Lovecký zámeček Aleje Hunting lodge

Lovecký zámeček Aleje is an empirical building situated in the woods near the Priestry, in the cadastral territory of the Jeshřebí, which is the local part of Brtnice. The building was built by Prince Eduard III. Collalto between 1815 and 1817. The uniqueness of the building lies in its location on a clearing, where seven historical forest passages form a star system.

The history of the place is linked to the British estate. In 1623, after the confiscation of the property of Hynek Brtnický of Valdštejn, Emperor Ferdinand II acquired it and then sold it to the Collalta family. The castle has served for more than a century mainly for hunting purposes of the noblemen Collalto e San Salvatore, while the surrounding groves provided facilities for gamekeepers. In the 1930s, a weather station was set up in the premises of the mansion.

It's an architectural building in the Empire style. The layout of the first floor includes an oval hall and two rooms, while on the ground floor there was a deputate flat of a farmer. The area was originally supplemented by four groves, of which up to now three, and a pair of open polygonal gazes. The location name Aleje is derived from seven passages - Stonarovská, Brtničské, Opatovské, Knežický, Jestřebský, Green and Tableční alleys - which converge on the clearing around the central building.

After 1945, Collalts' property was confiscated on the basis of the Beneš Decrees. The object then went to the administration of the Czech Fine Arts Fund and served as a recreational centre. In the 1980s, the castle was renovated and some original elements were removed and the interior was equipped with crystal chandeliers and pseudoper carpets. A barn and wooden holiday cabins were built in the neighbourhood. After the end of the Fund, the building became the property of the Czech Fine Arts Foundation.

Since 1972 the castle has been protected as a cultural monument. The Czech Fine Arts Foundation in 2010 acquired land and started a gradual reconstruction during which the central wooden tower was restored and the roof was repaired. In 2022, the Foundation announced its intention to sell the building. The offer was directed to the cities of Brtnice and Jihlava, which however did not show any interest in the purchase.

The castle is currently accessible through a network of historical paths that serve as hiking and cycling routes. The Stonarovska and Green Alleys pass through the educational trail through the valley of Jihlava to Aleje, other routes for cyclists lead the Stonarovská, Table and Opatovska alleys.

This object represents a rare preserved example of the noble hunting grounds. Its value consists primarily of maintaining the original urban concept of stellar forest paths. Visiting this place offers the opportunity to know the historical landscape composition, which, despite changes during the 20th century, remains an important evidence of Empire architecture in the Czech forests.