Rataje nad Sázavou Castle, Castle in Rataje nad Sázavou, Czech Republic

Rataje nad Sázavou Castle is a three-wing château built on the site of a 14th-century Gothic castle. The north wing preserves Gothic masonry with a pointed barrel vault and narrow windows, while the south Renaissance wing has a hall with a stucco-framed trough vault and seven-arch arcades opening onto the courtyard. The other two wings are Baroque, with arcades on the ground floor and partly on the first floor.

The castle was probably founded by Jindřich z Lipé in the first third of the 14th century together with the town fortifications and Pirkštejn Castle; both are first mentioned in 1346. In 1447 the castle burned down through the carelessness of servants. The Malešický family had it rebuilt as a Renaissance château, and František Maxmilián z Talmberka had it largely rebuilt in Baroque style around 1672.

The castle houses a local museum displaying exhibitions about regional architecture and history. Inside, visitors can explore how building styles and settlement patterns shaped Central Bohemia over time.

The castle stands in the centre of Rataje nad Sázavou, in the Kutná Hora district, and houses the Museum of the Central Posázaví Region. The building is a three-winged structure around a courtyard; the southern Renaissance wing opens onto the yard through seven arcades, and the northern wing keeps the Gothic masonry. Look for the pointed barrel vault and the pointed windows on its ground floor.

The castle gained wider attention through its digital recreation in the Czech video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance, set in 1403. This portrayal in the game introduced the historical fortress to audiences far beyond its region.