Žampach

Žampach demonstrates within a compact thematic area how nature and history can intertwine: the arboretum offers a remarkable collection of woody plants, while the castle hill, chateau park, chapel and historical evidence provide different ways to explore the history of the place. During your stay, you can therefore choose between a peaceful walk through the plant world, cultural and historical discoveries, and a closer exploration of the castle.

Arboretum and Paths around the Castle Hill

The Žampach Arboretum is open to the public year-round and free of charge, provided that visitors follow its rules. Its collection comprises around 700 species and cultivars of woody plants, including species that are rarely represented in the Czech Republic. This means that a visit can be planned as an independent part of your itinerary regardless of the season; at the same time, the collection provides a specific reason during a walk to pay attention not only to the buildings and history, but also to the different woody plants.

A special connection between the chateau park and the castle grounds is provided by the wooden Zámecká lávka footbridge from 1886. Today, it serves as the starting point for an access path from the upper chateau park to the castle hill and to the path “around the castle”.

Castle, Chateau and Historical Evidence

Žampach Castle was built during the colonisation at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. Historically, it served to defend and administer the estate and protect important regional land and trade routes. These functions make the castle not merely an old building site, but place it within the political and economic responsibilities that a fortified site could undertake in the region.

The early Baroque chateau in Žampach includes the Baroque Chapel of Saint Bartholomew. It is registered as a cultural monument and bears registration number 4167. The chapel is also equipped for public concerts and cultural events for the residents of the local home. Thus, in addition to its protected heritage significance, it also has an explicitly cultural function.

You can find further historical details at several locations in the village. The wooden bell tower stands in the centre of the village and dates from the early 19th century. On the hill between the foot of the castle hill and the chateau park, there is also the manorial pillory from 1693, the oldest surviving stonework in Žampach.

Lapidarium and Practical Information

The publicly accessible lapidarium focuses on the history of the castle. On display are photographic documentation, a plan of Žampach Castle with descriptions of its individual parts, as well as archaeological finds and information about where they were found. This allows you to connect the castle’s structural traces with a documented presentation of its individual areas.

For orientation around the grounds, there are tabular signposts. During the day, the Žampach Information Centre offers the public freely accessible areas on a terrace and in a basement room, with small self-service refreshments and Wi-Fi. The key to the public toilet by the conservatory on the ground floor of the chateau building is also available there.

More Destinations for Your Travel Planning

If you would like to select additional destinations besides Žampach, you can also include Týnišťko, Damníkov, Zádolí, Sopotnice, Ceská Rybná U Zamberka, Kraliky, Helvíkovice and Trpík in your further research.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí.