Kovanice Chateau Audio guide

The history of the residence

The Kovanice Chateau stands on the site of an older manor fortress, which is mentioned in sources as early as the thirteenth century. In the Middle Ages, a number of minor noble owners came and went here, reflecting the conditions in the Elbe Lowlands, where properties were often divided, sold, and merged again. The present form of the residence began to take shape after 1585, when Václav Březský of Ploskovice bought the estate and rebuilt the old fortress into a Renaissance chateau.

In the following decades, the owners changed rapidly. Among the holders were the Kaplíř family of Sulevice, the Bubna family of Litice, and the Morzin family. During the seventeenth century, the chateau was remodeled in the Baroque style, which gave the complex its present appearance. The interiors were later altered as well, especially in the Rococo spirit.

The appearance of the complex

The surviving main building is two stories high, has twelve window bays, and facades divided by Baroque cornices. A striking feature is the rusticated semicircular portal and the arcaded courtyard. Inside, cross vaults, parts of Renaissance structures, and Rococo ceiling mirrors have survived. The monument protection also includes the enclosing wall with a pillar gate.

Later history

The chateau was also affected by the wider history of the region. In 1744, it was plundered by Prussian troops during the War of the Austrian Succession. In the nineteenth century it lost its role as a residence, and after 1854 it even served as a school. Today it is a valuable witness to the transformation of a rural noble seat from a Gothic fortress through a Renaissance residence to a Baroque remodeled chateau.