zámek Žichovice Chateau

The Žichovice Chateau in the Klatovy district is a Renaissance monument created by the reconstruction of the original fortress. Since 1964, the building has been protected as a cultural monument. The construction stands out for preserved sgraffiti decoration, demanding shields and historical economic background. This faithfully illustrates the form of a noble mansion from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The village Žichovice was purchased in 1559 by Jan Kavka Říčanský z Říčan and had a Renaissance fortress established here. According to historian Augustus Sedláček, however, the construction was initiated by his son Jan, who inherited the estate in 1577. The first written mention of the residence dates back to 1603, when Jindřich Libštejnský z Kolovrat bought them for 25,000 kicks of Míšín groche. There was a large background to the then estate, including a brewery, malting, mill, hops and several surrounding villages.

The architectural core of the chateau consists of two mutually perpendicular buildings. The older part comes from the Renaissance fortress and is characterized by rich sgraffiti decoration of the facade as well as shields broken down by pilasters, nobodies and volutes. There is a square tower from the roof to which the spindle staircase leads from the passage. The ground floor interiors are encapsulated with vaulted vaults. On the mezzanine there is a large hall with stucco decoration and vault with sections. At the end of the 18th century a longer, architecturally simpler wing was added to the building. In addition to the chateau, a former brewery, a forge and a park with a wall and a gate are part of the monument protected area.

His son Oldřich František won the estate in 1631 after Henry of Libštejnský of Kolovrat. After his childless death in 1650 he transferred the property to his mother Elizabeth and subsequently to William Krakovski of Kolovrat. For John František Krakovský of Kolovrat, the hold grew to 17 villages. However, due to debts, the owner had to sell the farm to Maria Anna Iselin from Lanau in 1707. The same year Žichovice was purchased by Bishop Jan Filip of Lamberg. The chateau became part of the extensive trust of the House of Lamberks, which owned it until 1945. In the second half of the 20th century the premises served as apartments and facilities for the school.

One of the attractions of the chateau was the Chapel of Stigmatization of St. Francis, located in the younger wing. It originally contained a late Gothic picture of St. Barbara and St. Catherine from around 1500. Today this work is part of the collections of the National Gallery in Prague.

Today zámek Žichovice is an important evidence of Renaissance construction in Pilsen Region. The visit to the building offers the opportunity to become familiar with the authentic form of the nobility and its economic background, which form an integral part of the historical heritage of the region.