Opočno – Discover the Castle, Park and Culture

Opočno combines a castle steeped in history with an extensive park, special exhibitions and paths that connect culture and landscape. This allows you to get to know the place in very different ways: by exploring historic rooms and collections, following a circular route through the town and park, or visiting Opočno’s other cultural and leisure attractions.

Castle history and special exhibitions

Opočno State Castle has a history dating back to the 11th century. It developed from a Gothic castle into a representative Renaissance residence of the Trčka z Lípy family; later, it came into the possession of the Colloredo-Mansfeld family. The castle’s tour routes include interiors on the first and second upper floors. A particularly notable collection is the historical collection of weapons and armour, which is among the most important in the Czech Republic.

The exploration of the town’s history continues beyond the castle interiors. The exhibition “Opočno in the Mirror of Time” is housed in the authentic rooms of one of Opočno’s oldest town houses. The building itself serves as an exhibit. Historical materials relating to the town are displayed, including photographs, illustrations and three-dimensional exhibits.

Castle park, Letohrádek and paths

At the beginning of the 19th century, Opočno Castle Park was transformed into an English landscape park and covers 22 ha. Its features include paths, stone staircases, romantic viewpoints, waterfalls, a summerhouse, exotic trees, a Letohrádek and a palm house. The park can be accessed through gates from Zámecká, Hradecká and Švamberk streets. During the castle’s opening hours, a gate from the arcade courtyard also leads into the park.

Opočno’s Letohrádek was built in 1601–1602 as an originally Renaissance structure and is connected to the castle by a 270 m long covered passageway. The Letohrádek is currently not open to the public. This restriction is part of the specific visitor information, alongside the accessible areas of the park and the designated paths.

Circular trail, wildlife and water

The Opočenská educational trail consists of three colour-coded, overlapping circular routes with a total of 14 information boards or stations. The main green circular route is 11 km long and leads through the town, the park and the wildlife enclosure. The Opočno Game Reserve is home to mouflon, fallow deer and Dybowski’s sika deer. This makes it possible to combine historical sightseeing with a longer route through different parts of the town in the same travel itinerary.

The Koupaliště Broumar offers a different kind of experience. The complex has a large pool with a slide and other attractions, as well as a small children’s pool. Pedal boats, rowing boats and canoes are also available for hire. Which of these options suits your stay depends mainly on whether you want to focus on the castle and the town’s history, exercise in the countryside or water activities.

Other cultural sites in Opočno

The town’s points of interest also include the bell tower, a Renaissance tower built in 1594 in the grounds of the Church of the Virgin Mary, and the Mariánský (morový) sloup on Kupkovo náměstí. The column is the work of the Italian sculptor Giovanni Battista Bulla and dates from 1718. The history of the Opočno Capuchin monastery and the Church of the Nativity of the Lord dates back to 1674, when the foundation stone was laid for the Baroque complex. For further research, you can also compare Krchleby U Kostelce Nad Orlicí, Kostelec Nad Orlicí, Osečnice, Solnice, Nebeská Rybná, Olesnice V Orlickych Horach, Val U Dobrušky and Orlicke Zahori.

For the broader travel overview: Rychnov nad Kněžnou District.