Nová Bystřice (chateau)

Nová Bystřice Castle was built on the site of a former Gothic castle from the 13th century. Between 1602 and 1615, the owner of the local estate was Radslav Kinski from Vchynice and Tetovo, who had the building completely rebuilt and restored after it was severely destroyed by fire in 1607. The Lombard masters took part in the restoration and it took place in the years 1610 to 1611.

The completely repaired chateau was then sold by Radslav Kinski to Lucia Ottilia Slavatová from Hradec in 1615. As early as 1651, however, the chateau was again destroyed by fire, so it was rebuilt by Adam Paul Slavata.

During the 17th century, the interior was decorated with murals and the apartment of the castle administrator was added to the former tower. During the time when Jan Jiří Jáchym Slavata was the owner of the Bystřice estate, the chateau was a lavishly furnished seat with a number of valuable works of art. However, another fire caught up with him in 1691 and after that it was rebuilt. The next fire again did not take too long, but this time, in 1774, Countess Marie of Trautmannsdorf did not have enough funds for its complete restoration, so the second floor remained uninhabited.

In 1810, when František Loubal was the owner of the chateau, iron was torn off on the uninhabited floor for the purpose of building newly established quarries, but the structure was considerably disturbed and in 1843 the floor was completely demolished.

From 1909, the Bystřice chateau was owned by the Jew Bruno Kern, to whom it was nationalized in 1945, and then the chateau fell into disrepair with each passing year. It did not receive funding for repairs even after 1989 and is currently in the hands of a private owner and is open to the public only occasionally.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová