Zleby: Castle, Landscape Park and Game Reserve

During a stay in Zleby, you can focus on different things: castle history, landscapes and wildlife watching. The castle tours cover different rooms and periods; the park, a waymarked hiking trail and the game reserve offer other options for planning your trip. If you are looking for a hotel in Zleby, consider in advance which of these topics interests you most.

Landscape Park and Hiking Trail

The English-style landscape park at Žleby covers approximately 24 hectares. Its layout incorporates the steep slope below the castle and the canyon-like meander of the Doubrava. This means that both the grounds around the castle and the distinctive bend in the river form part of the park’s landscape. If you would rather plan your trip around a waymarked route, you can follow the red-marked hiking trail. It leads from Žleby via Ronov nad Doubravou, Žlebské Chvalovice, Krkanka and Rudov to the ruins of Lichnice Castle. Trail markings and conditions can change; check both before setting out.

Žleby Castle: Three Different Tours

Žleby Castle is first mentioned in 1289. The Gothic castle was probably founded by the Lords of Lichtenburg. The tours focus on different aspects: “The Charm of a Romantic Chateau” takes visitors through reception rooms and romantic interiors. These include an armoury with a notable collection of weapons and armour, a Renaissance arcade courtyard with galleries, and the historic castle kitchen, with rooms for kitchen work and food preparation.

“Life at the Chateau” focuses on the life of the Auersperg family: the tour includes their private salons, bedrooms and studies, servants’ quarters, historic hygiene facilities, and the Chapel of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. “A Castle Born from a Fortress” offers a different perspective, with the Great Tower and access to a viewing walkway, romantic chambers, cellars and the lower level of the medieval castle. The tour content and access arrangements may change. Check the current programme before your trip; when choosing a tour, consider whether you are more interested in reception rooms, family life or the medieval castle areas.

White Deer and Birds of Prey

The Žleby Game Reserve is open to the public. There, you can watch a tame herd of white deer being fed from a distance of 15 metres. Flying displays featuring birds of prey and owls are also offered; whether a display takes place during your visit depends on the programme. Guided tours give visitors the opportunity to get closer to the animals. Feeding-time observation, flying displays and guided tours therefore offer three different ways to experience the wildlife of the game reserve.

Churches, Chapels and Other Monuments

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Žleby is a Renaissance building dating from 1540, altered in the 19th century. A separate, two-storey Neo-Renaissance Auersperg burial chapel dating from 1822 stands directly in front of the centre of its western façade. The church and burial chapel are protected monuments. The bell tower offers another architectural detail: it stands on a terrace above the right bank of the Doubrava and has an upper storey clad in boards.

The Chapel of the Holy Trinity, west of Žleby in the direction of Markovice, is also a cultural monument. The small, plastered brick chapel has a rectangular ground plan. The year 1867 appears on it, with 1976, the year it was restored, engraved below. The front niche contains a mural of the Holy Trinity. The Marian Column is also a cultural monument. Together with the church, burial chapel and bell tower, these buildings represent several distinct aspects of Žleby’s cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Hostovlice, Miskovice, Potěhy, Řendějov, Mocovice, Zbýšov, Červené Janovice, Šebestěnice

For the overview of the wider area: Kutná Hora District.