Ždánice Castle

Ždánice Chateau is a Renaissance residence in the South Moravian village of Ždánice, in the Hodonín District, best known today as the home of the Vrbas Museum and its wide-ranging regional collection.

Who built the chateau, and when?

The building now standing was raised at the end of the 16th century by Oldřich z Kounic on the site of an earlier medieval fortress that had belonged to the Zástřizl family. Construction was finished in 1569, producing a square Renaissance structure with arcaded galleries and square towers at the corners — a layout typical of Moravian noble residences of the period, blending defensive features with representative ones.

How did the chateau pass to the Liechtenstein family?

Following the Battle of White Mountain in November 1620, the estate was confiscated from the Kounic family. It went first to Karel z Kounic before passing into the hands of the House of Liechtenstein, beginning with Maxmilián z Liechtensteina. The Liechtensteins did not use Ždánice as a permanent seat, treating it instead as one holding among the many scattered across their much larger domains. Even so, the family kept ownership of the chateau for more than three centuries, right up until 1945.

What changed during the Baroque rebuilding?

The chateau was reworked several times over the 18th century, with renovations recorded in 1739, 1762, and — most significantly — in 1789, under Prince Alois of Liechtenstein. It was this last campaign that removed the massive tower on the building's front facade and replaced it with an imposing Baroque gable, which still defines the chateau's appearance today. The rebuilding gave the structure much of its current look, though the Renaissance core — its footprint and, in part, its interior layout — remained legible beneath the new facade.

What role did the chateau play in the 19th century?

Through the 18th and 19th centuries the building served as the seat of the manorial administrative offices. From 1850 onward, the former office rooms additionally housed a district court and a tax office, meaning the chateau spent considerably longer functioning as an administrative building than it ever did as a lived-in noble residence.

What can visitors see at the chateau today?

Since 1946 the chateau has housed the Vrbas Museum, founded by the teacher and regional historian Jakub Vrbas. He originally displayed his collection in his own home; after the Second World War it was expanded with valuable items taken from the chateau and its associated villa, and the whole collection was then moved into its present location. The museum now holds more than 6,000 exhibits, including working mill models, original chateau furniture, mementos connected to the Battle of Austerlitz (Slavkov), guild chests, folk costumes, archaeological finds, and hunting trophies once belonging to the chateau's noble owners. The visitor route also takes in the chateau chapel, which forms part of the exhibition.

Frequently asked questions

Who built Ždánice Chateau? It was built by Oldřich z Kounic at the end of the 16th century on the site of an earlier fortress owned by the Zástřizl family, with construction completed in 1569.

How long did the Liechtenstein family own the chateau? From its confiscation after the Battle of White Mountain in 1620 until 1945 — nearly three and a half centuries.

What is inside the chateau today? The chateau houses the Vrbas Museum, with over 6,000 exhibits including hunting trophies, period furniture, historical mementos, and ethnographic collections; the tour also includes the chateau chapel.

How does the chateau's current appearance differ from the original? The 1789 Baroque renovation, carried out under Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, removed the original massive front tower and replaced it with a grand Baroque gable, though the Renaissance layout of the building remains recognizable.

Where is Ždánice located? It lies in the South Moravian Region, in the Hodonín District of the Czech Republic.