Jul 29, 2026

Hundreds of Czech Castles and Chateaus to Offer Free Entry on Two Special Days

Prague Morning

Visitors will be able to explore more than 100 state-managed castles, chateaus, monasteries, and other historic landmarks across Czechia free of charge on August 30 and September 27.

The initiative follows a spring pilot program that granted free admission to selected state museums and galleries. According to the Ministry, strong public interest in that campaign encouraged officials to extend the concept to historic monuments managed by the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ).

The free admission will apply to the standard sightseeing route at each participating site, along with selected additional visitor circuits where available.

Tours will operate under normal conditions, meaning visitor numbers will remain limited and capacity restrictions will continue to apply.

The National Heritage Institute is expected to publish a complete list of participating sites, opening hours, reservation requirements, and visitor information on its website in the coming days.

The latest initiative builds on an earlier trial introduced this spring.

Between April and June, visitors were granted free entry on selected Sundays to five of the country’s largest state museums: the National Museum in Prague, the Moravian Museum in Brno, the Silesian Museum in Opava, the National Technical Museum in Prague, and the Technical Museum in Brno.

According to the Ministry of Culture, attendance at those museums nearly doubled during the pilot period, with the Silesian Museum recording the largest increase in visitor numbers. Selected state galleries also participated in the program earlier this year while officials assessed the financial impact of waiving admission fees.

The ministry has said one of its long-term objectives is to help restore visitor numbers at cultural institutions to levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.