Melnik Castle, Medieval castle in Mělník, Czech Republic

Melnik Castle is a castle in Mělník, Czech Republic, on a hill above the Labe river, whose present form results from a Baroque reconstruction. Its north Renaissance wing has a two-storey loggia covered with sgraffito from 1553, among the oldest in Bohemia, and the arcade shows four family coats of arms.

A Slavic hillfort of the Pšovans stood here in the 9th century; according to legend Saint Ludmila was born on it. A stone castle replaced the wooden stronghold, and in 1542 Zdislav Berka of Dubá rebuilt it as a Renaissance château with sgraffito. After the Thirty Years' War the Czernins acquired it in 1646 and added the Baroque south wing; in 1753 it passed by marriage to the Lobkowicz family.

The wine cellars beneath the castle show old pressing and storage methods that have been practiced in the Mělník region for centuries. Visitors can taste wines from the surrounding vineyards there, getting a direct sense of how local wine culture still lives today.

Guided tours through the castle rooms run regularly, and visits to the wine cellar area are often organized separately. It is worth checking in advance whether specific conditions or times apply to the cellar before planning your visit.

The north wing's sgraffito decoration dates from 1553 and ranks among the oldest in Bohemia; the arcade walkway shows four coats of arms, including those of the Černín and Lobkowicz families added in 1677, 1931 and 2003. The castle chapel, founded by Elisabeth of Pomerania, was rededicated to St Ludmila after the Thirty Years' War, and Peter Johann Brandl painted its apostles.