The Museum of Podblanicko

Vlašim Castle, with its classical architecture and expansive landscaped park, offers a perfect destination for lovers of history, architecture, and nature. The museum’s exhibits provide insight into the lives of the last owners of the castle, the region’s history, and even a close encounter with a bear.

The Museum of Podblanicko of in Vlašim is a collection-based institution founded by the Central Bohemia Region for the Benešov district. Originally based in Benešov, the museum moved to Vlašim Castle in 1988. Today, several permanent exhibitions are available.

The Castle Parks and the History of Vlašim Castle exhibit explores the castle’s history, its design, and the creation of its landscaped parks, complete with a virtual tour. A bedroom and two salons are dedicated to the Auersperg family, the last owners of the castle. In the social salon, you’ll be surprised by an exceptionally large flag measuring 352 cm in length. The Mirror of the Past exhibit reveals the region’s history, including the Hussite fires, the Battle of Jankov, and the Blaník legends.

• Interesting fact: The Podblanicko Museum has an impressive collection of over 49,000 items that reflect the social and natural history of the region, many of which are on display in the museum’s exhibitions and occasional shows.

The With Steady Aim – The Tradition of Shooting and Armaments exhibit covers the development of firearms. It also includes a collection of exotic trophies and the history of the Sellier & Bellot ammunition company in Vlašim. In the St. Vincent Chapel, you can admire Mannerist stucco decorations and 19th-century wall paintings. From the castle tower, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the city, the park, and the castle. In the basement, you’ll hear the legend of the treasure of Jan Vostrovec of Kralovice, said to be buried beneath Vlašim Castle!

What’s next?

Since 1972, the museum has also included Růžkovy Lhotice Castle, located about 20 kilometers southeast of Vlašim. This baroque-classical chateau hosts a permanent exhibition called The Land of Tones: Podblanicko in the History of Music. Here, you’ll find portraits, musical scores, and instruments that celebrate figures like Bedřich Smetana, who spent many years in Růžkovy Lhotice, as well as Richard Wagner, Antonín Dvořák, and the local-born composer Josef Suk.