Castle in Šilheřovice

Šilheřovice Castle sits on the edge of the village of Šilheřovice, in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, right by the Polish border and close to Ostrava. A neo-baroque residence wrapped in a sprawling landscape park, it has passed through the hands of a local noble family, one of Europe's most famous banking dynasties, and the communist state, each leaving its own mark on the estate.

When was the castle built?

The building standing today dates from the late 18th century, commissioned by the Eichendorff family on the site of an earlier Renaissance fortified residence. In its first form, the castle was classical in style, with the plain, symmetrical lines typical of that era. Its present neo-baroque appearance — richer facade detail and more ornamental finishing — came later, through a subsequent reconstruction.

What is the castle's connection to the Rothschild family?

From 1844 to 1945, the estate belonged to the Rothschilds, one of the most influential banking families in European history. It was under Baron Anselm Salomon von Rothschild that the castle underwent the reconstruction which gave it the form it still has today. For the Rothschilds, Šilheřovice served as a representative residence, and the family invested as much in the surrounding grounds as in the building itself.

What makes the castle park worth visiting?

The castle is set within an extensive English-style landscape park, ranked among the largest castle parks in the Czech Republic. Its current layout owes much to Charles Mathes, an English gardener who took charge of the grounds in 1913 and shaped them according to the loose, naturalistic arrangement of paths, tree groups and open lawns typical of the English landscape tradition. The park covers roughly 98 hectares, hosts a wide range of rare tree species brought in from around the world, and is protected as a nature reserve. It is also home to one of the largest 18-hole golf courses in the country, which draws visitors well beyond those interested purely in history.

What happened to the castle after 1945?

After the Second World War, the Rothschild estate was nationalized and the castle was repurposed. Over the following decades it served as a youth home, a mining-industry training school, and later a general training center, remaining largely closed to visitors throughout this period. That changed only in 2008, when the property changed hands again and extensive restoration work began, aimed at bringing the building back closer to its earlier state.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Šilheřovice Castle located? The castle stands in the municipality of Šilheřovice, in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, close to the Polish border near Ostrava.

What architectural style is the castle built in? It was built in the late 18th century as a classical residence and later rebuilt in neo-baroque style, the form it retains today.

What is the Rothschild family's link to the castle? The Rothschilds owned the Šilheřovice estate from 1844 to 1945. The castle's present appearance dates from a reconstruction carried out under Baron Anselm Salomon von Rothschild.

What is the main attraction of the castle park? An extensive, roughly 98-hectare English-style park with rare tree species, considered one of the largest castle parks in the country, along with an 18-hole golf course on the grounds.

Was the castle open to the public during the communist era? No — after 1945 the building was used for practical purposes, including as a youth home and training school, and remained largely closed to visitors until 2008.