As a phoenix rising from the ashes…

Decades of neglect, nationalization, fatal floods, and the complexity of approving the reconstruction of a historical building by 21st-century standards… the fate of Mitrowicz Castle, previously known as Koloděje Castle over Lužnice, has not always been simple during its long and rich history. Nevertheless, new life was breathed into it, allowing it to open to the public for the very first time in 2016...

The history of Mitrowicz Castle dates back to 1565, when it was built as a small noble residence. In 1704, the castle came into the possession of Count František Wratislav of Mitrowicz, who had the greatest merit for its current appearance. In the 1940s, the castle and the entire area were nationalized, and they were returned to the heirs only several decades later as part of the restitution process. Since 2008, the owner of the castle has been the Mitrowicz joint-stock company, which has overseen its complete sensitive reconstruction lasting almost ten years. In return, it was awarded in the TOP Destinations of the Czech Republic competition organized by the state organization Czech Tourism, in the Phoenix category as a completely restored monument.

In the Spirit of Tradition...

Decades of neglect and fatal floods that significantly disrupted the statics of the historic building… these were the main problems that contributed to the emergency condition of the castle and the surrounding area. "Two years before the reconstruction began, drainage and drying of the buildings started. This was followed by construction-historical surveys and preparation of project documentation, including negotiations with heritage conservators," recalls Michal Bedřich, manager of the Mitrowicz company, and MgA. Albert Pražák from the Labor 13 studio, which took on the reconstruction design, adds: "We approached the reconstruction very traditionally and conservatively. We worked almost exclusively with natural materials corresponding to the era in which the castle was built, namely wood, stone, and stucco, and we tried to transform their original use into modern forms."

The reconstruction of the castle itself began with the basement, which previously served as a black kitchen. This function has been preserved to this day, where we find a fully equipped kitchen, a restaurant, and technical facilities. Complications in the entire building involved the plaster, the poor condition of which was affected by the omnipresent humidity, a consequence of the floods of 2002. "After careful selection, we chose the technology of Remmers. Initially, a so-called sacrificial plaster was applied to the walls for one month, which drew all impurities, particularly soot from the black kitchen, from the walls and was then scraped off. Seven special layers of coatings were subsequently used up to the final plaster," describes Michal Bedřich.

The first floor of the castle offers a total of nine representative rooms, where extensive restoration work was carried out by students of the Higher Vocational School of Restoration in Písek under the guidance of its director. Not only were the frescoes on the walls restored, but also the floor. However, only a part of the original baroque parquet was salvaged. The rest was replaced with faithful replicas. Electrical sockets are recessed into the floor throughout the entire first floor, as is the heating, where a solution of underfloor fan coils was implemented to avoid disturbing the historic appearance of the castle's spaces.

From the original inventory, only nine tiled stoves have survived in the castle, which are now mainly located on the second floor, which offers part of the accommodation capacities. "The bathrooms in the individual apartments are uniquely designed as built-in boxes, freely inserted into the space. This architecturally interesting solution minimizes construction interventions in the historically valuable masonry," describes MgA. Albert Pražák from Labor 13, adding: "The walls of these inserted segments also have another function - hot water circulates through them using Rehau panels, thus contributing to the heating of the room alongside the restored and electrified tiled stoves."

The castle also includes the Chapel of St. Anne and the building of the former brewery, where the information center is located in the basement, and the remainder of the accommodation capacities is found on the first floor. From the remains of the barn at the rear of the property, the outer masonry was preserved and reconstructed, creating an open space for seasonal outdoor events. Near this barn, there are public toilets, whose concept is similar to the bathroom solutions in the castle's accommodations – they consist of individually inserted segments freely placed in the space.

Blacksmith's Accents...

The entire interior of the castle complex connects black accents and an industrial style that draws inspiration from the former brewery building and the blacksmithing work that was often done here in the past. These elements are repeated not only on the staircase but also around the door frames and door fittings provided by the Czech company M&T. "We selected M&T handles for this realization based on previous positive experiences. Moreover, we greatly value that these are products from the Czech Republic," states MgA. Albert Pražák from Labor 13, continuing: "Specifically, we chose three models – ENTERO, TERRY, and LUSY, which intertwine in various interiors. The ENTERO model was chosen for the doors in the accommodation rooms in the castle, while TERRY handles were used in the second part of the accommodation capacities in the former brewery building and also in the park toilets." The ENTERO and TERRY handles were chosen with a black matte titanium finish. "The titanium finish is applied to the fittings using a special technology of physical vapor deposition by plasma discharge. This is not a spray or coating, but a special technology that applies a hard metal thin layer that perfectly adheres to the basic substrate material," states Roman Ulich, chief designer of M&T, a Czech manufacturer of designer door fittings, adding: "The surface of the handle is highly resistant to abrasion and scratching, and moreover, it is chemically and color-stable, so the black color will not fade even after years of use."

The Castle Park

The spacious park belonging to the castle offers visitors beautiful views and quality relaxation. The authors of the design for Mitrowicz Castle's garden are landscape architects Ferdinand Leffler and Anna Chomjaková in cooperation with the Flera studio. "Concepts of castle gardens are usually formal and ornamental. In the Mitrowicz Castle complex, we aimed to connect beauty and function together – we preserved the nobility of the place, but added nooks and experiences for the contemporary person," explains landscape architect Ferdinand Leffler, listing: "Around fifty new trees and more than eight thousand plants were planted here. The places with the best views of the castle were identified, where ambient seating was placed under the tree crowns. The kitchen garden was complemented with a nice greenhouse and raised beds with herbs. There are also subtle attractions for children. A fruit orchard with a view of the entire complex and the nearby river is located on the rock next to the castle. In 2019, we also completed a natural swimming pond in the park." The park functions naturally, and thanks to a good concept, it does not require demanding maintenance. Currently, one person takes care of it.

Technical Data

Usable area: nearly 2,000 m²
Built-up area: 1,450 m²
Implementation: 2008-2016
Door fittings: M&T (www.kliky-mt.cz)
Landscape architects: Ferdinand Leffler and Anna Chomjaková, Atelier Flera, www.flera.cz
Architect: MgA. Albert Pražák, Labor 13, www.labor13.cz