John's Castle (basic tour)

The castle was built next to a game reserve in a place surrounded from three sides by the river Dyje. It served as a hunting lodge – a gathering place before the hunt and the place of celebrations at the end of the hunting season. Rich banquets were held here after the hunts during which the king of the hunt was announced. The object also served as home to the local harbinger. The construction work started in 1801 by Alois I. Josef, the Prince of Liechtenstein according to project by Joseph Hardtmuth. However, the prince died in 1805 and the project had to be completed by his three-year younger brother – Jan I. Josef the Prince of Liechtenstein.

Jonh´s Castle was originally supposed to be much grander, but the project was reduced at the request of the prince. The building consists of four corner towers – each one with a different ground plan. The towers are connected from three sides by perimeter walls with first floor ramparts located on the outer sides. The fourth side of the courtyard is closed by a mansion.

On the first floor of the mansion there is the Knights Hall where the feasts and hunting banquets took place. Lounges are located in the towers. Only the South tower has a second floor with a balcony from which it is possible to cross a gallery to the second floor of the West tower. The third floor comprises of a lookout point on the South tower.

The unstable floodplain forest subsoil had to be reinforced by wooden beams. Only then could the work begin. Stones for the construction were brought from Pálava and the nearby Great Moravian settlement of Pohansko. In his effort to build as realistic imitation of a real castle as possible, the architect paid great attention to every detail, such as the right-handed turning staircase, privys and loopholes. 

Opening hours

Period Days Hours
29. 3.-1. 4. mon, fri, sat, sun 9.00 – 16.00
6. 4.-30. 4. sat–sun 9.00 – 17.00
1. 5.-30. 6. tue–sun 9.00 – 17.00
1. 7.-31. 8. mon–sun 9.00 – 17.00
1. 9.-30. 9. tue–sun 9.00 – 17.00
1. 10.-31. 10. sat–sun 9.00 – 16.00
28. 10. mon 9.00 – 16.00

Admission

Guided tour
  • Adults 25 up to 64 years 140 CZK
  • Seniors 65+ 110 CZK
  • Youth 18 up to 24 years 110 CZK
  • Persons with disabilities with valid identification card/certificate 110 CZK
  • Children 6 up to 17 years 40 CZK
  • Children under 5 years free
  • Person accompanying a disabled person free
  • Person accompanying a school group of 10 students free
  • Guide accompanying a group of at least 15 persons free
  • "MK ČR" card free
  • ICOMOS card free
  • Seasonal NPÚ ticket free
  • Single NPÚ tickets free
  • NPÚ card free
  • "Náš člověk" card free

Other tours

The representative halls are located on the ground floor of the chateau – they served as venue for social events, balls etc.

this tour is available today 11.00 – 14.00

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 300 Kč (full admission) 2F500991-B0F5-4AC5-9B90-2BBFBDCDFC45 Buy ticket

71B5B7E7-ACEA-4214-84EB-20FF073CEC43 duration 45 minutes

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 max. 45 people

Group reservation needed for groups only

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The private princes´ apartments on the first floor of the chateau served the princely family until 1945. Between 1950´s and 2001 there were exhibits of the Agricultural Museum. Since 2001, the apartments have been redecorated with original inventory according to historical listings and form a separate circuit.

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 300 Kč (full admission) 2F500991-B0F5-4AC5-9B90-2BBFBDCDFC45 Buy ticket

71B5B7E7-ACEA-4214-84EB-20FF073CEC43 duration 45 minutes

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 max. 25 people

Group reservation needed for groups only

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The princes´ and princesses´ children rooms and Milan Knížák´s puppet museum are located on the second floor of the chateau.

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 240 Kč (full admission) 2F500991-B0F5-4AC5-9B90-2BBFBDCDFC45 Buy ticket

71B5B7E7-ACEA-4214-84EB-20FF073CEC43 duration 45 minutes

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 max. 20 people

Group reservation needed for groups only

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An artificial Baroque stalactite cave in the chateau´s cellar.

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 120 Kč (full admission)

71B5B7E7-ACEA-4214-84EB-20FF073CEC43 duration 20 minutes

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 max. 20 people

Group reservation needed for groups only

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Greenhouse - was build 1843-45 to Georg Wingelmüller`s design.

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 140 Kč (full admission)

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 unlimited

Group reservation not necessary

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The Minaret, also known as the Turkish Tower is a building constructed on the axis of the chateau. This attractive spire was built by Alois Josef I. according to architect Josef Hardtmuth´s plans at the turn of the 18th and 19th century. It is an exceptional construction of this type in Europe and being almost 60 meters high it is also one of the...

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 100 Kč (full admission)

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 unlimited

Group reservation not necessary

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The newly restored halls are located on the first floor of the minaret and are open to public

this tour is not available today

4F17A2ED-8B52-4F67-8D80-EE0130BE50BE 180 Kč (full admission) 2F500991-B0F5-4AC5-9B90-2BBFBDCDFC45 Buy ticket

71B5B7E7-ACEA-4214-84EB-20FF073CEC43 duration 30 minutes

94D4AB38-6EA4-4B19-9C7F-17B845D49188 max. 15 people

Group reservation recommended

More information