Čechy Pod Kosířem – Castle, Park and Museums

Čechy pod Kosířem offers different ways to explore art, history and landscape: a guided tour of the castle rooms, the extensive castle park and museums with diverse collections. The Church of St. John the Baptist and a film exhibition are also among the town’s cultural attractions. You can choose the focus of your stay based on whether you are especially interested in painting, historic vehicles, architecture or a marked route.

The Castle and Works by Josef Mánes

Čechy pod Kosířem Castle offers a guided tour of the interior rooms in its south wing. The rooms are furnished in the style of the era of František Josef II Silva-Tarouca and decorated with works by Josef Mánes. The tour thus brings together the historical design of the interiors and the art of a named painter.

The castle interiors also house the largest publicly displayed collection of paintings by Josef Mánes in the Czech Republic. The collection gives a visit to the castle a clear focus on art. Visitors interested in Mánes can view the paintings alongside the furnished rooms; those more interested in the castle’s design will also find a specific point of interest in the south wing.

The Castle Park and Its Different Architectural Styles

The castle park covers 21.5 hectares and is considered one of the most valuable romantic landscape designs in the Czech Republic. The park includes the pseudogothic-romantic Červená věž lookout tower and the classicist Mánesův pavilon. Their different names point to two distinct architectural directions: the lookout tower has a pseudogothic-romantic character, while the pavilion is classicist. Exploring the park is therefore not just about its size, but also about its named structures and their different stylistic classifications.

Carriages, Restoration and Exhibitions

The Muzeum kočárů displays 50 carriages, including sleighs. Its collections also include funeral carriages, bishop’s carriages and carriage lanterns. The range extends from carriage types to complementary collection items. A restoration workshop and a gallery featuring documents, printed materials and plans are also part of the visit. Sound, light and film projections complement these elements. Visitors interested in historic vehicles will therefore find not only the carriages themselves, but also information about restoration, written materials and audiovisual presentations.

Another historical connection can be found at the Hasičské muzeum. It is located on the grounds of a production hall belonging to the oldest factory for fire pumps in the former Austria-Hungary. The factory was founded in 1820. The site’s history is thus linked to the manufacture of fire pumps, and the founding date is part of the factory’s history.

The Church of St. John the Baptist also offers a specific connection to art: its main altarpiece depicts the Baptism of Christ and is by the Viennese painter F. A. Maulbertsch. Two Baroque statues by the Olomouc sculptor Ondřej Zahner stand in front of the church. Saint Paul is depicted holding a book, and Saint Peter with keys. The altarpiece and statues differ both in their location in or by the church and in what they depict.

Film and a Marked Educational Trail

The second part of the film exhibition by Jan and Zdeněk Svěrák opened on 18 June 2025. It was aimed, among others, at children and focused on the films Kuky se vrací and Tři bratři. This is another cultural theme alongside painting, carriages and the history of firefighting.

Visitors who would like to include a marked route in their stay can follow the Naučná stezka Velký Kosíř educational trail. It runs from Čelechovice via Velký Kosíř to Čechy pod Kosířem; the return route follows the dirt track known as “Hraběcí cesta.” The educational trail is suitable for hiking and mountain biking. The castle tour, museums and park are therefore joined by a route expressly suitable for these two activities, offering different themes for planning a trip.

Discover more travel destinations: Koválovice-Osíčany, Vincencov, Obědkovice, Smrzice, Březsko, Stínava, Niva, Biskupice Na Hané.

See the broader travel overview: Okres Prostějov.