The Ctěnice Chateau complex invites you for a great day trip. Hikers and cyclists will appreciate the surrounding nature and the park. The extensive baroque manor with a number of exhibition spaces offer not only “boring guided tours”, but also a varied programme of events associated with traditional crafts both for children and adults.
Folk crafts at Ctěnice Château
Through centuries, the medieval fortress with a moat carved in the rock in the middle of wetlands changed according to the architectural requirements of the times and its numerous owners, wealthy Prague burghers and merchants. In the 16th century, the manor with several outbuildings was rebuilt into a Renaissance château; in the 18th century, it was rebuilt in the classical style, which you can see even today.
After the Second World War, the estate became the property of Prague. It was completely rebuilt, and since 2012, it has been managed by the City of Prague Museum. The château became a place for presentation of folk crafts and traditions, and you can also visit permanent exhibitions, lecture programmes and weekend events for families with children.
An original garden centre and a large park
Part of the moat is visible even today, but the marshy meadows were replaced with a pleasant, freely accessible park with an area of 2.33 hectares, surrounded by massive walls. The park also includes a place presenting the authenticity of crafts in its original setting of one of the oldest Czech garden centre.
The château with several outbuildings, courtyards and a gateway looks very stately, and you can spend several hours just walking around. You can visit a carriage station, which serves only to weddings and cultural events, a château granary converted into a luxury hotel, a one-storey building with a restaurant and café, and other spaces that formerly served the nobility (and their grooms) but now host a variety of exhibitions.
A fairy-tale wedding
The Ctěnice Château complex offers an ideal setting for opulent weddings. In the warm months, the weekend ceremonies take place in the park and the château interior; the feast can be held at the local restaurant, and the wedding guests can stay in the romantic hotel with a capacity of 48 beds.
How to get there
Ctěnice lies on the north-east edge of Prague near the village of Vinoř. The village and the château are easily accessible by Prague’s integrated public transport – by buses from the metro stations Palmovka or Letňany to the Ctěnice request stop. If you go by car, take the D8 highway from Prague. The château is surrounded by a dense network of cycle paths, so you and your family can also bike to Ctěnice.
If you want to walk, take a bus to the Vinořský hřbitov (Vinoř cemetery) stop and walk the roughly two-kilometre route along the yellow trail through a pleasant wooded park. Ctěnice Château is open every day except for Monday from April to October, from 10 AM to 6 PM; the park is open from 8 AM to 10 PM. The opening hours in the other months are shorter.
