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Žďár nad Sázavou castle

The historical center of the town of Žďár nad Sázavou forms the area of the baroque chateau Dr. Radoslav Kinský, which lies on the outskirts of the city, between two ponds, Konventný and Branský. It is located in the grounds of a former Cistercian monastery. And it is with the founding and development of the monastery that the history of the whole city is closely connected.

Information for visitors

Adress: Zámek 8/8, Žďár nad Sázavou
GPS: 49.58369330, 15.93682970
Žďár nad Sázavou castle map

Interesting facts Žďár nad Sázavou castle

The monastery was supposed to be founded on the initiative of Přibyslav of Křižanov, the father of St. Zdislava, but its plan was not realized until his sons-in-law Boček of Obřany and Smil of Lichtenburg. In 1252, they invited a group of monks from Nepomuk to whom they donated land and inherited some of their property. Despite the difficult beginnings, the monastery went through all the historical changes of the country in order, until it was looted and burned during the Hussite wars. Thanks to King George of Poděbrady, however, the monastery was restored under the baton of Abbot Jan Greinfelfels of Greinfelfels. The monastery experienced its greatest expansion about a hundred years later under the abbot Václav Vejmluva. He commissioned the architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichel for an extensive Baroque reconstruction of the entire complex.

The church of Jan Nepomucký on Zelená hora was also built, which is today inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Žďár Monastery thus became one of the most important ecclesiastical residences of its time. However, the fame did not last long, the monastery was definitively abolished in 1784, to which the extensive fire of that year also contributed. After that, several owners changed here and the monastery was gradually partially rebuilt into a castle. Before 1945, when it was nationalized, the chateau belonged to the Kinský family and was also returned to them in restitution in 1991.

Today, the chateau houses the Book Museum, the largest of its kind in Europe, a permanent exhibition "Baroque Art" in cooperation with the National Gallery in Prague, an exhibition on the life of architect Jan Blažej Santini Aichl, the Kinský Gallery, a local fire brigade museum and other occasional exhibitions. There is also a convent church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the area.

Author: Martina Limbergová