No bidder: Czech authorities now offering Štiřín Chateau for free

The fate of Štiřín Chateau, a Baroque estate near Prague, which hosted presidents and cabinet ministers, remains uncertain. The Czech state has failed to find a buyer for it, despite repeated attempts to sell the property and a dramatic reduction in its asking price.

Park at the Štiřín Chateau|Photo: Markéta Vejvodová, Czech Radio

Štiřín Chateau, located about 25 kilometres southeast of Prague, dates back to the mid-18th century and is surrounded by an English-style park. After being purchased by the state in 1945, it was used for hosting government meetings and foreign dignitaries. Between 1985 and 1993, the building was reconstructed and adapted into a luxury hotel with a restaurant, wellness centre and golf course.

The chateau has been closed since June 2023, and the state has been offering the 18th-century Baroque estate in online auctions since 2024, lowering the price from an initial CZK 3.3 billion to CZK 720 million. Even so, no buyer has emerged.

Štiřín Castle as a children's convalescent home|Photo: Memory of the Nation

The goal of the Office for Government Representation in Property Affairs is to find a private owner who would find a meaningful use for this exceptional Baroque property. Since no buyer has come forward, it has offered the complex for free to a state institution that would make good use of it. The office’s spokesperson, Tereza Frančová, says today is the last chance to acquire it under these conditions.

“The offer is valid until April 29 and the complex is being offered as a whole. So far, no state institution has expressed interest.”

Park at the Štiřín Chateau|Photo: Markéta Vejvodová, Czech Radio

Maintaining the unused property has proven costly. Monthly expenses are estimated at around CZK 600,000, largely due to the upkeep of the extensive grounds, including the golf course. Over the past decade, the state has spent roughly CZK 260 million on maintenance, adding pressure to secure a sale.

Local residents have their own ideas about its possible use. Some suggest converting the site into a facility for seniors, reflecting demographic trends, while others point to a lack of healthcare services in the area and propose using the complex for medical care or facilities for children.

Štiřín Chateau|Photo: Miloš Turek, Radio Prague International

The mayor of the nearby municipality of Kamenice, Pavel Čermák, has expressed interest in parts of the estate, particularly the chateau park, which is a cherished public space for many locals.

“We are interested in it, because we wouldn’t want to see it closed off. For the people of Kamenice, the park is something very close to their hearts; we would like for the public to be able to access it,” he says.

Kamenice would also like to acquire the former hostel on the site, where it would build a preschool facility. Until now the state has only offered the complex as a whole, but Čermák says he is hopeful that may change.

“If no owner is found among state organizations and the chateau remains abandoned, I think it will then be offered to state institutions in parts. And based on initial signals, there would already be interest in that.”

As the deadline nears, local residents are hoping that the state will enable them to go ahead with their plans and help give the historic estate a new purpose.