Zámek Zbiroh Castle

Zbiroh Castle is one of the oldest fortresses in the Czech Republic. For several centuries, the castle has been shrouded in an aura of mystery. For example, one of the legends says that Zbiroh protects and even saves the people living there from the evil eye. Nowadays, the castle is a monument of culture and art, which is a concentration of different architectural styles and trends.

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Highlights

Guests of Zbirog Castle are invited to participate in jousting tournaments held on the extensive castle grounds, and the coaching inn provides dinners with lavish medieval treats accompanied by a stylized medieval program featuring jesters and musicians.

Tourists can visit the arresting cell in the tower on the cliff with an observation terrace. You can visit the wine cellar, where the Nazis conducted their secret magic rituals. In the castle courtyard is the deepest well in all of Europe, where the Nazi archive was found. The Masonic past of this castle attracts special attention with its rituals. Also in the premises of the Zbirog castle is the medieval tavern of Rudolf ll – it is endowed with the atmosphere of the past time, medieval interior and fine cuisine.

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You can even have a wedding in Zbirog Castle. The wedding ceremony can be held in several places: in the chapel of the Virgin Mary, in one of the historic halls or in a gazebo in the courtyard of the castle. Zbirog will provide an unforgettable wedding program with a luxurious banquet in the castle halls, where the spirit of the Middle Ages is harmoniously combined with the comfort of modernity.

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And of course we cannot fail to mention that Zbirog is a castle-hotel. Moreover, it is a high-class hotel. The rooms of the castle have been reconstructed into magnificent rooms, the interior of which is in medieval style – beautiful antique furniture, classical and gothic interior elements. However, you should not be afraid to stay without TV, internet or the usual bathroom. Modern conveniences have been successfully incorporated by designers into the antique interior.

You can book a room in Zbirog Castle by clicking here.

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It is worth noting that the castle is still used by Freemasons “for its intended purpose”: on days when there are no tourists here, they hold their ceremonies in Zbirog.

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History of Zbirog Castle

Zbiroh Castle is located in western Bohemia, near the town of Rokycany, or Rokycany. There is a legend about its appearance on this site. It says that in the first half of the 13th century a man named Zbynek Zajc went hunting with his party. The party got lost and had to spend the night on a hilltop. When Zbynek and his men woke up in the morning, they found a lot of antlers around them. Zbynek ordered to collect them and build a castle on this place. The name “Zbírog” comes from the words “sbírat rohy”, which means “to collect antlers.”

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The first mention of the Romanesque castle is found in documents dating back to 1230. One of its first owners was King Přemysl Otokar II of Bohemia. In the 14th century the castle passed to the Rosenberg family, and in the 15th century to the Kolowrats, who rebuilt it in the late Gothic style. In the second half of the 16th century, the Zbiroh castle was taken over by the Lobkowitz family, who rebuilt it again. However, in the early 17th century, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II confiscated the castle, which subsequently became a prison for high-ranking prisoners.

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In the second half of the 19th century, Zbirog came into the ownership of the large industrialist Baron Bethel Henry Strausberg. The new owner commissioned the architect August Ort to rebuild the castle in the spirit of the Neo-Renaissance. However, Strausberg soon went bankrupt and Zbirog was auctioned off. It was purchased by the Colloredo-Mansfeld family. Their representatives, who had owned the castle before the Second World War, rented out Zbirog. One of the tenants was Alphonse Mucha, a famous Czech painter, illustrator and jewelry designer who worked here on the cycle of paintings “Slavic Epic.”

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During World War II, the castle housed the main headquarters of the SS. Many high-ranking officers of this paramilitary formation were Freemasons. After the end of World War II and until 1997 the castle belonged to the military department. It housed a radar station. After the reconstruction completed in 2004, the Zbirog Castle became a tourist attraction.

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In the post-war period, the castle was home to a Warsaw Pact radar station. After the military services left Zbirog in the 1990s, the castle became the property of the town. The city authorities, in turn, reconstructed the castle and opened it as a tourist center with a museum of medieval objects.

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Castle surroundings

Nearby Zbirog Castle there are a huge number of sights that are also worth seeing. Among these sights we can mention – Krivoklat Castle, which was built by Wroclaw I. This castle was burned several times by fires, which destroyed it almost to the ground. Krivoklat is happy to offer its tourists festivals, fairs, etc.

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The second important attraction, located 28 km from Zbiroh, is the Plasy Monastery. This monastery was founded in the 12th century, destroyed in the 15th century and then rebuilt and reconstructed in the 17th century. In this monastery you will see various underground passages, as well as a chapel that is decorated with frescoes painted by great masters in the XIII century.

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Another attraction that deserves the attention of tourists is the ruins of the ruined castle Tochnik. This castle once represented one of the most beautiful places in Prague. In addition, the son of King Charles IV often stayed here during his travels.

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Opening hours

You can visit the castle both in summer and winter. It is open to tourists all year round. Its opening hours are from 10:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday the castle starts its work from 11:00 to 17:00. This time of visiting the castle is designed for excursions in winter and fall. From April until August, the Zbiroh Castle is open from 11:00 to 23:00 at night.

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Excursions

A bus tour to Zbirog Castle with dinner and a folklore medieval program costs 60 euros for an adult and 45 euros for a child.

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Ticket prices

If you would like to visit the castle and limit yourself to a simple sightseeing tour of the castle, it costs 60 CZK for an adult and 40 CZK for a child. There are also discounts for pensioners, disabled people, students and children up to 15 years old – 40 kronor. For children under 6 years old, a ticket costs 5 kronor.

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How to get there

Address: Zámek 1, 338 08 Zbiroh, Czech Republic.Phone: 371 784 598GPS: 49.858333,13.762222

By train

You can get to the castle from Prague from the main railway station, located at the Hlavni nadrazi metro station in the city center near Wenceslas Square, by train with one change of direction to Beroun. There are frequent trains from Hlavni nadrazi main station to Beroun.

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The departure times are as follows: 8:26, 9:26, 11:26 and 12:26. Back from this city they depart at 13:57, 14:57, 15:57, 16:57 and so on until 23:57.

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Having made a change at Beroun, it is necessary to change to a train going from Prague to Munich. Two trains pass through Beroun daily in this direction. From Prague they arrive in the morning and from Munich in the afternoon. The timetable of these trains depends on the time of year. Therefore, it is better to check the train schedule at the main station in Prague. The journey to the castle lasts about an hour and a half, and will cost you such a trip with transfers one way about 70 Czech crowns.

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By car

If you decide to make your own way by car, you need to take highway E 50 in the direction of Plzen. After passing the town of Beroun, you will have to travel another 30 kilometers along this highway towards the small town of Zbiroh, where Zbiroh Castle is located.