History
In the footsteps of time at Chateau Orlice
The beginnings of settlement in Orlice date back to the 13th century. In 1257, King Přemysl Otakar II donated the local lands to the lords of Olešná, retainers of Kojata of Hrabišice. They chose a wooded hill above the river, from where there was a view of the village of Kunčice and near which the Royal Trade Route connecting the inland with the borderlands passed. The place got its name from the birds of prey that nested here – Orlice.
The first wooden fortress was soon replaced by a stone building with a two-meter wall and spacious cellars for supplies. Few records have survived from this period; the first written mention dates from 1361, when Ivan of Orlice, patron of the local church, is mentioned.
Over the centuries, several noble families took turns at the fortress. A significant mark was left by the Strachots of Orlice, who in the 16th century built a Renaissance chateau next to the old Gothic fortress. The white facade with sgraffito with figural motifs was unprecedented in the region at that time. After the death of Jan Strachota, the estate passed to the Sud family of Řeneč, who extended the building with a new residential wing and added a stone floor on the west side. The alliance coat of arms of Petr Suda and his wife Dorota of Lipan then appeared on the southern wall of the chateau.
In the 17th century, the fortress became the property of the Vitanovskýs of Vlčkovice. The young Dorota Anna Sudová married Adam Mikuláš Vitanovský, and in 1650 the family moved their seat to the neighboring estate of Kyšperk (today's Letohrad). This ends the noble era of Orlice – the chateau was transformed into a farmstead, which expanded the most around 1815.
The following centuries brought a varied use: the building housed a brewery, a grain and potato warehouse, a weaving mill, a joinery, a hospital, apartments, and a car workshop. The historical fortress thus gradually lost its original appearance, but its core has been preserved.
Treat yourself to a well-deserved break
A perfect stay is one that creates memories. At Chateau Orlice, you will find an atmosphere, services, and attention that will make you want to come back again and again.