According to legend, the castle was founded in the 2nd half of the 11th century as a refuge for hunters, later it served as a well-protected water fortress. The most important ruling families were the Tovačovský of Cimburk and the Pernštejn family. The complex of buildings of the forecourt, defensive ramparts and the castle park belong to the complex. During the one-hour tour you will see many Renaissance and Baroque interiors. Probably the most interesting is the unique staircase, which was built in the style of the Vienna Opera, as well as the Assembly Hall and the Knights' Hall with its vaulted ceiling with frescoes. Other notable features include the original octagonal castle chapel, whose dome rises to an impressive height of 17 metres. The interiors feature a sample of the living quarters of the last owners of the castle, the Gutmann family (you will also see the toilets and bathrooms).

What else can you see in the castle?

Expositions and exhibitions dedicated to: the history and construction development of the castle, Ctibor Tovačovský of Cimburk, the Battle of Tovačov in 1866, archaeology, ethnography and other interesting things. The castle is shrouded in the mysterious legend of the Black Lady, who appears from time to time and looks for her children in the Black Garden. The site is a former castle cemetery and there is a crypt at a depth of about 8 m that has not yet been explored.

A castle or a chateau?

Today's castle has a four-winged layout around an irregular courtyard. All the buildings differ from each other not only in height, but also in appearance and, above all, in the period of construction. Here we can see a showcase of four building styles - Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Renaissance. To the medieval core, Ctibor Tovačovský added a 96 m high slender tower, the so-called Spanila tower. From the ground floor of the tower, the courtyard is entered through a unique portal, which is described as the oldest Italian Renaissance work in the country. Near the portal you will find a stone model of Tovačov from the period when it was only a castle. The Pernštejn family built the eastern wing and also started to modify the southern wing. In the Baroque period, an octagonal chapel was built in the north wing.

A little bit of history

On the site of today's castle there used to be a fortress, which was first mentioned in 1321 as the property of King John of Luxembourg. In 1327, the Tovačov family of Cimburk took over the estate and held it until 1503, when they died out by the sword. During their reign, a Gothic reconstruction took place in the form of a castle fortified with ramparts and corner bastions. During the Hussite Wars, Tovačov Castle was one of the most prominent Hussite strongholds in Moravia. In 1503, Tovačov was bought by the Lords of Pernštejn, who took care of the transformation of the castle into a massive early Renaissance fortress, which at the same time met the contemporary requirements for comfortable living. In 1597 Tovačov was bought by the Hungarian nobleman Štěpán Illésházy. However, he subsequently sold Tovačov to the Counts of Salm-Neuburg, who owned it until 1715 and made alterations to the castle. After the Salm-Neuburg family, several families took over the possession of Tovačov. The last owners were the Gutmanns, who carried out building alterations in the Neo-Renaissance style. After World War II, Tovačov Castle passed into the hands of the state.

Tips for you

You can of course get to Tovačov by car (parking is in the centre), but you can also use public transport. There are buses from many of the larger surrounding towns (Olomouc, Kojetín, Kroměříž and Prostějov). Although there used to be a train service here in the past, nowadays trains only come here on special occasions as part of so-called nostalgia rides.

What else can you see in Tovačov besides the castle?

The Haná Museum, the Jewish monuments and also the Tovačov Ponds and Tovačov Lakes (you can also swim in the Annín Lake).