The 8,000 sgraffito designs on the facade are individually unique, ensuring no two motifs are repeated.
The castle theater still houses its original wooden stage machinery and a set of hand-painted backdrops from the 1790s.
Composer Bedřich Smetana was born in the castle brewery in 1824, where his father worked as a brewer.
The sgraffito technique involves scratching through layers of contrasting plaster colors to create intricate images.
The arcaded courtyard is designed to imitate the loggias of Italian Renaissance palaces.
The castle served as the seat of the Pernštejn family before passing to the Trauttmansdorff and later the Thurn-Taxis families.
An extensive collection of historical glassware and ceramics is housed within the permanent exhibition.
The basement levels contain original wine cellars and defensive architectural elements from the medieval period.
Litomyšl Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its Italian-style arcaded courtyard and sgraffito-decorated facade. Constructed between 1568 and 1581 for Vratislav of Pernštejn, the castle represents the pinnacle of Renaissance architecture in Central Europe. The exterior walls feature over 8,000 sgraffito blocks, each displaying unique geometric, floral, and figural patterns. Its interior preserves an 18th-century Baroque theater, one of only a few remaining in the world with original stage machinery. The castle grounds include an extensive 19th-century English-style park and a brewery that served as the birthplace of composer Bedřich Smetana. Currently, the site is managed by the National Heritage Institute and remains open to the public for guided tours of its residential halls and historical collection.
The arcade-lined courtyard during midday for optimal light on the sgraffito walls.
Join a guided tour to access the interior historical rooms, as these are not open for independent wandering.
Walk through the park located behind the castle for a complete view of the structure's rear architecture.
Visit the brewery building located directly adjacent to the castle entrance.
Do not overlook the cellars and the brewery, as visitors often focus exclusively on the main castle building.
Closed on Mondays during the off-season; full operations typically run from spring through late autumn.
Photography is often restricted inside the historic rooms; check signage upon entry.
