The building stands at the main road and doesn’t attract too much attention at first glance; the interesting part is concealed inside. This is the headquarters for the Czech Institute for International Meetings (ČIMS), whose founder Dr. Jan Nepomuk Berwid-Buquoy is a truly Renaissance personality: he is a politologist and historian, he has written pulp fiction, he used to be a chef, he’s worked as a journalist, he’s written 14 factual literature books, he served as an officer in the British Intelligence Service, he became Vice Chairman of NATO’s Czech Atlantic Commission and is present Chairman of its educational division, he’s received several military awards, and he’s still politically active.
To date, over 15 million Czech crowns have been invested in the castle. Today it offers two guided tours that highlight the remarkable restored Rococo frescoes from the first half of the 18th century, illustrating the Italian town of Millesimo (home of Count Caretto, who in 1699 rebuilt the Renaissance fortress into a Baroque castle). The arcades on the courtyard with a triangular shield and flat pilasters bring an interesting element to the castle architecture; on the ground and upper floor, the castle bears rare ribbed cross vaulting.
The castle itself is remarkable in that it contains four building styles: Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Empire, which is quite rare and unique for such a small building.
Dr. Jan Berwid-Buquoy lives alternately in Berlin and in the Měšíce Baroque castle. The castle was built in 1545 by his mother’s ancestors, the Prokop family from Hejlovec, whose family probably comes from the legendary Hussite leader, Ondřej Prokop, known as Holý. In the 19th century, the Měšíce castle belonged to the Nádherný Barons of Borutín.
Some of the exhibits inside are particularly interesting: the sofa and dining table of Reinhard Heydrich and even the sheet on which he lay after his assassination, the sofa set of Nicolae Ceauşescu, the matrimonial beds which actually belonged to Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and his wife Charlotte, Winston Churchill’s sofa and table, the 1904 Art Nouveau bedroom from French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand, and other curiosities.
“The castle is not a museum,” says Dr. Buquoy, “you can touch everything, sit down, or even maybe rest in a chair.”
The Knights’ Hall is a venue for lectures and conferences, professional gatherings, and public concert events.
Pre-arranged visits are welcome, and a tour is possible throughout the year for a minimum of 5 people.
Nearby tips: Kozí Hrádek About 5.5 km away are the ruins of this Gothic castle, now a National Cultural Heritage Property. Master Jan Hus lived here between 1413-1415 prior to his fateful departure for Constance.