the original royal castle of přemysl otakar ii from the second half of the 13th century was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century by the lords of hradec. it received its present appearance under count jan adam of schwarzenberg. according to the english windsor example, architects franz beer and f. deworetzky built a romantic neo-gothic chateau, surrounded by a english park here in the years 1841 to 1871. in 1940, the castle was seized from the last owner, adolph schwarzenberg by the gestapo and confiscated by the government of czechoslovakia after the end of world war ii. the castle is opened to public. there is a winter garden and riding-hall where the southern bohemian gallery exhibitions have been housed since 1956.