Sychrov Castle is one of the finest and most opulent of Czech Gothic Revival Castles of the 19th century.
Sychrov is unique among Czech Castles in that it was mostly built and lived in by a French aristocratic family, the Rohans. Their vast French art collection is held at Sychrov, and they also developed one of the earliest English-style parks in what was then Bohemia.
In this guide to Sychrov Castle I tell you about its history, show you what there is to see, outline how to get there, including from Prague, and show you some of the places you can visit nearby in the beautiful Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), including its spectacular sandstone rock cities. I hope you find it helpful.
Why Visit Sychrov Castle – Zamek Sychrov
Sychrov Castle is one of the most richly decorated 19th century castles in the Czech Republic.
It’s one of the finest neo-Gothic castles of the Czech Republic, along with the likes of Lednice Castle in Moravia and Hluboká Castle in South Bohemia.
It also houses the largest collection of French portraiture in all of Central Europe, once owned by the Rohan family which had royal connections in France.
Sychrov Castle also has a magnificent park, landscaped in the English style with an ornate Orangery and Gothic gateway called Arthur’s Castle.
Sychrov’s park greatly influenced other famous gardens in the Czech Republic, including Pruhonice Park Prague and those at Konopiště Castle in Central Bohemia.
You may also recognise Sychrov Castle from its appearance in several films. Most recently, the courtyard and interior were the setting for a sequence in Edward Berger’s 2022 remake of All Quiet on the Western Front, much of which was shot in the Czech Republic.
Sychrov Castle History
There was a small fortress on the site of the present Castle in the 15th century, and this was replaced by a manor house and later a Baroque chateau (zamek) built in the late 17th century.
The aristocratic Rohan family, originally from Brittany, fled France after the 1789 Revolution, and remained in Habsburg-controlled lands after the Bourbons were restored to the French throne after the defeat and exile of Napoleon.
The influential and wealthy Rohans acquired Sychrov in 1820, and Duke Charles Alain Gabriel Rohan set about rebuilding the chateau.
However, most of what we see now is from the neo-Gothic rebuild instigated by Duke Camille Rohan from 1847 onwards, carried out under the supervision of Bernard Grueber.
The work was all carried out by Czech craftspeople, most notably the superb woodwork of Petr Bušek, including the carved ceiling in the lead shot of this article.
Camille Rohan also developed the large park and arboretum.
Sychrov Castle remained in the possession of the Rohans until 1945, after which it was taken over by the Czechoslovak state.
What To See In Sychrov Castle
You enter the Castle from the west, passing through a large garden area with a café to the right, and continuing through the entrance with the ticket office and another café on the right.
From here you proceed to the courtyard where you meet for Tour I, and also go if you’re visiting the Bear exhibition.
Sychrov Castle has some richly decorated rooms, some of which were used for social functions, and others, such as the delightful Chinese room, were part of the Rohan family’s private quarters.
The main feature of the decoration is the Rohan family’s collection of French portraiture, which mercifully is far more prominent than the obligatory hunting trophies, of which there are relatively few on the main staircase.
The portraits are used to decorate many of the rooms, including corridors, state rooms and private bedrooms. The tour doesn’t describe the paintings in much detail, but the subjects range from members of the family (featured on the roundels above) to French royalty and nobles, and they date from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Another of the highlights of the Sychrov Castle tour is the exquisite woodwork, particularly the elaborate panelled ceiling in the lead shot of the article. The games room with billiard table is also very impressive, as is the Gothic Revival Princes Chapel.
The tour of Sychrov Castle lasts an hour, and you could spend at least as long exploring the Park and Garden. It’s a walk of several minutes to the ornate Orangery, where there is another café.
My son and I stopped for a brief coffee and cake there during our exploration of the Park, which also took us to Arthur’s Castle (Arthuruv hrad), a Gothic-style gateway close to the Orangery.
Where is Sychrov Castle
Sychrov Castle is located in the small town of Sychrov in the Liberec region of Northern Bohemia.
It’s on the fringe of the Český ráj, or Bohemian Paradise, a UNESCO Geopark with forests, rock cities and some of the most romantic castles in the Czech Republic.
It is 21 km from the northern city of Liberec, 10 km from the regional hub of Turnov and 100 km from Prague.
How To Get To Sychrov Castle
Sychrov Castle is on the regional train line between Liberec and Turnov.
If you’re staying elsewhere in the Český ráj region, you can get a train from Jičín to Turnov every two hours, changing there for the Sychrov and Liberec train.
If you’re planning on a day trip from Prague to Sychrov Castle, count on between two to three hours to get there. Every two hours, a train leaves Prague main train station (Praha hl n on timetables) for Turnov. Alight there and change for the Sychrov train. For train times, take a look at the Czech Railways website.
