Get Transported to a Fairytale in Blatná Castle

Walk into a fairytale at Blatná Castle. Located in a small town in Southern Bohemia, the castle is next to an artificial lake with plenty of nature that accents the bright red roofs and white structure.

The first written record of the castle is from 1235, when it was most likely a wooden fortress. It’s built in the middle of a marsh, so it gets its name “blata” from the old Czech word for marshy place.

Over a century later in 1391, the castle belonged to the house of Lvové (lions) of Rožmitál and the marshes transformed into water trenches and the castle was rebuilt in stone. This U-shaped castle is described as “a swan sitting in a lake” because it is white and surrounded by a moat.The first floor of the tower is the Green Chamber because the prevalent color of the medieval paintings on that floor are green. A large tower in the east at the main entrance dominates the castle.

The Romanesque Chapel is the oldest part of the castle dating back to the 13th century. It is in the western part of the courtyard and has two distinct arches to mark the spot. Various other parts of the castle have been reconstructed and are open for general touring (April to October).

Besides the stunning castle, there is a 100-acre park from the 19th century. It’s an English landscape garden by František Hildprandt with a large meadow, woods, fields, various streams, ponds, bridges and walkways. Tamed fallow deer and peacocks roam around the park. While the castle is only open from April to October (peak tourist season), the park is open to the public year-round.

Author: Meredith Hessel