Vranov nad Dyjí Chateau

The castle's origins date back to the 11th century when Duke Břetislav I had a princely castle built here for defense against Austria. The complex was first mentioned in a document around the year 1100. Over the centuries, ownership changed frequently, including noble families such as the Lords of Leipa, Lichtenburg, and Boskowitz. In 1614, Wolf Dietrich von Althann acquired the castle, but after the Estates' Uprising and the Battle of White Mountain, his property was confiscated. From 1680, under Imperial Count Michael Johann von Althann, the medieval castle began its transformation into a magnificent Baroque palace. The plans for this came from the renowned Viennese court architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. Between 1687 and 1695, among other things, the oval Ancestral Hall with its imposing dome was created, with frescoes by Johann Michael Rottmayr and statues by Tobias Kracker. The Holy Trinity Castle Chapel, which also houses the Althann family crypt, was completed around 1699–1700. Later 18th-century alterations, including the three-winged castle building, were realized under Maria Anna von Althann, née Pignatelli, based on designs by Anton Erhard Martinelli. In the 19th century, further changes in the Neo-Gothic style occurred, and the castle served as a cultural center. After expropriation during the Protectorate period and after World War II, the castle became state property and underwent extensive renovation in the 1970s.

Vranov nad Dyjí Castle is located in the municipality of Vranov nad Dyjí in the Znojmo district, Moravia, in the South Bohemian Region (Jihočeský kraj) in the Southwest region (Jihozápad) of the Czech Republic. It stands at an elevation of approximately 394 meters above sea level.

Visitors can tour the castle today. In addition to the impressive Ancestral Hall and the castle chapel, other rooms are accessible, furnished with original interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries. Exhibits from the local ceramic manufactory are also displayed.

• Riegersburg Castle (Castle), approx. 5.1 km away
• Hardegg Castle (Castle), approx. 5.5 km away
• Cornštejn Castle Ruin (Castle), approx. 8.4 km away
• Frejštejn Castle Ruin (Castle), approx. 9.2 km away