Chateau Březnice, Renaissance château in Březnice, Czech Republic

Chateau Březnice is a Renaissance château in Březnice, Czech Republic, a national cultural monument. It grew from a Gothic fortress whose oval circuit, palace and gate tower survive within the present building. Jiří z Lokšan had the fortress rebuilt as a representative Renaissance residence, and the courtyard is enclosed by stone arcades.

The site traces back to a Gothic fortress built in the 13th century by the Buzice family. Ownership later passed to Georg Lokšan, who transformed it into a Renaissance château in the 16th century.

The Lokšan library, dating from the 16th century, is the oldest surviving château library in Bohemia and can be visited during a guided tour. Its shelves hold a large collection of historical books and manuscripts in their original setting.

The château is open from April through October and is generally closed on Mondays. Guided tours are available in Czech, English, and German, making it easy to follow the different rooms and collections.

The château's interiors survived largely intact because no looting took place, and the Lokšan Library, founded in 1558, remains in its original first-floor tower room with a painted beamed ceiling. It is the oldest château library in Bohemia preserved in its 1558 state.