Castle Night 2024: The best manors and chateaus to explore after dark – in Prague and beyond

Castle Night 2024 is upon us. This Saturday (Aug. 24), around 100 castles, chateaus, and other significant, normally inaccessible cultural monuments will open across Czechia to the public for guided tours, storytelling, music, and theater. 

If you live in Prague and Central Bohemia and don’t want to travel far, you’re in luck – an array of buildings and landmarks brimming with history will open their gates, their rooms waiting to be explored, and stories of monarchs, rocky parliaments, and wars told.

The Czech capital has three cultural institutions open this Saturday as part of Castle Night. The Invalidova building in Karlín is one of the oldest in the area, dating back to the 17th century. The baroque-style building that was constructed between 1731-37 as a home for war veterans. 

The infirmary that was built within the grounds was a strict and controlled environment, where military discipline was enforced; you'll learn about the trials soldiers had to go through during your visit. Role-playing, costumed-guided tours take place at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. Online booking is recommended.

Praguers can also visit the Czech Senate building – home to the upper house of Czechia’s parliament. This too is a baroque building dating back to the 17th century – Bohemian statesman Albrecht von Wallenstein built this grand building as his residence. 

You’ll also be able to see objects from the original property of the Valdštejn family. You will get a look into the Senate Meeting Room and the 16-meter high chapel of St. Wenceslas. Entry is free.

You may have visited Prague Castle and its grounds. But have you ever walked through the entirety of its leafy and tranquil gardens? Now’s your chance. 

The Prague Castle Gardens will be illuminated with torches after sunset on Aug. 24, and visitors can experience a romantic Baroque atmosphere and witness demonstrations of archery, knife and ax throwing, and stick fighting. Professional supervision will be available for those who want to try these activities. Guided tours will take place at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m – tickets are available online.

Further afield – but not by much at all – in Central Bohemia lie 18 castles, chateaus, and other monuments worth exploring. Here are some notable examples to satiate your history and culture cravings.

Konopiště Castle, built in the 13th century in an originally Gothic style, offers a unique experience for guests. The evening program includes tours of normally inaccessible spaces, medieval and classical music, and a concert by harpist Katarína Ševčíková. Wild raptors (a type of bird) will also put on a flying display for guests. The castle has a rich history, with ties to the Habsburg family. 

Visitors can also explore the castle's collection of weapons and go on an expedition to discover secrets hidden deep underground. Tickets are available online and tours can be reserved by e-mailing konopiste.rezervace@npu.cz. Get to Konopiště from Prague’s main train station Hlavní nádraží by taking the R17 or R49 train south-west; journeys take around an hour.

As part of Castle Night, Loučeň Castle, dating back to the 12th century, offers a light and musical show every 15 minutes after dark until 1 a.m. Visitors can even choose to spend the night in their own tents or in the castle orangery. 

Regular admission fees apply (viewable online), with an additional fee of CZK 50 for each tour during Castle Night. Themed tours – including chocolate and aristocracy guides – run throughout the night. You’ll also be able to see performances from Czech music and dance group Jagabab and the mystery magician Marcolli, who will have a workshop. Loučeň lies north-east of Prague and is reachable in under 90 minutes from Hlavní nádraží with the R10 train to the town of Nymburk, and then the 499 bus.

For the first time, Křinec Castle will open all its doors to the public on Castle night – from Aug. 23-25. The program includes a tour of the castle with the owner at 6 p.m., a theater performance at 8 p.m., followed by an after-party, and a fun-themed night tour of the castle at 10 p.m. Tickets for performances must be reserved in advance.

The extensive complex, with 122 rooms, was built in the early Baroque style in 1649 by Count August Paul I of Morzín. Guided tours include the castle's famed, unique rococo blue lounges and the Holy Virgin Mary of the Seven Pains Chapel.

Lying close to Loučeň, the trip from central Prague takes around an hour and 30 minutes; take the R10 from Hlavní nádraží and then change at Nymburk. Due to the high demand, booking tours online is highly recommended, though some will be available without a reservation (depending on capacity).

Veltrusy Mansion, which Maria Theresa, ruler of the Habsburg dominions, visited in the 18th century, will host a costumed Venetian night with baroque performances during Castle Night. The 300-acre park encompassing the mansion has also been featured in notable films, such as Miloš Forman’s 1983 film Amadeus and a 2002 remake of Doctor Zhivago. 

Entrance costs CZK 300 and tickets are available online. Veltrusy lies just an hour from Prague – take the 370 bus from Kobylisy in Prague 8.

The Sázava Monastery, Český Šternberk Castle, and Točník Castle are also some of the most famous institutions open to the public on Saturday.

All Czech regions will have at least some cultural monuments open this Saturday. Bezděz Castle in Liberec, Potštejn Castle in Hradec Kralove, Velké Losiny Castle in Olomouc, and Uherčice Castle in South Moravia – each of which with their own history of Czech, Hapsburg, and other members of the nobility residing in them – will be open to the public.

See the full list of participating castles and buildings on the National Heritage Institute’s website – and immerse yourself in history this weekend.