Castle Blatná

DATE: 22nd February 2025

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Blatná (Czech pronunciation: [ˈblatnaː]; German: Blatna) is a town in Strakonice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, and lies approximately 90 kilometres from Prague. The town has about 6,400 inhabitants. It is known for a castle built in the centre of a pond, and a landscape garden/park around it. The historic town centre with the castle complex is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Blatná Castle is the town's main landmark. It is built on a rock surrounded by a moat, connected with a pond. The castle is narrow, U-shaped, with a tower in front to which the palaces from various periods attach. The castle has been restored with most of the works now finished. It is open for the public, together with the castle park and deer park.

Under Lords of Rosental the fortress was for the first time rebuilt in stone (the oldest parts being the tower and Rožmitálský Palace) and the surrounding marshes were changed into wide water trenches. Their long rule marks the golden age of this place. Lords of Rosental were continuously rebuilding and enlarging the castle, first with the so-called Old Palace, standing separately over the remnants of the Romanesque chapel. In 1523–1530, under the guidance of renowned royal builder Benedikt Rejt, a new palace in a mixed Gothic-Renaissance style was appended.[4]

In the second half of the 17th century, the castle was owned by the house of Sternberg for a short time until it was bought by the Polish house of Rozdražovští of Rozdražov in 1579 who had a new Renaissance palace built. During their rule, the castle and town were looted. In the 18th century, the Serényi family had one wing of the castle rebuilt into the Baroque style. Since 1798, the castle has belonged to the Tyrolean house by origin of Hildprandts of Ottenhausen, except the period of communist dictatorship (1948–1989) when it was confiscated by the state. In 1850–1856 the castle received its last rebuilt, in geo-gothic style, which gave it its contemporary looks.

The key parts of the castle are as follows;

1. Romanesque Chapel – the oldest part of the castle dating back to the 13th century, it is preserved only as a part of the wall with two arches in the western part of the courtyard.

2. Tower – the tower dominates the castle and it is the main entrance to it from the east. Its square shape with an overlapping half-timbered top became the symbol of the town. At the beginning of the 16th century the famous Green Chamber (Zelená světnice) was created on the first floor. The walls of this room are covered in murals depicting various religious and secular themes. The prevailing colour of the paintings gave the room its name. All around the room are coats of arms of major Czech houses dominated by a large one of the house of the masters on the castle of that time, the Lords of Rosenthal.

3. Rožmitálský Palace – built at the same time as the tower, it connects to it from the southwest. On the first floor is the castle Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose Gothic presbytery protrudes from the body of the palace on the south side.

4. Old Palace – from around the half of the 15th century is erected over the former Romanesque chapel. It's built in a late Gothic style, but its large windows already mark the coming of the Renaissance style. Originally, it stood separately to the north from the previous two parts

5. Rejt's Palace – is a unique combination of a late Gothic and the upcoming Renaissance style. It was built during the rule of Zdeněk Lev of Rosenthal, an important diplomat at the court of the King Vladislaus II. It has large windows, richly decorated façade and a structured roof with wooden-tile ceilings.

6. Rozdražovský (or Serényi) Palace – built first in the Renaissance style and rebuilt later in the Baroque style, it closed the body of the castle by connecting the Old Palace (through a lower utility building) with the rest of the castle.

It is easy to travel to Blatná by car, (a journey time of approximately 1.5 hours), or by train from Prague Hlavní nádraží (a journey time of approximately 2.5 hours). The castle is located very close to the town centre and is an easy walk from the centre.