History

Welcome to the magical location of Vysočina.  At your disposal is one of the most beautiful Czech chateaus and romantic historical objects in the Czech Republic – national cultural monument Chateau Herálec.  Its red towers with battlements have dominated the countryside for more than four centuries.  It is like an antique pure silver jewel, that was mined here for ages…

• The walls of Chateau Herálec are dated back to the 13^th century.  This means that they remember events older than 800 years.
• The first reference of village Herálec is in a 1226 document from Pope Honoria III.  Then it belonged to the Želivský Monastir.
• The local estate was briefly owned by Jindřich of Rožmberk, who swapped it in 1307 with Prague bishop Jan IV of Dražice.  Archbishops owned this until the Protestant wars.  After which, it was obtained by Trčkas from Lípa, one of the most powerful clans in Czech Republic.
• This confirms that Chateau Herálec stands at the place of a middle-age fortress. Later in 1559, it was enlarged by spacious residential building.
• The last of the Trčka’s,  Kryštof Jaroslav Trčka from Lípa, sold Herálec to Kryštof Karel from Roupov in 1601, who changed this after several decades into a two-floor mansion with three rounded towers.
• Valdštejn’s general Filip Adam, Count of Solms, bought the chateau as well as the estate in 1623.  After his death, during the time of Josefína of Solms, the castle lost its Renaissance outlook and its original furnishings due to a devastating fire.
• In 1708 the estate was purchased by sir Michal Achác von Kirchner.  He has established a chapel in the Herálec chateau, wherein lies a beautiful oratory.
• In 1817, the chateau was owned by Terezie Trautmannsdorf, and her son Jan Nepomuk z Trautmannsdorf has inherited the estate after her in 1838.  At his request, the chateau was changed to the new-gothic style, more or less a  modern-day romantic outlook including a tower, battlements, and beautiful facade.
• In 1861, B. Waschmann altered it to look more Gothic.
• In 1945, the chateau was confiscated, and an enterprise Czechoslovak textile factories were established here.
• In 1951, there was a textile school here, and after 1958, the property was used for a special education school with dormitories.
• The Kaspers have owned the castle since 2004. They had the devastated chateau completely renovated. Extensive reconstruction of this historic and monumental masterpiece started in 2009, took 2.5 years, and was completed in August 2011. It was co-financed by the European Union, through ROP Jihovýchod.  The modern and historic details in the most up to date equipment are embedded into the chateau amenities and generous open spaces, this returned the luxury of the rooms and exquisite charm of the common spaces. The Chateau is honored to have had this opportunity to achieve its new dignified existence as a five-star Boutique Hotel & Spa by L´Occitane.