Nepomyšl Castle, Renaissance château in Nepomyšl, Czech Republic

Nepomyšl Castle is a Renaissance structure notable for its unusual polygonal design, with sixteen sides on the exterior and nine sides around the interior courtyard at ground level. The geometric plan distinguishes it from traditional square-shaped fortifications found elsewhere.

The fortress was built in the first half of the 14th century as a circular complex with a three-room building in the north. At the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, a new perimeter wall and a south wing with a tower gate were added. Around 1550, the Šlik family added west and east wings, giving the castle its Renaissance form.

The castle stands in the centre of Nepomyšl, seven kilometres west of Podbořany, and has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964. Its name is shared with the village around it, and the building remains the reference point by which the village is oriented.

The castle sits along the main road at the village center and is easy to spot from outside. While interior access is not currently available to visitors, the exterior architecture can be appreciated from the public road.

The polygonal construction style is rare for castles of this period and region, as most fortifications followed square or rectangular floor plans. This geometric experiment makes it a distinctive example of creative Renaissance design.