Zámek Uhřice

Zámek Uhřice stands right in the middle of the village of Uhřice, in the Kroměříž district of Moravia, a short drive west of the town of Kroměříž itself. It's a modest manor house with a long record of rebuilding — from a medieval stronghold, through a Renaissance and later Baroque noble residence, to a monument only recently pulled back from the brink of collapse.

How to get there?

Uhřice lies in Moravia, in the Kroměříž district, near the town of Morkovice-Slížany. The easiest way in is by car — from central Kroměříž the drive takes roughly 20–30 minutes. The manor sits right at the heart of the village, so it's easy to spot once you're there. Since the site sees little tourist traffic, it helps to set your navigation specifically to Uhřice in the Kroměříž district — there's another village of the same name in the Vyškov district, and the two are easy to mix up.

What will you see?

The site's history goes back to the 14th century: the earliest written mentions of a fortified estate here date from 1336 and 1355. In 1371, Margrave Jan granted the stronghold to Jan Půta of Holštejn. Later owners included the Dřínov family, and from 1499 the Miňovský family of Lazník at Mouřinov, who rebuilt the original fortified house into a more representative residence.

In 1612, Hynek Žalkovský converted the building into a Renaissance residence. After the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, the estate was confiscated from the Žalkovský family, who had held it since 1610, and passed to the Olomouc provost Jan Arnošt Platejs of Platenštejn. The Thirty Years' War left the building devastated, but it was rebuilt by Hoffmann of Grünbüchl, who bought the estate in 1655.

The manor took on its present single-storey form in 1723, under Zuzana Terezie, Countess of Gellhorn, wife of Ernst, Count of Gellhorn, who also owned the Blansko estate. At that time the property included a sheep farm, a brewery with a malt house, a manorial inn, a mill and a smithy — a typical economic setup for a Moravian estate of the period.

The 20th century was unkind to the building. After it was returned to restitution heirs following 1990, complicated ownership disputes left it neglected, and the manor deteriorated to the point of being placed, around 2001, on a list of monuments at risk of disappearing. A new owner, who bought the property in 2003, rescued it from collapse at the last possible moment and began a systematic restoration.

Today visitors can see the recently reconstructed manor chapel, the surrounding park with its green grounds, and a gallery of historical photographs documenting the building's various transformations over the centuries. Work is also underway on the roof, restoring the original mansard shape in place of simplified post-war construction.

When to visit?

The chapel and park are open by prior arrangement only — there are no fixed visiting hours for individual travelers, so it's worth contacting the site beforehand. The manor also serves as a wedding venue, with the park available for rent for ceremonies, which is worth keeping in mind when picking a date. Spring and summer are the best times to see the park at its greenest, and ongoing restoration work tends to limit access to fewer areas outside those seasons.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Zámek Uhřice located? In the village of Uhřice in the Kroměříž district of Moravia, a short distance from the town of Kroměříž — not to be confused with another village called Uhřice in the Vyškov district.

How old is the manor? The earliest mentions of a fortified estate on this site date from the 14th century (1336/1355), and the building took on its current single-storey form in 1723.

Can you visit without arranging it in advance? No — the chapel and park are accessible only by prior arrangement, since there are no set opening hours for individual visitors.

Is the manor being restored? Yes — since a new owner bought it in 2003, the property has undergone systematic restoration, including the rebuilt chapel and ongoing work to restore the original mansard roof.