Varvažov Castle, Late Baroque château in Varvažov, Czech Republic.
Varvažov Castle is a one-storey Baroque building with a raised central section, its ochre facade with white details decorated with pilasters and cornices. A short central neck links it on the west to an older parallel block of residential and farm buildings closing the east side of a square farmyard. In the yard's northeast corner stands the Church of St Catherine, its five-sided Gothic presbytery and Baroque nave with a prismatic tower.
Varvažov belonged to the Knights Hospitaller from the 13th century, when they held a commandery at Strakonice Castle. In 1754 Grand Prior Emanuel Václav Krakovský of Kolovrat had the Renaissance buildings on the east side of the farmyard rebuilt as a Baroque residence for the order's grand priors and members, completed probably in 1768. The Schwarzenbergs bought the estate in 1847 and held it until 1948.
This residence holds official status as a cultural monument due to its role in documenting the architectural evolution of the region. The building and surrounding village form a protected complex that reflects how local communities adapted grand architectural ideas to their landscape.
The main building stands on the eastern side of the farmyard, its facade right against the local road, so the exterior is seen from the village lane; the courtyard and the Church of St Catherine lie behind it. The castle was awaiting major reconstruction in 2012, so interior access is not assured. Varvažov is about 20 km north of Písek.
This location served as a filming site in 1998 for the film 'Sekal Has to Die', with both the residence and the surrounding village appearing on screen. The production captured the place as it existed during that period.
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