Nelahozeves Castle

A hidden gem, the monumental castle of Nelahozeves, one of Bohemia’s finest Renaissance castles, is located in a small village of the same name, approximately 15 miles north of Prague on the Vltava (Moldau) river, known also as the birthplace of the great Czech composer, Antonín Dvořák.

Just 45 minutes by train from Prague, this unspoilt, quiet village boasts two major attractions - the Castle and the birthplace of composer Antonin Dvorak.
You notice Nelahozeves castle the second you step off the train. A late Renaissance building, resting on a gentle slope and rising five stories high, it is adorned with simple yet elegant sgraffito figures and reached by way of an arched stone bridge spanning a dry, grassy moat.

The Castle has survived the Nazis and the Communists and holds a fascinating collection of paintings, furniture, porcelain, as well as medieval wall paintings.

Of the castle interiors, the most noteworthy are the south facing Arcade Hall on the first floor and a magnificent room with a very well-preserved Renaissance interior dating back to 1564 - the Knight’s Hall. The fine art galleries are located on the first and second floors and include three family portrait rooms, a majolica room, a room devoted to Beethoven memorabilia, and a dining room as well as the stunning 'Knight's Hall' with its massive stone fireplace, it is decorated with frescoes of larger-than-life military figures. The Lobkowicz family's wonderful "Roudnice" collection of paintings, consisting of works by Velasquez, Cranach, Rubens, Veronese and Breughel among others, provides a major attraction for visitors. Some of the collection moved this year to the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague, but this does not diminish the collection still housed at Nelahozeves.

Nelahozeves is an example of the castello fortezza, a style deemed very modern around 1550. The construction continued until the beginning of the 17th century. In 1623 the Castle was sell to Princess Polyxena Lobkowicz, whose family have owned the castle ever since. During the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) the castle was ransacked several times. Since the second half of the 1960’s, the exterior of the castle was maintained and during the late 1970’s and 80’s, the Czech Regional Gallery used Nelahozeves Castle to house modern "socialist" art, as well as some of the Lobkowicz painting collections. The castle was returned to the Lobkowicz family in 1993.

The guided tour provides an insight into the Lobkowicz family story, and details of many of the artefacts in the Castle.

HOW TO GET THERE
From the Prague City Center by train to Nelahozeves Castle (40 minutes).
Line 091 from Masaryk Train Station to "Nelahozeves – zámek"

By car from the Prague City Center (25 minutes):
Drive North on Highway E55 toward Teplice and Dresden. Take EXIT 9 for Kralupy. At the end of the exit, turn right back over the highway.

At the next intersection, turn right. Proceed approximately 6 km, passing through Veltrusy, then turn left just after the bridge that crosses the Vltava River. Stay on this road to the castle (3 km).

Nelahozeves Castle is open all year round (except Mondays) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last tour begins at 4:00 p.m.

More information :
http://www.lobkowiczevents.cz/nc/index.html

Many Prague guidebooks simply don't mention Nelahozeves - but they should as it's definitely one of Bohemia's hidden gems.