Jindřichův Hradec

The Jindřichův Hradec Castle and Chateau Complex

Jindřichův Hradec is best known for its castle and chateau complex, which is the third-largest complex in the Czech Republic. It offers three tour routes and a visit to the observation deck of the Black Tower. Each tour takes approximately 50 minutes.

Points of Interest at the Castle

• The White Lady Perchta of Rožmberk, who is associated with all the Vítkovský castles and chateaus
• The Black Kitchen is one of the oldest and best-preserved castle kitchens in the country
• The castle chapel was already part of the so-called Old Palace of the Lords of Hradec
• Painting of the Madonna of Jindřichův Hradec
• The castle mill with the Křižík power plant

The castle, founded by the king, was acquired in the early 13th century by one of the branches of the Vítkovec family, who were subsequently known by the epithet “of Hradec.” The Gothic castle, of which a large cylindrical tower and the adjacent palace have been preserved, was expanded by the Lords of Hradec during the 14th and especially the 15th centuries. Under Jáchym and his son Adam II, the entire complex was rebuilt into a comfortable Renaissance residence. The two-story Grand Arcades connected Adam’s residence with the representative Spanish Wing, and from there, the Small Arcades led into the Gothic palace. Italian architects B. Maggi of Arogno, A. Cometta, and others worked on the reconstruction project.

The construction of the unique music pavilion known as the Rondel, connected to Adam’s residence by an arcaded corridor, marked the culmination of the castle’s architectural development. In 1773, a devastating fire struck the castle, and the then-owners, the Černín family, did not begin restoring the severely damaged buildings until the early 20th century, with the assistance of the Viennese architect Humbert Walcher von Moltheim.

Address of the castle and chateau complex:

Jindřichův Hradec Castle
and Chateau 377 01 Jindřichův Hradec
Tel.: +420 384 321 279
Fax: +420 384 321 391
E-mail: zamek@j-hradec.cz
www.zamek-jindrichuvhradec.cz

Parking:

The castle and chateau do not have their own parking lot for visitors. Another option for parking passenger cars is the parking lot near the museum, about a 5-minute walk away. You can also park your car on Míru Square, approximately a 3-minute walk from the castle and chateau grounds.

Other sights and attractions in Jindřichův Hradec:

Jindřichův Hradec is less than 30 km from the Dvorce guesthouse, and there are other attractions to visit in the town. The town is a great choice for a day trip.

• Krýza’s Nativity Scene – the largest mechanical folk nativity scene in the world
• Church of St. Mary Magdalene with the former Jesuit college
• Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Kostelní Square
• Church of the Holy Trinity
• Church of St. James on Masaryk Square
• Jewish Cemetery
• The Stations of the Cross in Jakubské Sady
• House of the Lords of Hradec (Nos. 138 and 139/I)
• Karlov House (No. 119/I)
• Synagogue
• Jesuit Seminary at the Church of the Virgin Mary
• Franciscan Monastery with St. Catherine’s Church, Capt. Jaroš 98; connected to it across the street by a bridge known as the “little monastery”
• Station for narrow-gauge railway lines operated by the Jindřichův Hradec Local Railways
• Jindřichův Hradec Museum, Balbínovo náměstí 19

Interesting tips for things to do in Jindřichův Hradec:

• Jindřichův Hradec Narrow-Gauge Railway – a ride on a steam train

• Evening strolls through legendary Hradec – an engaging dramatized presentation introduces some lesser-known legends and interesting events or figures associated with Jindřichův Hradec.

• St. Florian Aqua Light Show in Jindřichův Hradec (St. Florian Commercial and Medical Center, Růžová 41) – light effects, video projections, and patterns formed by falling water droplets accompanied by evocative music. All year round, Monday–Sunday 9:00 AM–7:00 PM, free admission.

• Mushroom Park and Gnome Paradise in Roseč – 12 km from Jindřichův Hradec. You’ll enjoy the interactive fairy-tale and dinosaur trails with many challenges. The mushroom trail will remind you of the types of mushrooms found in our forests, which ones are edible and tasty, and which ones you need to watch out for. Open daily during summer vacation: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Outside of summer vacation, open every weekend from April 27 to September 29: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.,

• Corn Maze – You’ll find the first corn maze between Jindřichův Hradec and Třeboň. The whole family can have fun on this one-hectare playground. There’s a playground made of straw bales, a court for badminton, soccer, and pétanque, and a trampoline.

• Jindřichův Hradec Local Railways