The Nasavrky Château

The Nasavrky Château is one of the town’s dominant features. It stands on the site of a former fortress which was built in the 10^th – 11^th centuries. It served as a base for customs officers who monitored the security on the regional roads. Part of the masonry from the original fortress has been preserved. In 1600, the fortress was demolished at the request of Václav Záruba of Hustířany and a two-story château decorated with sgraffito was erected in its place. The château has a regular rectangular floor plan. The facade includes a sandstone portal with relief decorations. The decorations in the ground floor entry hall, which include a barrel vault, are of great value. An administrative building was built next to the château prior to 1839 and it is now the seat of the municipal authority. Another smaller building was also built and used as a prison. After 1939, the château housed a shop, a gymnasium or even a vegetable store. The repair of the château commenced after 1987 when it became the seat of the Regional Administration for the Iron Mountains Nature Reserve. Nowadays, the château premises are used for cultural purposes. The ground floor houses the Information Centre and a travel agency, while the first floor is home to the permanent “In the Footsteps of the Celts” exhibition.