silesian Region, directly adjacent to Ostrava.

From what period does the chateau date? Its current Renaissance form dates from the second half of the 16th century, built on the site of an earlier medieval water fortress.

What is the chateau's main attraction? The rich sgraffito decoration on its facades, combining ornamental patterns with figural scenes — biblical, battle, and portrait motifs — along with its arcaded inner courtyard.

Can the chateau be visited? Yes, the building serves a cultural and exhibition function, houses a gallery, and hosts cultural events in its courtyard and park.

Is the chateau legally protected? Yes, the chateau complex is listed as a protected cultural monument.