Dobřenice - Chateau

The Neo-Classical Chateau Dobřenice can be found in the village of Dobřenice approximately 15 km southwest of Hradec Králové. The chateau has been listed as a cultural monument since 1964. The first mention of Dobřenice dates back to 1339. In 1538 Vilém Dobřenský of Dobřenice, who fell into considerable debt, sold the fortified manor house to Mareš Dobřenský of Dobřenice. This is the first report about the Dobřenice manor house.

At the beginning of the 17th century Dobřenice was owned by Jan the Elder Dobřenský of Dobřenice. For his participation in the uprising of the Bohemian Estates he was sentenced to forfeiture of half of his property and Dobřenice was sold to Albrecht of Wallenstein in 1623. He sold it to Alžběta of Vchynice in the same year, and after her death Dobřenice was inherited by her son Jan Oktavián of Vchynice and of Tetov, who was forced to sell it to Karel Kunata Dobřenský of Dobřenice na Vorli as he was in debt.

At that time, however, the local manor house was already completely derelict. Only a part of the walls of the former fortified manor house had been preserved, as well as two cellars. In 1672 Karel Kunata, also in debt, had to hand over the desolate manor house with a farmyard and the village to Anna Kateřina Plotová, born in Binau, who sold Dobřenice in 1675 to Jindřich Rudolf Odkolek of Újezdec, Governor of the Hradec Králové region. In 1693 Bohuchval Jaroslav Dobřenský of Dobřenice a na Nesytě bought Dobřenice. It was probably his uncle Ferdinand Rudolf Dobřenský of Dobřenice who, in the location of the former manor house, built a Baroque chateau after the year 1693. In 1734 Václav Petr Dobřenský of Dobřenice took over Dobřenice and had the chateau rebuilt in 1740. In 1861 the Dobřenice estate was bought at auction by Josef and Julie Kraus from Pardubice, who resold it to Baron Karel Daniel Weinrich in 1862. He had part of the chateau, damaged by a fire in 1860, demolished and built a pseudo-Classical, one-story building in its place. In 1875 the adjacent English landscape garden was also renovated, designed by prominent architect Eduard Petzold. The rest of the original chateau was radically rebuilt in 1900 and in 1916 the southern annex with a semicircular risalit was built.

In 1928 the whole Dobřenice estate was purchased by JUDr. Karl Loevenstein, the chairman of the board of directors of the Škoda works in Pilsen. Two years after his death in 1938, German forced administration was imposed on the farm. In 1945 the whole property was returned to the Loevenstein family, but it was nationalized shortly thereafter in 1948 and used as a state farm for more than 40 years. In 1993 the entire estate was restituted by Karla Katschner, Karel Loevenstein‘s daughter. In 1995 a gradual reconstruction of the buildings began, which continues to this day under the care of Karla Katschner‘s son Rodrigo and his wife Colette.

Today, the chateau is used for commercial purposes, mainly weddings, but also concerts and private events. In the future, the establishment of a B&B hotel is being considered. Stables are being renovated and due care is also being given to the English landscape garden. The garden has many valuable ancient trees and offers beautiful views of the chateau and the adjacent ponds.

Dobřenice - Chateau

  • Adress: Dobřenice 122, 503 25 Dobřenice
  • GSM: +420 603 143 199
  • Phone:
  • E-mail: zamekdobrenice@gmail.com
  • Website: www.zamekdobrenice.cz