National Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic

Konopiste Palace

Konopiště is a palace, which become famous as the last residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir of the Austro-Hungarian throne, whose assassination in Sarajevo triggered World War I. The bullet that killed him, fired by Gavrilo Princip, is now an exhibit at the castle"s museum. The castle was apparently established in the 1280s by Prague Bishop Tobiaš as a Gothic fortification with a ...

Founded: 1280s | Location: Benešov, Czech Republic

Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk

The Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk is the final work of Jan Santini Aichel, a Bohemian architect who combined the Borrominiesque Baroque with references to Gothic elements in both construction and decoration. In 1719, when the Roman Catholic Church declared the tongue of John of Nepomuk to be incorruptible, work started to build a church at Zelená hora, where the future saint had received his early education. I ...

Founded: 1719-1727 | Location: Zdár nad Sázavou, Czech Republic

Kromeriz Castle and Gardens

Kroměříž stands on the site of an earlier ford across the River Morava. The gardens and castle of Kroměříž are an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a European Baroque princely residence and its gardens and described as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first residence on the site was founded by bishop Stanislas Thurzo in 1497. The building was in a Late Gothic style, with a modicum of Renaissan ...

Founded: 1497/1664 | Location: Kroměříž, Czech Republic

Cesky Sternberk Castle

Ceský Sternberk Castle is an early Gothic castle which was constructed, named and still owned by members of the same family. Today it is a residence that bears a long historical and architectural heritage and represents an attractive tourist destination open to the public. It is considered one of the best preserved Gothic Bohemian castles. The castle was initially built in 1241 by Zdeslav of Divisov, later called Zdesla ...

Founded: 1241 | Location: Český Šternberk, Czech Republic

Bouzov Castle

Bouzov Castle was established at the turn of the 14th century with the purpose to watch over the trade route from Olomouc to Loštice. The minor aristocratic Buz of Bludovec family were its first recorded owners from 1317-1339. The castle also takes its name from the family. Ownership of the castles was then changed, and the Lords of Kunštát were among the most important medieval owners. According to tradition, the Bouz ...

Founded: c. 1300 | Location: Bouzov, Czech Republic

East Bohemian Museum

The East Bohemian Museum was designed by Jan Kotěra, a prominent Czech architect in 1909-1912. Kotěra"s initial design, presented in 1907, was criticized for its exaggerated decoration and luxurious design. Moreover, the city did not have sufficient funds for such a grandiose design. Consequently, Kotěra created a new design that was finished in 1908. The museum is modeled on a classic temple. As far ...

Founded: 1909-1912 | Location: Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

St. Stephen's Cathedral

The St. Stephen's Cathedral is one of the most important cultural sites in the city. It is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. Located on a hill in the place of an older church (originally a basilica) The temple was built in Romanesque style in 1057 and rebuilt in the 14th century in the Gothic style. In the presbytery is a large altar dedicated to St. Stephen, patron of the cathedral. In the ...

Founded: 1663 | Location: Litoměřice, Czech Republic

St. Procopius Basilica

St. Procopius Basilica is a Romanesque-Gothic Christian church in Třebíč. The history of the basilica is closely associated with the history of the former Benedictine monastery. Before the basilica was constructed there was a chapel of St. Procopius, which was built in the year 1104 and was consecrated by Heřman, Bishop of Prague. Five years later, the monastery already had its own church. This was consecrated in year ...

Founded: 1240-1260 | Location: Třebíč, Czech Republic

Bezdez Castle

Bezděz Castle construction began before 1264 by order of Přemysl Otakar II. It was one of the most important royal castles in the Czech lands until its destruction in the Thirty Years" War. A year after Přemysl’s death, the castle Bezděz, which was still unfinished, became the place of imprisonment of Queen Kunhuta and her underage son Václav II (or Wenceslas II), kept under lock and ...

Founded: c. 1260 | Location: Bezděz, Czech Republic

Kost Castle

Kost Castle is is privately owned by Kinský dal Borgo noble family. It was first proposed by Beneš von Wartenberg in 1349 as a possible construction site and was completed by his son Peter von Wartenberg. It retains most of the original features and is overall very well preserved and maintained. The castle is known for its so-called 'White tower'. In about 1414 the family of Zajíc von Hasenburg moved there; later the ...

