Jindřichův Hradec Castle

The castle's origins trace back to the 10th century, when a fortress likely emerged on an embankment above the confluence of the Hamerský potok and Nežárka streams. It was first mentioned in 1220 as “Novum castrum” under Henry I of Neuhaus, the founder of a Witigonen family branch. By 1259, the oldest parts, such as the keep, a Romanesque-Gothic palace, and the Holy Spirit Chapel, were constructed. In 1338, remarkable German-inscribed wall paintings depicting the St. George legend, as well as founders and nobles, were created. In the 16th century, under Joachim and Adam II of Neuhaus, the castle underwent extensive reconstruction into a magnificent Renaissance palace, with the late Gothic palace integrated into the so-called Spanish Wing. Particularly noteworthy are the arcades and the Rondell, completed in 1596, a masterpiece of Bohemian Renaissance architecture. After the male line of the Lords of Neuhaus died out, ownership passed to the Slavata family and later, in 1693, to the Czernin of Chudenitz family. A fire in 1773 destroyed large parts of the complex. Eugen Czernin of Chudenitz played a crucial role in its restoration, rediscovering the St. George cycle in 1838. After 1945, the castle was nationalized and underwent extensive renovation between 1976 and 1993.

Jindřichův Hradec Castle is situated in the town of Jindřichův Hradec in the Jihočeský kraj (South Bohemian Region) in the Jihozápad (Southwest) region of the Czech Republic, at an elevation of approximately 467 m above sea level.

Today, Jindřichův Hradec Castle is accessible to visitors and can be toured. It houses valuable interiors, a painting gallery, and Bohemia's second-largest noble archive.

• Landštejn Castle Ruin (Landstein Castle), approx. 21.3 km away
• Litschau Castle, approx. 22.1 km away
• Illmau Castle, approx. 28.7 km away
• Großtaxen Castle, approx. 29.4 km away