Buchlov Castle
Buchlov Castle stands on a wooded hill in the Chřiby hills, about 3 km north-west of Buchlovice and about 35 km south of Kroměříž by road. It is one of the oldest castles in the Czech Republic and, as a typical medieval fortress, it was never conquered. Today it is managed by the National Heritage Institute and offers several guided tour routes.
History of the castle
The castle was founded in the first half of the 13th century by a Czech king as a defensive fortress and an administrative centre with judicial authority and hunting rights. The oldest castle chapel dates from the 1280s and was built by a Prague stonemasons' workshop under King Přemysl Otakar II. The castle remained royal property until the mid-16th century, although the rulers often pledged it to noble families. At the end of the 15th century it was held by the lords of Cimburk, who added a late Gothic knights' hall.
In 1520 Buchlov passed into private hands. From the 16th to the 20th century it was owned by the Moravian families of Žerotín, Zástřizl, Petřvaldský of Petřvald and Berchtold, and it was altered in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. Just below it lies Buchlovice Château, the seat of the same owners.