Český Šternberk Castle
A Gothic castle on a ridge above the Sázava, held by one family since 1241
- Area Český Šternberk
- Type Castle
- Time needed 2h
Český Šternberk is a Gothic castle on a narrow rock ridge above the river Sázava, about 50 km south-east of Prague. It was founded in 1241 and has belonged to the same family, the Sternbergs, for most of the time since, which is unusual in Bohemia and shows in the interiors. It is seen only on timed guided tours.
Open in the planner →Getting there
There is no fast route. Trains run from Praha hlavní nádraží towards Čerčany, where you change to the local line along the Sázava valley for Český Šternberk zastávka; the whole journey takes around an hour and three quarters and the local service is infrequent, so check the timetable in both directions before you commit. Driving takes about an hour. From the river and the village the castle is a steep climb of ten minutes up to the gate, on a made path and steps; there is a car park closer to the top.
What you see
The site explains itself before you go in: the castle is long and thin because the ridge is, and from the bridge in the village you see the whole of it strung out above the water. The tour takes in the rooms the family fitted out in the seventeenth century, when the medieval shell was given Baroque interiors — heavy stucco ceilings by Italian plasterers, a knights' hall, a chapel, and panelled rooms hung with Sternberg portraits. The best-known holding is a large collection of copperplate engravings of the Thirty Years' War, hung through several rooms, and it is better than it sounds: contemporary printed images of sieges, battles and towns, in quantity. Arms, hunting gear and furniture fill out the rest. Because the family returned to the castle after 1992 and still live in part of it, the rooms are shown as a house with a continuous history rather than as a restored set, and the guides tend to talk about the family rather than about architecture. The views from the windows down the valley are part of the visit.
What to pair it with
Konopiště is the other castle in this direction, though both in one day by train is hard. The Sázava valley itself and the monastery at Sázava are on the same local line. Most people drive out here and combine it with Konopiště.
When to go
Weekday mornings in late spring and early autumn are the best combination of quiet and light. Summer weekends fill the tour slots and the English times go first. The castle closes for the winter and runs limited opening either side of the season, so check before you go. The valley is at its best in autumn, and the view of the castle from across the river is better with the trees bare in early spring than in full summer leaf.
What is hard about it
Getting there without a car is the main difficulty: two trains, an infrequent local line and a fair wait if you miss a connection. The interiors can be seen only on a timed guided tour, in a group, and the default language is Czech — English tours run at set times and should be booked in advance rather than assumed. The climb from the village to the gate is short but steep and there is no easy alternative on foot. The rooms are handsome but not lavish, and visitors who have seen a lot of central European castles find the interiors modest. Facilities in the village are minimal.
Common questions
How long do you need at Český Šternberk?
About two hours on site, which is the tour plus time on the terrace and the walk up and down. By train from Prague it is a full day.
Can you look round on your own?
No. The interiors are tour-only and the tours run to set times. The exterior, the ridge and the village can be walked freely.
Will there be a tour in English?
There are English tours at set times, not on demand. Book ahead, or expect to wait for a slot or to follow a Czech tour with printed notes.
More of the same kind
- Prague CastleThe largest ancient castle complex in the world, on the ridge above the river
- VyšehradThe other castle, on a rock south of the centre, quiet and free to walk
- Konopiště CastleFranz Ferdinand's castle, and the hunting trophies of a man who shot everything
- Křivoklát CastleA royal hunting castle deep in the forest west of the city