Sychrov train station is in the lower part of the town. To reach the Castle from there, turn right out of the station, continuing until you reach the main road up the hill. Don’t walk along the road, as there is no pavement: take the footpath up the hill and turn left at the top. Sychrov Castle is around 5 minutes’ walk from there.
Sychrov Castle Opening Hours And Tours
Sychrov Castle is a rarity among Czech Republic castles in that it is open year-round, with the exception of 24th to 31st December.
Visits to the Castle interiors are by guided tour only, with some English and German tours offered. As often happens in castles in the Czech Republic, we ended up on a Czech language tour with English text to follow, but our guide went out of her way to point out things that weren’t mentioned in the text, which was much appreciated.
The main tour, which we joined, is the main Neo-Gothic Jewel of the Rohan Family route, which was the only one available when we visited.
There are also exhibitions on bears (in a cellar below the main courtyard) and dolls, and a tour (in Czech only) for kids guided by a princess. The Sychrov Castle website has a full list of tours available.
Places To Visit Near Sychrov Castle
Sychrov is very close to the stunning Bohemian Paradise or Český ráj (pronounced Chess-KEE Rye) area, and Turnov is one of the main three gateways to this area, one of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe.
The area is best known for its stunning rock cities and castles. From Turnov, the rock city of Mala Skala is a short bus or train ride (or drive) to the north. It’s an awesome sight with the ruins of the Vranov Castle, a Pantheon to heroes and a 19th century chapel built into the sandstone rock formations.
Continue a little further to the romantic ruin of Frydštejn Castle, one of the most picturesque in the country.
South of Turnov, you can embark on a hike via Valdštejn Castle to the awesome rock city of Hrubá Skála, where you eventually reach stunning views of the Castle (now a Hotel) of the same name and Trosky Castle, the distinctive twin-towered castle that dominates the surrounding landscape in much the same way that Glastonbury Tor does the Somerset Levels in South-West England.
A few miles further south is one of the other gateways to the Bohemian Paradise, the gorgeous market town of Jičín, which is only three miles (5 km) from Prachov Rocks another spectacular city of sandstone spires where my son and I hiked twice.
Visiting Sychrov Castle – Where To Stay
There aren’t many places to stay in Sychrov itself, but there are plenty of options nearby. One place in Sychrov that makes a great base for exploring the area is U Srubu Sychrov, on the edge of the village around a mile from the Castle.
The nearby town of Turnov is a more convenient place to stay, especially if you’re using trains and buses to get around the area. The Bohemia Inn Hotel is one of the best options in the town, a handsome century-old building close to the Museum of the Bohemian Paradise. The Penzion Eden guesthouse is also very popular and highly-rated, and is only a kilometre’s walk from the town’s train station.
Two of the best castle hotels in the Czech Republic are close to Sychrov and Turnov. EA Zamecky Hotel Hruba Skala has an incomparable setting in the Hruba Skala rock city, and Hotel Zamek Svijany is a few kilometres away, an ideal base for the Český ráj and also the area to the north around Liberec including Frydlant Castle.
We stayed 30 miles (50 km) away at the Pension U Synagoga in Jičín, which has the most things to see out of the Bohemian Paradise towns. It’s a great base for exploring the Český ráj, and is also close to the intriguing unsung city of Hradec Kralove.
Sychrov Castle – Final Words
Sychrov Castle is well worth seeking out. It’s well-known among Czechs but probably a bit off the radar for many overseas visitors. If it was closer to Prague it would be more widely known, but its location helps keep it something of a secret.
And if you’re visiting the Bohemian Paradise area I would also look to try to fit in half a day at Sychrov.
Discover more Czech Castles to visit in our articles here:
- Karlštejn Castle – mighty castle near Prague and home of the Bohemian Crown Jewels.
- Křivoklát Castle – fine royal forest castle in the hills west of Prague
- Kokořín Castle – romantic forest castle in the extraordinary Kokořínsko landscape
- Blatna Castle – superb water castle in South Bohemia with a wonderful Deer Park
And discover more of these places to visit in the Czech Republic here:
- Kutná Hora Bone Church – the skeleton art of the world-famous Sedlec Ossuary
- Cathedral of St Barbara Kutná Hora – one of the great Gothic Cathedrals of Europe
- Things To Do In Kutná Hora – 18 things to do in this amazing World heritage town
- Mělník Czech Republic – gorgeous wine town an hour north of Prague
- Telč Czech Republic – gorgeous rural World Herita- 18 things to do in this amazing World heritage town ge town with one of the most beautiful squares in Europe
- Mikulov – stunning small wine town on the Austrian border
- Things To Do In Český Krumlov – explore this magnificent medieval South Bohemian town
- České Budějovice – the unsung charms of the capital of South Bohemia
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.