Bučovice Chateau

The chateau in Bučovice na Moravě near Brno, south Moravia, is a unique example of Renaissance architecture. The lavish Mannerist decoration of the interiors and the fountain in the courtyard have no parallel among Czech chateaus. The arcade courtyard with almost a hundred columns, richly decorated with war motifs, coats of arms, fantastic animals and creatures, is also noteworthy. You can also see the restored 200-year-old accounting office of the Liechtenstein family who used to own the chateau.

Renaissance in its purest form

Unlike most Renaissance chateaus in the Czech Republic, this chateau is not a reconstructed ancient castle but it was built on a green field, as we say today. And it was designed according to a then-popular Italian model. The project consisted of the building, gardens, castle walls and a moat. There is nothing that would disturb the style’s purity and you can still enjoy the whole beauty of the structure 400 years later.

An interesting exposition

Most chateaus only focus on providing examples of the lives or housing of rich families. But here, they created an exposition with a different concept. The Moravian Aristocrat in the Labyrinth of the World is dedicated to the world of Moravian aristocracy – the world of religious tolerance and general cultural and economic prosperity in the Late Renaissance period. The purpose of the exposition is to peek into the life of the nobility and to learn something about their education, hobbies and everyday life with the aim of showing the lifestyle of their time.

What to see nearby

Bučovice is situated in south Moravia, so you should also visit Brno and some of its famous cafés. In the other direction, to the north-east, there is Kroměříž. It has been the summer residence of archbishops for centuries. They built the chateau there, and the flower garden – sites so unique that they are inscribed on the UNESCO list. If you have a car available, take off into the countryside. The nearby Macocha abyss and the Punkva subterranean river are among the world’s top most interesting natural sites.