Mrač Castle, Fortified house in Mrač, Czech Republic.

Mrač Castle is a three-storey rectangular palace built against a two-metre-thick, nine-metre-high perimeter wall, with a pentagonal courtyard entered through a gate in the east wall. It is the only preserved fortified house in Central Europe where a single building served as both palace and farm building within the wall system. The palace originally had only small arrow-slit windows facing the courtyard and one south window on the second floor.

This fortified residence was built during the feudal period as a seat of local nobility to demonstrate and maintain their authority in the region. Over centuries, it remained an important landmark even as ownership and uses changed through different historical periods.

The fortified house served as a regional center of power for centuries and reflects how noble families organized their daily lives. Visitors can observe how residential spaces were arranged alongside defensive features to support both household activities and security needs.

The fortified house stands on a rise above the Podmračí part of Mrač, about 5 km north of Benešov. It is in private ownership, so the grounds are not open to visitors; the building and the site of the earlier fortress and later chateau ruin can be viewed from outside. A historical festival is held by the fortress in July.

Mrač is the only surviving fortified house in Central Europe whose defensive circuit incorporates a single building that served as both palace and farm building. The two-metre-thick, nine-metre-high perimeter wall encloses a pentagonal courtyard entered through a gate in its eastern side.