Litomyšl Chateau

When you look at the facades adorned with rich sgraffito decoration featuring scrollwork motifs, you will immediately recognize the influence of Italian construction, which the Pernštejns had adapted here in the 16th century for their family seat. The three-sided arcaded courtyard is complemented by interiors with Baroque and Classicist painting in the style of Louis the Sixteenth, as well as a unique chateau theatre with preserved functional stage machinery and historical scenery. The extensive complex, divided into a state section with the chateau and gardens and a municipal section with a brewery and riding hall, has been a national cultural monument since 1962 and a UNESCO monument since 1999. The chateau administration offers tour circuits with ceremonial halls, a chapel, and guest rooms, and within the complex you can also visit the Municipal Gallery, the birthplace of Bedřich Smetana, or the cellar with sculptures by Olbram Zoubek and the Heart for Václav Havel. The entire atmosphere of this historical place is completed by the traditional opera festival Smetanova Litomyšl, which has been held here since 1949.