The name 'Kozel' refers to an ancient Celtic sacrificial ritual where a goat (kozel) was supposedly offered at the site.
The castle was originally built as a summer hunting retreat for Jan Vojtěch Černín, the Chief Hunter of the Kingdom of Bohemia.
The park contains one of the oldest and largest preserved populations of ancient oaks in the Plzeň region.
Unlike many Czech chateaux, Kozel was never designed as a permanent residential fortress, but specifically for aristocratic leisure and sport.
The riding hall, located on the premises, is frequently used for modern acoustic concerts due to its original barrel-vaulted architecture.
The park serves as a biological refuge for protected species of saproxylic beetles that thrive in the decaying wood of the oldest trees.
Kozel Castle Park is an extensive 30-hectare landscape park surrounding a late 18th-century hunting lodge built by architect Václav Haberditz. The park was designed in the English naturalistic style, emphasizing a harmonious transition between structured neoclassical architecture and the surrounding Úslava river valley forests. It features a diverse collection of mature arboretum-grade trees, including ancient oaks, beeches, and rare exotic species. The grounds incorporate several distinct structures, including a chapel, a riding hall, and a separate service wing known as the L-shaped 'kavalierhaus'. The layout avoids formal parterres in favor of winding paths, expansive meadows, and strategically framed vistas of the castle facade. The area is maintained as a protected cultural monument of the Czech Republic, preserved for its dendrological value and historical landscaping. The topography includes both flat recreational zones near the main buildings and gentle slopes leading toward the valley base.
The elevated path looking back toward the main castle facade across the central meadow.
Bring a picnic blanket as the expansive meadows are specifically maintained for public leisure.
Follow the marked educational trail to identify rare, century-old tree species labeled throughout the park.
Visit the riding hall courtyard, which remains sheltered from wind and offers quieter seating areas.
Do not attempt to walk through the non-public forest enclosures beyond the clearly marked boundary signs.
Park grounds are accessible year-round, though interior castle tours and the riding hall are closed on Mondays and throughout the winter season.
Cyclists are restricted to designated paths only; dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
