Zborovice Castle

Zborovice Castle (the Old Castle, or Starý zámek) stands in Medlov, a part of the village of Zborovice in the Zlín Region, within the Kroměříž district of the Czech Republic. It's a modest but characterful Neoclassical building worth a stop for anyone touring the Moravian countryside around Kroměříž.

How do you get to Zborovice Castle?

Medlov lies within the administrative boundaries of Zborovice, a short drive from Kroměříž. Traveling by car is the most convenient option, since the village has good road links to both Kroměříž and Uherský Brod. Regional buses also run from Kroměříž, with the trip to Zborovice taking only about fifteen minutes. The nearest train station is in Kroměříž itself, from where you'll need a local bus or taxi to reach Medlov.

What will you see there?

The origins of the manor house at Zborovice go back further than the historical record can confirm — the earliest fortified residence on the site is of unknown date, and the first written mention appears only in 1638, when it served as the seat of a Moravian provincial judge. The castle as it stands today took shape between 1717 and 1720, when František Ferdinand Sak of Bohuňovice had the older structure rebuilt into a Baroque residence. In the 19th century the exterior facade was reworked in the Empire style, and that appearance has survived to the present day.

The Old Castle is a single-story, three-wing Neoclassical building — an understated but well-proportioned example of the noble residences typical of the period. It remained inhabited by nobility until 1890, after which the interiors were converted into offices and apartments for estate officials. Between 1890 and 1891, a so-called New Castle (Nový zámek) was built alongside it, expanding the residential complex.

The castle grounds also include a pond, and at the top of the castle garden stands the tomb of the Friess family, the last private owners of Zborovice. Since 1947 the building has housed a social care institution, a function it still serves today — which means the interiors aren't open to the public in the usual guided-tour sense, but the exterior and grounds can still be admired from outside.

Medlov itself, a formerly independent village merged into Zborovice in 1960, has its own small landmark: a pleasant chapel with a bell tower standing at its center, worth a short detour before or after viewing the castle.

When should you visit?

Spring and summer are the best times to come, when the castle garden and surrounding greenery are at their most attractive and the longer daylight hours make it easy to explore both Medlov and the nearby village core of Zborovice, including its church. Autumn also works well for a quieter, unhurried visit — the Neoclassical facade and the pond photograph particularly well in the softer light of that season.

Frequently asked questions

Is Zborovice Castle open to visitors? The building has functioned as a social care institution since 1947, so the interiors aren't accessible for conventional guided tours — visitors can view the castle and its grounds from the outside.

What's the difference between the Old Castle and the New Castle in Zborovice? The Old Castle is the earlier Baroque-turned-Neoclassical building dating from the early 18th century, while the New Castle was added in 1890–1891 to expand the residential complex.

Who were the last owners of the castle? The last private owners were members of the Friess family, whose tomb stands at the top of the castle garden.

What else is worth seeing in Medlov? At the center of Medlov stands a small chapel with a bell tower, a modest but distinctive landmark of this part of Zborovice.