Buchlovice Château
Buchlovice Château stands in the village of Buchlovice below Buchlov Castle, about 37 km south of Kroměříž by road. It is one of the important Baroque noble residences in the Czech Republic and is often described as the purest example of an Italian Baroque villa in Central Europe. It is managed by the National Heritage Institute.
History of the château
Construction was begun shortly before 1700 by Count Jan Dětřich Petřvaldský as a gift for his wife Anežka Eleonora of the Italian Colonna family. A Baroque garden was laid out around the château from the very beginning. The château reached its greatest importance around 1900 under Count Leopold Berchtold, a diplomat who was appointed Austro-Hungarian foreign minister in 1912. Under his patronage, the Russian and Austro-Hungarian foreign ministers met here in 1908. The present appearance of the interiors also dates from the Berchtold era.
Besides the château tour, the large château park is well worth a visit; a fuchsia exhibition is held there in season and there is also a chocolate shop. Both the château and the park are step-free, and the car park is about 50 m from the château. Dogs and bicycles are not allowed on the grounds.
