Old Castle

Property Description

The Starosedlský Hrádek (Old Castle) is situated on a lake shore in a picturesque rustic setting in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Built originally in the 14th century, the castle has been rebuilt twice throughout its history and in its present appearance the complex exists since 1669. The castle has had several changes of its owners and at different times belonged to the local aristocracy, the Catholic Jesuit society (which used the castle as their summer residence) and a well-known Austrian aristocratic family of Schwarzenbergs .

The early baroque style has left its touch on the external appearance of the castle as well as on its structure, such as the meter-thick walls, massive oak beams and arch ceilings. The medieval influence is felt throughout; from the castle basement, where the conditions are perfect for storing wine, to the lawn in front of the central building where is a 15m well adorned with decorative metalwork.
In 1999 the castle underwent a complex reconstruction and was turned into a luxury hotel. During this restoration, handmade mahogany furniture was shipped in to furnish each room to the highest standard.

The castle is located in a low hill district near a village with 200 residents who are mainly occupied with agriculture. The region is free from factories and has mild climate with moderate summer and winter temperatures. The lake was created in the 15th century to be used for fish breeding, and is still used for these purposes – it’s inhabited by a vast quantity of carp. The owners of the castle have a right to fish in the lake; there are pathways leading from the castle down to the lake and along the shore. The forest that surrounds the lake is inhabited by deer, boars and wild goats.

When it was still used as a hotel, the castle was rented out completely for 13-14 weekends a year by aristocratic families from Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland that used it as their base for hunting in the nearby forests. The King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, joined the hunting partiy on one of these weekends.