Uherčice Castle

Uherčice Castle is a Renaissance-and-Baroque residence standing in the village of Uherčice, in the Znojmo district of the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic. Since 2001 it has held the status of a National Cultural Monument, and its story stretches back well before it grew into the grand seat it is today.

Where exactly is the castle located?

Uherčice is a small village in the Znojmo district, close to the Austrian border. It shouldn't be confused with a village of the same name in Slovakia — the Czech Uherčice is a separate place with its own long history as a noble residence.

How did the castle change hands and shape over the centuries?

From a fortress to a Renaissance seat

The village passed to the Krajíř of Krajk family in 1493. After the mid-16th century, they rebuilt the fortress that had stood there before, reshaping it in a style borrowed from north Italian Renaissance residences.

The Streun family and the decisive rebuild

In 1564 the estate was bought by the Streun of Schwarzenau family, and it was under their ownership, toward the end of the 16th century, that the castle took on the form close to what stands today. They added two parallel wings, north and south, joined at the middle by a two-storey arcaded passage opening onto the main courtyard. The Streuns held Uherčice until 1628.

Early Baroque touches

In the first third of the 17th century the Renaissance residence began to be updated to newer taste, with early Baroque alterations carried out first by the Berchtold family and later by the Heisslers.

Nearly two centuries under the Collalto et San Salvatore family

The last owners of the estate — for close to two hundred years — were the Italian noble family Collalto et San Salvatore. It was Prince Odoardo of that family who, in the early 19th century, carried out a major rebuild of the section housing the princely apartments.

What can visitors see at the castle today?

Uherčice Castle now operates as a state-owned site, still undergoing gradual restoration, but already open to visitors across three separate tour routes.

The first route runs through the restored north and east wings, where richly furnished representative and private rooms survive from the nearly two centuries the Collalto et San Salvatore family used them.

The second route is a recently opened Baroque apartment on the upper floor of the west wing — rooms with first-rate stucco decoration from the late 17th century, once used to host distinguished guests.

The third route leads into the castle's former service quarters, including its distillery, which operated until 1969; the original equipment has survived here, including a steam engine and the transmission system that once powered it.

Frequently asked questions

Can Uherčice Castle be visited? Yes. The site offers three tour routes: the castle interiors, the Baroque apartment, and the former service quarters with the old distillery.

Who owned the castle last, before it passed to the state? The Italian noble family Collalto et San Salvatore held the estate for close to two hundred years.

Which family gave the castle its current Renaissance shape? The Streun of Schwarzenau family, who owned Uherčice from 1564 to 1628 and built the two wings linked by the arcaded passage.

Is this the same Uherčice as the village in Slovakia? No. This castle stands in the Czech village of Uherčice in the Znojmo district — a different place from the Slovak village that shares the name.