Zámek Boskovice Chateau

Zámek Boskovice, an empire building from the beginning of the 19th century, is one of the most valuable historical monuments in the village Boskovice, district Blansko, Jihomoravský kraj. This majestic complex boasts a richly decorated interior and a large park designed in the English style of landscaping. The chateau is part of the cultural heritage which was returned in 1991 to the original owner, the Mensdorff-Pouilly family.

Zámek Boskovice has roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The site of today's chateau complex was originally a Dominican monastery with a church which in 1682 founded Jan Bohuš ze Zástřizl. After the cancellation of this monastery for Josef II. in 1784, the building was bought by Ditrichštejnové and for a short period of time they set up a paint factory. The reconstruction of the complex to the chateau was carried out in 1819- 1826 under František Xaver Ditrichštejn, who transformed the monastery tract into a four-wing Empire building with an internal arcade court. The natural landscape park in the English style was modified around the chateau, which included the Empire building of the greenhouse built by architect Josef Hájek in 1829.

The chateau ownership has undergone several changes. After the Ditrichstein chateau was transferred to rod Mensdorff-Pouilly in 1856, which held it until 1950 when all the property was nationalized. During its history, the chateau served various purposes: in the years 1938-1945 it worked as a hostel of the Czechoslovak army staff, a Lazaret for officers of Wehrmacht and subsequently as a hostel of the Red Army staff. In the second half of the 20th century, the Boskovicka Museum was housed and was also used as a secondary school boarding school.

Zámek Boskovice is an architecturally valuable building in Empire style, with a four-wing two-story building and a square inner courtyard with blinded arcades. The facade is divided by three risalities, medium with strong tympanone and half-circle arched entrance leading to the three-boat vestibule decorated with marble busts. On the 1st floor there are representative premises such as a large hall with original chess floor from 1830 and a Baroque library equipped with inlaid furniture. The chateau chapel was modified from part of the original monastery church.

Today the Boskovice Chateau is open to the public and serves as a cultural centre where wedding ceremonies, various cultural and social events are held. Its historical value is recognised not only in the region but also at national level as a cultural-historical monument.

Zámek Boskovice presents a living witness to many epoch and changes that shaped Czech history. Its architectural beauty and rich history make it a necessary destination for any traveler who is interested in the heritage of the past. Visiting this chateau is an opportunity to explore not only the beauty of the Empire, but also the deeper historical layers of the Boskovice region.