Bílé Poličany, Renaissance château in Hradec Králové Region, Czech Republic

Bílé Poličany is a two-storey château on the western edge of the village, forming the west side of a courtyard. The north side is closed by former stables with a gamekeeper's lodge (No. 2), the east by a partly surviving perimeter wall. In the courtyard stand a pool with a fountain and statues of four lions; an English park adjoins the château to the west.

Alena of Lobkovice, widow of Jiří of Valdštejn, founded a Renaissance château next to an older fortress; her stepson Karel of Valdštejn completed it after her death in 1589. The Kotulín family, owners from the 17th century, had it rebuilt in Baroque style in 1725 and again in 1786. Princess Růžena of Hohenlohe added a wing in 1873; after a fire at the end of the 19th century the building was remodelled without stylistic features.

The château's cultural life peaked under František de Paula Czeczinar of Birnitz, who in the second half of the 19th century hosted Czech writers including Josef Kajetán Tyl and Karel Jaromír Erben. Princess Růžena of Hohenlohe, wife of General Prince Leopold Croÿ-Dülmen, later continued an active cultural programme at the estate.

The château functions as a hotel and restaurant with accommodation and dining available on site. It is advisable to book in advance and check directly with the staff about visiting conditions and what is accessible to visitors.

The courtyard holds a pool with a fountain and statues of four lions, a detail easy to miss from the approach. The former stables with the gamekeeper's lodge (house no. 2) stand on the north side of the yard, and the English park adjoins the château to the west.