A single glance shows when someone takes good care of their property and is able to apply a business spirit. The castle ticket office even sells feed for the deer who live in the game park; they’re so tame, that they’ve allegedly wandered all the way to the tax administration offices in Blatná.
The Empire style castle stands in the castle park and is home to owner Baroness Jana Germenis-Hildprandt and her son Stefan, and where the sculpting tools of their uncle Heindrich Hildprandt, a wellknown sculptor, still remain. The family has lived here in Blatná since 1798 with a post-war interruption that lasted until 1992, when the property was returned to Baroness Cornelia with her two daughters, Jana and Josefina. The Baronness mother worked as an interpreter at the UN and had lived with her husband in Africa, the Balearic Islands, and later in Germany. When Ms. Cornelia died in 2014 at the blessed age of 98, both daughters assumed the administration. Baroness Jana, now a widow after the Greek architect Spyridon Germenis, is the President of the Association of Private Castle and Chateau Owners and actively cooperates with other members of families and historic building owners throughout the country. Her sister Josefina lives mainly in Dobřichovice with her children and looks after the local brewery and distillery.
In 2019, an exhibition will open at Blatná Castle dedicated to Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, who stayed here. The Ried of Piesting Wing will be also reconstructed with its wedding suite for newlyweds.
The castle features items from the family’s travels throughout the world, historical furniture, and photographs of family members. And even though the sign on the door of the ticket office reads that “tours takes place if there are at least five paying visitors,” it’s full from morning to afternoon.
Near by tips:
Town of Blatná Few castles are so naturally integrated into the town’s architecture as Blatná. The local brewery and distillery, also owned by the Hildprandt family, are worth seeing