Founded: 14th century | Location: Libošovice, Czech Republic

Cervená Lhota Castle

Červená Lhota castle stands at the middle of a lake on a rocky island. Its picturesque Renaissance building is a destination of thousands of tourists every year. Its name Červená Lhota meaning 'red lhota' can be explained by the colour of the château"s bright-red roof tiles. There is also a park, where the Chapel of the Holy Trinity is located. The existence of an original for ...

Founded: 1542-1555 | Location: Jindřichův Hradec, Czech Republic

Veverí Castle

According to legend, the castle Veveří was founded by Duke Conrad of Brno in the middle of the 11th century. Nevertheless, the first written mention about the castle is from the years 1213 and 1222, when King Přemysl Otakar I used the fortified castle as a prison for rebellious peers. Initially, it was apparently a wooden or masonry residence situated near the Romanesque church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary west ...

Founded: 13th century | Location: Brno, Czech Republic

Hrubý Rohozec Castle

Hrubý Rohozec is a castle in Turnov. The original structure was connected to a polygonal tower by a defensive wall. Its purpose, in the 14th century, was to monitor the trade route running below it. Between the two parts of the castle Jan von Šelmberk, and later Konrad Kraiger Kraigk, built Gothic palaces. During the Renaissance the Wartenberg family rebuilt the complex in the style of a chateaux. Albrecht von Wallenst ...

Founded: c. 1280 | Location: Turnov, Czech Republic

Ducal Rotunda of the Virgin Mary and St Catherine

The Ducal Rotunda of the Virgin Mary and St Catherine is Znojmo"s most valuable monument, and features one of the oldest fresco in the Czech lands. Particular importance of this painting is that besides the religious motives it displays also the praising portrayal of the ruling Přemyslid dynasty. The painting was commissioned by Konrad II of Znojmo on the occasion of his wedding with Mary, daughter of Uro&scaro ...

Founded: 1080s | Location: Znojmo, Czech Republic

Hrádek u Nechanic

Hrádek u Nechanic is a 19th-century Gothic style Romantic château near the town of Hrádek. It was built between 1839 and 1857 as a representative and summer seat by Count František Arnošt of Harach, one of the most important representatives of the Jilemnice dynasty. The young Austrian architect Karl Fischer led building operations and suggested decoration of the chateau's interior. The chateau was designed by the Eng ...

Founded: 1839-1857 | Location: Hrádek, Czech Republic

Holasovice Village

Holašovice is an exceptionally complete and well-preserved example of a traditional central European village. It has a large number of outstanding 18th- and 19th-century vernacular buildings in a style known as South Bohemian folk Baroque, and preserves a ground plan dating from the Middle Ages. Holašovice was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. Holašovice is first mentioned in 1263. ...

Founded: 18th century | Location: Jankov, Czech Republic

Znojmo Castle

Znojmo Castle was initially a wooden structure built by the Přemyslid Bretislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, and completed around 1080. The structure was intended to replace an old castle that was located across the Granice Valley, as part of an attempt at strengthening the defenses along the river Dyje against Austrian attack. From the new castle the river valley and surrounding area could be observed. However, in 1140, the woo ...

Founded: 12th century | Location: Znojmo, Czech Republic

Rabí Castle

Rabí is the largest castle (in terms of area) from all Czech castles. Its name might derive from the German word raben ('raven'), or it could be mangled Czech name vrab(č)í vrch ('sparrow"s peak'). The first mention of Rábí Castle dates from 1380, although it is not known exactly when it was founded. It is likely that the Lords of Velhartice established it after 1300 to protect trade route ...

Founded: 14th century | Location: Klatovy, Czech Republic

Trebic Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter of Třebíč placed is one of the best preserved Jewish ghettos in Europe. Therefore, it was listed in 2003 (together with the Jewish Cemetery and the St. Procopius Basilica) in the UNESCO World Heritage List and it is the only Jewish monument outside Israel specifically placed on the List. The Jewish Quarter is situated on the north bank of the River Jihlava, surrounded by rocks and the river. There a ...

Founded: 14th century | Location: Třebíč, Czech Republic

Teplá Abbey

Teplá Abbey is a Premonstratensian abbey in the western part of Bohemia, included in the Archdiocese of Prague. It was founded in 1193 by the blessed Hroznata, a Bohemian nobleman (d. 1217). The first monks came from the Abbey of Strahov in Prague. The present monastery building was erected by Abbot Raimund Wilfert II (1688-1724); the library was built by Abbot Gilbert Helmer (since 1900). The Romanesque church, with ad ...

Founded: 1193 | Location: Teplá, Czech Republic