Bzenec - South Moravia, Czech Republic
Posted by: 
ToRo61
N 48° 58.556 E 017° 15.793
33U E 665611 N 5427249
Bzenec Chateau
Waymark Code: WMG5HG
Location: Jihomoravský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 01/15/2013
Views: 58
History of Bzenec Chateau
The present appearance of the castle is already the third in its history. Originally, there used to be a fortress which was converted into a mansion for the aristocracy after the Old Bzenec Castle was ruined.
Jírí of Kravare, the owner of the Bzenec manor, had a fortress built in location of the present castle in 1450. After his death in 1466, Mikuláš Kropác of Nevedomí bought the Bzenec manor. Several owners, among others also the Žerotíns, ran the manor from 1510 to 1588. Mr. Kašpar Pruskovský got the Bzenec manor by marriage in 1588. His family owned Bzenec until 1769.
The fortress was pulled down around 1600 and a Renaissance castle was built in its place. This at that time already outmoded and gaunt castle was taken down under the owner Count Erdman Proskovský. Count Erdman had a new baroque castle built in its place in 1709-10. The upper part of the park was in French style, the bottom part In English style.
After 1769, when the Proskovský family died out on the spear side with the death of Count Leopold, the manor fell to a related family of Dietrichstein. ln 1823 František Dietrichstein sold Bzenec castle to the elector Vilém II. of Hessen-Kasel. The elector Vilém II. was joined in marriage with the actress Emilie Ortlapova from Berlin. He ennobled. her as the Countess of Reichenbach-Lesonice and he presented her with Bzenec and Lesonice manor. Countess Emilie's son Vilém of Reichenbach inherited the Bzenec manor after her death.
The castle needed an extensive repair at that time so Vilém decided to pull it down and he had a castle built in pseudo-Gothic (also called English Gothic) style after the fashion of the period. The castle was being built from 1855 to 1858. Count Vilém finally committed suicide. There were several mistakes made when the castle was being built. It was built the other way round, counter to the original plan. The tall central tower, which stood in front of the castle entrance, had to be removed in 1862 because it started to lean suspiciously.
In 1913, the castle was sold to Count Antonín Mágnis, the owner of the Strážnice manor. The castle was not equipped and therefore let to the Army Direction for a medication store. The army left the castle in 1923. At first the castle was let again, then sold to the winery in Bzenec in 1938. From that time it was the seat of the winery. The town of Bzenec bought the buildings belonging to the castle and adjacent historic park in December 2002. Unfortunately, the present state of the castle is very dismal "thanks to the rampage of the last owner". The town of Bzenec has nonetheless splendid plans how to use these buildings. Time will tell if they are successful.
Accessibility: No access - dangerous
Condition: Partly ruined
Admission Charge?: no
Website: [Web Link]
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