Buchlov Castle

Buchlov was founded in the first half of the thirteenth century as a royal castle on a ridge in the Chriby forest and never became a comfortable residence - the owners built Buchlovice down in the valley for that in 1700 and left the old castle as it was, which is why the Gothic fabric survives so completely: a keep, a chapel, a great hall with a ribbed vault, and the wards, largely as built and roofed. The castle then became a family repository, so the collections in it are eccentric and old: arms, a library, natural history material, and an Egyptian mummy with its coffin brought back in the nineteenth century by Jindrich Vratislav of Berchtold, one of the earlier such acquisitions in the Czech lands. Nearby stands the chapel of St Barbara, the family burial place, on its own hill. The Chriby forest around is walked.

What you actually see

• A Gothic royal castle - keep, chapel and vaulted hall, largely unaltered.
• An Egyptian mummy - with its coffin, brought back in the nineteenth century.
• Family collections - arms, library and natural history accumulated over centuries.
• St Barbara's chapel - the family burial place on a neighbouring hill.

When to go

April to October. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Guided tours only, seasonal, closed in winter. Access is a walk uphill from the parking. The human remains in the collection are displayed openly. Combine with Buchlovice below.

Nearby

Buchlovice chateau is three kilometres down; Velehrad is south-east.