Klenová: Castle and Art History

The castle and château in Klenová combine medieval origins with a later château building and a range of art offerings. The area’s cultural profile can be explored from several perspectives: architectural history, collection displays, seasonal exhibitions and sculptures. If you would like to focus on a particular theme during your stay, you will find both traces of the past and different forms of visual art here.

Castle and Château: Several Building Phases

The origins of Klenová Castle date to the second half of the 13th century. One distinctive feature of the complex is the moat, which survives around almost the entire castle. In front of the château, the moat was filled in during the 1830s. This exception can be placed in its historical context without losing sight of the surviving moat around the rest of the castle.

In the 19th century, Count Joseph Philip Edward Stadion-Warthausen and Thannhausen had a château built in the area of Klenová’s southern fortifications. The western part of the château was designed in the Neo-Gothic style. This Neo-Gothic design is considered one of the very early examples of the style’s use in Bohemia. The building history therefore includes several distinct points of reference: the castle’s origins, dated to the 13th century; the château built in the 19th century; and the separate alteration of the moat in front of the château in the 1830s.

Art, Historic Interiors and the Chapel

The permanent exhibition at Klenová Château presents modern Czech art from the gallery’s collection in four salons. It also includes historic furniture and 19th-century interiors. Modern artworks are thus displayed alongside rooms whose furnishings also have a historical connection. The works on display may change, but the exhibition brings together two clearly distinct themes: modern Czech art and the living and interior-design culture of the 19th century.

Another historical highlight is the “Stadionská” Chapel. It is notable in Bohemia for its preserved interior, which was not altered at a later date. The restored chapel reopened to visitors on 1 April 2017 as part of a guided tour with commentary. If you are planning a visit, please check the current arrangements for guided tours.

Seasonal Exhibitions in the Granary

At the beginning of each exhibition season, the recurring “Cesta” exhibition at the granary gives children a space to present their work. Visitors vote for one work. In addition, a panel of art historians from the gallery and visual artists awards the best creators gold, silver and bronze palettes. The format thus combines a public vote with an award from an expert jury.

Two recurring exhibitions are also held at the granary each year: “Contacts” in the first half of the year and the “START POINT PRIZE” in the second half. By comparison, “Cesta” focuses on children’s work at the beginning of the exhibition season, while “Contacts” and the “START POINT PRIZE” are tied to their respective times of year. Check the current dates and programme details before your visit.

Sculpture Park in the Castle Grounds

The sculpture park in the castle grounds features works by Vincenc Vingler, Jiří Seifert, Jaroslav Róna, Václav Fiala, Márius Kotrba and Anton Čierny. These names give a concrete sense of the range of artists represented there. The park complements the art in the château rooms with another form of presentation; individual works may change. Together, the exhibitions, seasonal programmes and sculpture park offer different ways to experience art in Klenová, while the moat, château and chapel shape the destination’s historical themes.

Discover more destinations: Tužice, Sveradice, Žichovice, Nalžovské Hory, Ostruzno, Ujčín, Červené Poříčí, Běhařov.

See the wider travel overview: Klatovy District.