Žleby Château

In the magnificent romantic mansion of the Auersperg family you will discover extensive collections of weapons, luxury furniture and original everyday objects. Every now and then you can enjoy a little pie in the unique castle kitchen.

The majestic, romantic Žleby Château lies in the shadow of the Iron Mountains. In the place where the wild Doubrava River meets the Hostačovka River. Its present appearance was given to it almost two centuries ago by Prince Vincent Charles of Auersperg. The impregnable walls and imposing towers still guard thousands of treasures and valuables, endless collections of weapons, hundreds of paintings, volumes of valuable books, collections of stained glass and porcelain services, leather wallpapers and masonry heaters from various historical eras.

As you walk through the impressive castle, you will feel as if its last inhabitants, the Auersperges, have just popped out and will be back soon. You will walk through the representative halls and salons as well as the private rooms of the nobility, see the preserved château theatre and backstage area, climb the great tower for a view and then head into the cool cellars. The château kitchen is extraordinary, with state-of-the-art 19th-century kitchen equipment.

• Interesting fact: The stove system in the château kitchen is still in working condition today. This is used for the occasional baking of pies. On the days when the château kitchen is brought back to life, there are delicious pies waiting for visitors. Will you try one?

Žleby Château is surrounded by a large English landscape park, which invites you to take pleasant walks all year round. Its idyllic atmosphere is underlined by the Doubrava River with its waterfall, rare species of rhododendrons and other foreign trees and shrubs brought from all over the world in the 19th century when the park was created.

You can walk through the park to a game preserve with white deer, which are a rarity in our country. You can also see spotted fallow deer, wild boar, roe deer, storks, herons, cormorants, owls and other animals up close. From May to September, the game preserve hosts a deer feeding programme and demonstrations of birds of prey training accompanied by an engaging commentary.

• Tip for you: Find yourself in a fairy tale. Many fairy tales have been filmed at Žleby, including O vánoční hvězdě (The Three Brothers), Kouzla králů (The Loveliest Riddle), Královský slib and O Šípkové Růžence.

Where to head next?

Have you scoured the château, visited the deer, but the day is still not over? Make a stop in the royal town of Čáslav, about 7 kilometres away. Right on its outskirts you’ll be greeted by a branch of the National Museum of Agriculture. Take a look at the town from above. Just climb the Otakar Tower or the tower of the Church of St. Peter and Paul.  You will learn about local history and more at the museum. Or head from Žleby to the neighbouring Vysočina region. It is only 2 kilometres to the regional border.