Litomyšl Castle


World Heritage Identification Number: 901

World Heritage since: 1999

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇨🇿 Czechia

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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Litomyšl Castle: A Renaissance Gem in the Heart of Bohemia

Litomyšl Castle, nestled in the picturesque town of Litomyšl in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic, stands as a testament to the harmonious fusion of Italian Renaissance architecture and Central European design. This architectural marvel, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, offers a unique blend of history, art, and culture that continues to captivate visitors from around the globe.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Litomyšl Castle was originally a Renaissance arcade-castle of the type first developed in Italy and then adopted and greatly developed in central Europe in the 16th century. Its design and decoration are particularly fine, including the later High-Baroque features added in the 18th century. It preserves intact the range of ancillary buildings associated with an aristocratic residence of this type.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (ii): Litomyšl Castle is an outstanding and immaculately preserved example of the arcade castle, a type of building first developed in Italy and modified in the Czech lands to create an evolved form of special architectural quality.

Criterion (iv): Litomyšl Castle illustrates in an exceptional way the aristocratic residences of central Europe in the Renaissance and their subsequent development under the influence of new artistic movements.

Encyclopedia Record: Litomyšl Castle

Litomyšl Castle is one of the largest Renaissance castles in the Czech Republic. It is owned by the Czech state. It is located in the centre of the town of Litomyšl and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Litomyšl Castle is an outstanding example of the arcade castle, a type of building first developed in Italy and modified in the Czech lands to create an evolved form of special architectural quality. High-Baroque features were added to this castle in the 18th century.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 4.25 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: 49.87361 , 16.31444

Image

Image of Litomyšl Castle

© Přemysl Otakar, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Country Information: Czechia

Flag of Czechia

Official Name: Czech Republic

Capital: Prague

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 10,882,164

Population (2023): 10,864,042

Population (2022): 10,672,118

Land Area: 77,190 sq km

Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Litomyšl Castle are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Litomyšl Castle, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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