Kozel Castle

Kozel – Hunting Lodge and official country residence in the pure Classicism style built in the 2nd part of the 18th century by the Senior Master of Hounds of the Czech Kingdom , Jan Vojtěch Černín z Chudenic, who lived at the court of Emperor Josef II.

The project and the construction of the main castle building were executed by architect Václav Haberditz from Prague . Five years later, J. V. Černín had the residence enlarged by The Castle Chapel, The Riding Hall, The Stable and The Lackeys’ Rooms. The project and plans were made by the excellent architect Ignác Jan Nepomuk Palliardi from Prague . His work made the castle area an integral and ingeniously enclosed complex.

Interior decorations of the castle were mainly created by Antonín Tuvora, painter and decorator, who used al secco technique to decorate the walls of most of the salons. The furniture represents a unique example of arts and crafts of Rococo and Classicism periods. The castle shelters the so called “Stadionska Library” as a part of the largest library – the library of the National Museum in Prague . The castle is surrounded by a large natural countryside park with lots of exotic trees imported from the whole world.

After Jan Vojtěch Černín had died, the Domain of Šťáhlavy was inherited by the House of Valdštejn who kept this propriety until 1945 when the castle was confiscated and passed to the administration of the Czech State .