Žehušice: Castle History, White Deer and Music in June

Žehušice combines Baroque and older architectural history with an unusual natural feature: one of the world’s few herds of white deer lives in the Žehušická Game Reserve, while historic buildings and an annual music festival shape the town’s cultural character. If you are weighing nature observation, local history and a specific event date for your trip, Žehušice offers several clearly distinct points of interest.

Castle and park: important accessibility information

Žehušice Castle is currently not open to the public. The Žehušice Castle Park is also not open to the public. Both details are essential for trip planning, because although the castle grounds are one of the town’s defining historical themes, they cannot be planned as a regularly open attraction. The castle park contains rare woody plants and is considered a dendrological site.

The Žehušická Game Reserve and its white deer

The Žehušická Game Reserve is a distinct focal point. One of the world’s few herds of white deer has been kept there for more than 150 years; the herd numbers around 130 animals. The reserve has existed in its present form since 1867, covers 270 hectares and lies between Žehušice and Bojmany. The former dam of the Kravinec pond forms the main circular route through the Žehušická Game Reserve. Alongside the castle history, a large-scale landscape and animal population therefore form a central part of the townscape.

Church and historic buildings

St. Mark’s Church, Kostel sv. Marka in Czech, is a late Baroque building dating from 1760. It can be visited during regular services, distinguishing it from the areas around the castle that are not open to the public.

The Old Castle building, Starý zámek, preserves the core of a Gothic fortress that was rebuilt in the 16th century. Its façades retain remnants of sgraffito, as well as a Gothic gate, a Renaissance portal and Renaissance window surrounds. Starý zámek is also regarded as the birthplace of horn virtuoso Jan Václav Stich, who became known in Italy under the name Giovanni Punto.

Žehušice Castle was built in the Baroque style by Francesco Carati in 1679. In 1826, Count Josef Matyáš Thun remodelled it in the Empire style. The town’s older history also includes the historic brewery building, erected at the end of the 17th century and given a Baroque exterior, as well as the Žehušice estate granary complex. It is described as the oldest Renaissance tower granary in the district, with loophole-like windows.

A music event in June

Every year in June, Žehušice hosts the music festival “Slavnost lesního rohu”, dedicated to horn virtuoso Jan Václav Stich. The event connects the local architectural history with the biography of a musician who also became known in Italy under the name Giovanni Punto. The festival is therefore a clear focal point in terms of timing for your trip planning, while the game reserve and historic buildings cater to other interests within your travel group.

More destinations for your trip planning

If you would like to consider other places from the same selection in addition to Žehušice, you can also view Vavřinec, Tupadly, Vinaře, Horky, Vidice, Starkoč, Chotusice and Mocovice.

To the overarching travel overview: Okres Kutná Hora.