Zámek Štoky

Štoky Castle sits right in the center of the small town of Štoky, at the junction of roads leading to Jihlava, Dobronín, and Havlíčkův Brod, in the Vysočina region.

How old is the settlement, and when was the castle built?

Written records mention Štoky as far back as 1278, when the surrounding estate belonged to the Lichtenburk family. The castle itself, however, is a much later addition: it was built in 1760. Count Karel Josef of Palm commissioned the building and moved his family seat there from nearby Střítež, making Štoky the new administrative center of his estates.

What does the building look like?

The castle is a single-story, three-wing Baroque structure built around a transverse residential wing, with ground-floor arcades opening onto the courtyard. Interestingly, some of the vaulting inside imitates Gothic forms rather than following the Baroque style of the exterior — a detail that was fashionable among noble builders of the period, who liked to suggest their family's roots stretched back further than the building itself.

Who owned the castle after the Palm family?

In 1840 the estate passed to the Hohenzollern family, who held it for nearly a century. The last aristocratic owners were Prince Frederick and King Carol II of Romania, and it was they who handed the castle over to the Czechoslovak state in 1933, ending nearly two centuries of private noble ownership.

What is the castle used for today?

As early as 1935 the building was transferred to the Štoky Forestry Cooperative, which took over management of the surrounding woodlands. The cooperative was dissolved after nationalization in 1959 but was formally re-established in January 1996. Today the castle and its forestry operations are run by the company Lesprojekt Východní Čechy, continuing a tradition of forest administration that traces back to the 1930s. That makes Štoky Castle a working building rather than a museum piece — a rare case of a noble residence finding a lasting practical role instead of falling into disrepair.

Why is it worth a stop?

Because it sits directly on the route between Jihlava and Havlíčkův Brod, the castle is an easy addition to a longer trip through the Vysočina region. It offers a distinctive mix of Baroque architecture and a living history of forestry administration, illustrating how a former aristocratic seat adapted to a new, practical purpose over the 20th century.

Frequently asked questions

When was Štoky Castle built? The building dates from 1760, commissioned by Count Karel Josef of Palm, though the village of Štoky itself is documented from 1278.

What architectural style is it? It is a Baroque, single-story, three-wing residence with ground-floor courtyard arcades and vaulting that echoes earlier Gothic forms.

Can visitors tour the castle? The building currently serves administrative functions tied to forestry management (Lesprojekt Východní Čechy) and is not a regularly open tourist attraction.

Who were the last noble owners of the castle? Prince Frederick of Hohenzollern and King Carol II of Romania, who donated the property to the Czechoslovak state in 1933.