Veltrusy Château

In its early days, Veltrusy Château was one of the most admired works of high Baroque architecture. The sculptures from the workshop of Matyáš Bernard Braun in the adjacent garden added to the splendour of the Chotek family mansion.  

Grandeur was appropriate: the château had to meet the demanding requirements of a representative appearance worthy of its owners. These were initially Václav Antonín Chotek and then his son Rudolf, who held important state positions at the imperial court and was at the head of the institutions governing the financial and commercial policy of the empire. From the very beginning, Veltrusy was therefore built with a generous Baroque concept, which you can still admire today even after modifications.  

• Interesting fact: At the invitation of Rudolf Chotek, Empress Maria Theresa came to Veltrusy. At that time, the château was the venue of the Great Market of Goods of the Kingdom of Bohemia – the first sample fair in the world using catalogues. Its purpose was to show the advantages of Czech manufactories. Count Chotek also received the highest Habsburg decoration for his merits: The Order of the Golden Fleece.  

You will get acquainted with the château and the local life of the Choteks through several tours. The Golden Times in the Service of the Empress tour takes you back to the Baroque era, when Veltrusy was at its most glorious. The Family Life of the Count takes you back to the time of Count Jindřich Chotek and reveals much about the upbringing of young noblemen. The educational circuit Aristocracy: the beginning of the end offers an insight into the life and fate of the last owners of the estate, Karel and Livia Chotek. In the Laboratorium, you will take a look under the hood of the château’s daily operation, learn about the history of its restoration after the flood in 2002 and try your hand at the work of a researcher, archaeologist and restorer.  

Do you also like to wander through beautiful endless parks? Then Veltrusy is the perfect place for you. The local park full of small architectural gems, impressive bridges over the Mlýnský Brook and sculptures was created together with the works on the regulation of the Vltava River, which were supposed to protect the area from floods. The natural landscape park is also loosely connected to the fallow deer preserve. 

• Tip for you: Get to know the park in an unconventional way and book a guided bike tour. You will discover its romantic corners, pavilions, floodplain forests, meadows and orchards. They will be happy to lend you a bike. Are you more tempted by horse-drawn carriage rides? Take a ride in a carriage pulled by château horses and experience the park in a different way.  

Where to head next?

The other bank of the Vltava River boasts another interesting château. Renaissance Nelahozeves is in the care of the Lobkowicz family, who also manage the family home of composer Antonín Dvořák.  Visit the Zelčín Zoopark with your little explorers. It is located near the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe rivers in Mělník.