The early Gothic castle of Poděbrady, which was gradually rebuilt into a chateau, was founded in the second half of the 13th century by King Přemysl Otakar II, on the site of an older fortified settlement. The Poděbrady estate became most famous under the Lords of Kunštát, ancestors of George of Poděbrady. They even added the name of their new residence to their family name. George of Kunštát and Poděbrady was the only Czech king not born into a ruling dynasty, but elected to the throne. However, his sons exchanged their inheritance with King Vladislaus II, who never resided here and instead pledged the estate to creditors.
Emperor Ferdinand I of Habsburg also visited Poděbrady and fell in love with both the residence and the surrounding landscape. He bought back the estate, returning the castle to royal ownership, where it remained until 1840. During the emperor’s tenure, the castle transformed into a Renaissance residence. The current Baroque appearance stems from later modifications designed by the renowned architect František Maxmilián Kaňka. In the following century, ownership of the chateau changed hands several times. Today, the Charles University is the castle’s current owner.
Interesting fact
In the oldest part of the castle — the former chapel — you’ll find the Memorial of King George of Poděbrady, featuring exhibitions that present the life and legacy of this important Czech ruler. Through Gothic wall paintings and hundreds of displayed artifacts, the exhibition highlights the period when the Lords of Kunštát ruled the estate. A large part of the collection is devoted specifically to the life and diplomatic legacy of George of Poděbrady, with particular emphasis on his visionary proposal for a peaceful union of Christian monarchs — an idea that anticipated the concept of European cooperation by several centuries.
