Chateau at Kamenice nad Lipou

Originally in its place stood a Gothic castle, built in the 13th century, whose first owners were members of the Benešovic family. Among the most important of them was Dobeš z Bechyně, who acted as a mentor to Charles IV. and confidant of Queen Eliška.

After the extinction of the Benešov family in 1389, the owners of the then castle changed quite often until 1549, when it was owned for a long time by Zdeněk Malovec, whose son Jan initiated the reconstruction of the castle into a Renaissance chateau. It took place in the years 1580 to 1583 and other building modifications then took place under the ownership of other owners of the castle.

During the ownership of Maria Theresa of Hartig, a tower above the gate was added and the castle was rebuilt in the Baroque style. The chateau underwent classicist alterations between 1806 and 1811.

In 1945, the premises of Kamenice nad Lipou Castle served the children's sanatorium and since 1998 the Museum of Applied Arts in Prague, which also began its reconstruction, which lasted until 2004. Since then, Kamenice nad Lipou Castle has been open to the public.

At present, the castle has a four-wing layout and three floors, except for the south wing, which is two-storey. The courtyard is rectangular with late Renaissance arcades. The corner of the entrance gate is dominated by a three-storey baroque tower, which once stood with a drawbridge. The castle is surrounded by an English park and there is a pond on the north side.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová