A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SLATIŇANY CHATEAU

The first written records of Slatiňany are dated to the end of the 13th century. In 1294, a simple medieval fortress was towering on a rocky hill above the Chrudimka river. The owner was Franz of Slatiňany. 

Since then, there has been a successive chain of more than 30 different owners. The reasons behind these frequent changes were various and very interesting, from sudden and premature deaths, losses of fortune to confiscations of the whole estate - just to name a few. The original timber fortress burned down several times. 

In 1575, the estate was bought by Bohuslav Mazanec of Frymburk, the scribe of lesser Czech land tables. This loyal crown officer was knighted in 1561 by king Ferdinand for his excellent services. With his new-found status and wealth, he decided to improve his county residence. He called upon Ulrico Aostalli de Sala, an Italian architect and master builder, who was already working in Bohemia for the emperor Rudolph II. and other wealthy Czech lords, to rebuild Slatiňany fortress into a comfortable chateau in a modern Renaissance style. Therefore a two-winged, two-storied structure was built, covered in typical sgraffito ornaments, which can still be seen on the eastern wing. 

In 1732, the estate was purchased by another officer, the Vice Royal Hunts Master of the Czech lands, count Joseph Francis of Schönfeld. He carried out the renovations and turned the chateau into the Baroque style. He already owned several estates in the region - namely Nasavrky, Žleby, Zaječice, Seč and Bojanov. His only daughter married Prince Johann Adam of Auersperg on the 14th of November, 1746. Her dowry remained in the hands of this prominent family until World War II.

The Auerspergs carried out further renovations of the chateau, most significantly in the 19th century, when a whole new wing was added, as well as a small staircase tower and the main square tower. It was the Auerspergs who gave the chateau its current appearance. In 1942, the last family member of the Žleby and Slatiňany branch died and the estates passed down to his nephew, count Josef Karel Trauttmansdorf. In 1945, the chateau became the property of the state.

THE AUERSPERG OWNERS OF SLATIŇANY

1. PRINCE JOHN ADAM (1721-1795)

The first Auersperg owner of Slatiňany was Prince John Adam. His first wife was a wealthy heiress and he inherited her fortune after her death. As a result, he ranked among the 20 wealthiest noblemen in the Kingdom of Bohemia, by the end of the 18th century. His second wife was a famous beauty who became the lover of Emperor Francis I. John Adam outlived both of his wives and all of his children. After his death, his wealth passed on his nephew, Prince Carl.

2. PRINCE CARL (1750-1822)

Prince Carl grew up under the mighty protection of his grandfathers - both of them were important court officials. At the age of 15, he was made the sole heir of the Trautson family fortunes and 20 years later he inherited from his uncle, John Adam. In 1796 he founded the English landscape park in Slatiňany. His military career came to an infamous end in 1805, when he failed to defend Vienna against the French troops. This failure even made it onto the pages of Tolstoy’s War and Peace. He was imprisoned and banned from the court at first, but he was later named the Imperial Huntmaster. His wife was the daughter of Prince Lobkowicz, the Imperial Ambassador to St. Petersburg. Their marriage did not produce any children, so he adopted his grand-nephew Vincenc Carl, who became the next owner.

3. PRINCE VINCENC CARL (1812-1867)

Prince Vincenc Carl made neo-gothic alterations to the Slatiňany chateau in the mid 19th century. But his main building project was the nearby castle - Žleby. It was changed into a medieval knight’s dream house with towers, turrets and it was filled with arms collection, valuable paintings, prints, furniture and other family treasures. Slatiňany were used as an occasional summer residence and a base during the hunting season. Prince Vincenc Carl held an important position of the Grand Chamberlain to the Emperor Franz Joseph I. in Vienna, where he spent most of his time. His wife was a famous beauty, princess Wilhelmine, born Colloredo-Mansfeld. She enriched the Auersperg family fortunes by her dowry, consisting of a lavish palace in Prague and castle Zelená hora in western Bohemia. There she lived till her death in 1898, while her eldest son took over the main seats, including Slatiňany.

4. PRINCE FRANZ JOSEPH (1856-1938)

Franz Joseph, Prince of Auersperg was the most important owner of Slatiňany. He was well known as a loving father, attentive husband, excellent businessman and a passionate horseman. He inherited the estate after his father passed away in 1867. Prince Franz Joseph died here in 1938. During this long period of time, Slatiňany became a comfortable family home, where the children were born and raised, where most of the summers were spent and where friends and relatives often came to visit. Most importantly, he had the house filled with modern technologies of the era, such as electricity, running water, central heating of flushing toilets. Next to it, he had large stables built, ranking among the most modern in the entire monarchy. His marriage to countess Wilhelmine Kinsky was a very happy one. It produced 5 children for whom the miniature educational farm and the “Cats castle” were built. The miniature castle was used for playtime. Both of these structures still stand in Slatiňany.

5. PRINCE FERDINAND (1887-1942)

He was the apple that fell far from the tree. He never married and was spending his father’s money in “gentlemen clubs” in Vienna and in Safari hunting trips to Africa. He was the last member of the Slatiňany-Žleby branch of the Auersperg family. After his death, the Auersperg fortunes were inherited by his nephew, count Trauttmansdorff, who became the last private owner of Slatiňany. Since 1945 the chateau belongs to the state.