Nové Hrady U Skutče – Castle, Gardens and Museums

Nové Hrady U Skutče is home to Zámek Nové Hrady, a unique Rococo building dating from 1777 that has never been remodelled. The castle grounds are open to the public and offer guided tours of the interiors and castle gardens. The castle tour includes the exhibition “The Art of Furniture Through the Centuries”, which presents Central European furniture art from the Baroque period to Art Nouveau. A visit thus combines unaltered Rococo architecture with garden spaces and a collection spanning several eras of furniture art.

Other places include Dolní Morava, Rviště, Horni Lipka, Mladkov, Libchavy, Hrádek, Ceske Libchavy and Písečná.

Culture and History

Nové Hrady is home to the Baroque Church of St James, dating from 1724, and a Stations of the Cross from 1767. The open-air amphitheatre on the castle grounds hosts concerts and performances under the open sky. Visitors who wish to divide their visit into individual areas of focus can choose between the interiors, garden areas and outdoor events. The church and Stations of the Cross complement the castle grounds with two independent historical sites from different periods.

Collections and Exhibitions

The “Motory & Pedály” museum displays more than 160 motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles with auxiliary motors from around the world. It is housed in a historic Baroque barn and extends across three floors. As access is exclusively via wooden stairs, the exhibition is not accessible to wheelchair users.

The “Galerie anglických klobouků” gallery displays more than 100 ladies’ hats in different shapes, materials and colours; visitors can try on some of the hats. The hat exhibition is located in the orangery opposite the maze. A parrot aviary can also be seen there. The two collections focus on different themes: here, vehicles from around the world take centre stage, while there, the shapes, materials and colours of historic ladies’ hats are the main focus.

Gardens and Open Spaces

The castle grounds include a maze made of clipped arborvitae. The castle gardens are elegantly designed and feature numerous water elements, including ponds, cascades, fountains and water-lily pools. The castle garden can be visited independently of a visit to the castle.

The arboretum on the castle grounds, established in 2019, comprises 200 species and cultivars of woody plants. In the Nové Hrady arboretum, visitors can stroll among young trees along mown paths and rest in a wooden pavilion. The various garden spaces can be compared according to their water features, woody plants and walking paths. As a result, the castle grounds combine designed garden scenes with water features and walking areas among young trees.

Activities on the Castle Grounds

The castle hill has a children’s playground with benches, a pavilion, a wooden play castle, a viewing platform and perennial flower beds. The stables at Nové Hrady offer riding lessons for beginners and advanced riders. The farm belonging to the castle keeps red deer and fallow deer, which visitors can view. Walking, the playground, riding lessons and viewing the animals offer different ways to spend time outdoors.

To the main travel overview: Okres Ústí Nad Orlicí.