Ploskovice: Castle, Park and History

Ploskovice combines castle history with an expansive park landscape. At its heart is Ploskovice Castle: its history, the grotto tour and the eight-hectare castle park offer different highlights for a visit. When planning your trip, bear in mind that the park’s opening hours vary by season, and access to the grottoes and tour times may change. You can then decide whether to focus your stay primarily on architecture, history, or the paths and nature themes in the park.

Ploskovice Castle and its history

Ploskovice Castle was built in the first quarter of the 18th century as the summer residence of Grand Duchess Anna Marie Františka of Tuscany. In the mid-19th century, it became the private residence of Emperor Ferdinand V of Habsburg. These two uses mark distinct chapters in the castle’s history. Its decoration is also part of that story: Josef Navrátil, one of the most important Czech painters and decorators of the 19th century, played a major role in it.

A special part of the complex is the grotto system, which comprises six areas. These include a fountain dating from around 1725 and another featuring Hercules. The grotto tour showcases artificial caves beneath the castle, dating from the early 18th century. During the restoration of the grottoes, Baroque fountains were also restored and changes were made to their water supply. Here, you can encounter both the complex’s early design and later work on its water features.

Castle Park: Landscape and Nature

The castle park covers eight hectares and includes fountains, a pond, and rare trees and plants. An observation pavilion stands in the northern part of the park. Nature in the park also includes the protected beetle Páchník hnědý, an endangered species that lives in old, hollow trees. The park landscape thus combines designed features such as the pond and fountains with habitats in older trees.

Visitors who would also like to learn about trees and ecosystems can explore the educational trail “Za poklady ploskovického parku” (“In Search of the Treasures of Ploskovice Park”). It has run through the castle park since 2011 and features ten themed information panels. They cover the ecosystems of ponds, meadows, forests and parks, as well as the arboretum, fauna, flora, environmental protection, and the history of the municipality and castle. Signs identifying rare trees also form a small arboretum in Ploskovice.

Plan your routes and visit

The educational trail and the red-marked KČT hiking route “Žižkovou stezkou Zemí hradů” have different focuses: the educational trail explores nature and local history, while the KČT route is a walking path to the castle. If you are interested in the grotto tour, check the current dates and access arrangements before your visit. The castle park can be visited during its opening hours; as these vary by season, you should check them before travelling as well.

Discover more destinations: Ctiněves, Straškov-Vodochody, Záluží U Roudnice Nad Labem, Lukavec U Lovosic, Velké Žernoseky, Černouček, Lkáň, Brozany Nad Ohří.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Litoměřice.