Zbenice Castle, Cultural monument in Zbenice, Czech Republic.
Zbenice Castle is a four-winged, single-storey château on the northwest edge of Zbenice village, built around a courtyard with galleries running along its sides. Its core is Renaissance, remodelled in the High Baroque in the 18th century, and the south wing's cellars preserve remains of the Gothic fortress. The southeast façade carries the alliance coat of arms of Vilém Šléglovský and his wife Alena ze Stříteže.
A fortress at Zbenice is first documented in a 1539 sale contract, when Jan Šic of Drahenice sold it to Jindřich Opršal of Jetřichovice. In 1626 Vilém Šléglovský of Šicendorf had the old fortress rebuilt as a Renaissance château. The Schwarzenbergs held it from 1805 until 1948; a fire in 1982 left the building only provisionally roofed.
The castle's name comes from the village of Zbenice, whose medieval fortress was rebuilt as a Renaissance château in 1626 by Vilém Šléglovský ze Šicendorfu. His alliance coat of arms with his wife Alena ze Stříteže is set into the southeast façade. Rudolf Byn z Bynu, an owner in the late 17th century, had a statue of St John of Nepomuk erected in the village.
The site is currently under active restoration, so visitors should check accessibility conditions beforehand to understand what areas can be visited. Access may vary depending on work phases, making it wise to contact in advance.
The alliance coat of arms of Vilém Šléglovský and his wife Alena ze Stříteže is set into the southeast façade. Gothic fortress masonry survives in the cellars of the south wing, and a bridge over the vanished moat was excavated and restored in 2012.
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