Chateau Lešná

The origin of the chateau is connected with the nearby manor and castle of Lukov and the Austrian count family of the Seilern family. They acquired this estate in 1724, but since they hardly lived in Moravia and practically did not care about the castle, it was desolate and uninhabitable for the next seventy years. Nevertheless, the Seilerns wanted a seat here, so they had it built on the Lešná hill, within sight of Lukov. Construction of the castle began in 1804 and was completed in six years. It was a simple one-storey building, but it was enough for the Seilern family, because they only stayed here during the summer, they spent the winter in Austria. It was not until 1887 that František Seilern decided to have the chateau demolished and to build a beautiful representative seat in its place.

The construction, including interior equipment, lasted a total of seven years. And you can see for yourself today that the equipment wasn't really spared. Luxurious wood paneling from the workshop of Viennese masters, furniture imported from London or upholstery fabrics from Paris breathe luxury. The castle was a seat not only luxurious but also comfortable. Hot water central heating, electrification, intercom, hot and cold water supply and flush toilets were introduced throughout the building. The main seat of the Seilern family was the castle after this reconstruction until April 1945.

The interiors are among the most beautiful that can be seen in Czech castles. The count's rooms and common rooms look fabulous. The largest room is the Hall of Ancestors, where paintings of members of the Seilern family, the original owners of the chateau, hang. The hall is also used for wedding ceremonies. The chateau also houses numerous and rare collections of valuable exotic objects, which the Seilern family collected mainly in the 1930s during their trip around the world.

The Lešná Around Zoo began to be established around 1929, when the first exotic animals appeared here, and it was opened to the public in 1948. Today, the chateau can be seen during a tour of the garden, not separately. However, the entrance to the zoo does not entitle to enter the interiors of the castle. Admission to the castle is paid separately before the start of the tour at the castle box office.

Author: Martina Limbergová