Zámek Nemilkov, a Renaissance and Baroque residence, built on remains of a Middle Age Gothic fortress, is a cultural heritage estate on the list of “endangered sights”.
Leaving their lives in Prague behind, Markéta Kaplanová, former national coach of Czech swimming federation and her husband Michal, real estate broker in the fall of 2016.
Experience a unique stay at the chateau in a cozy apartment for two. During your stay, you will not only relax, but you will also get a glimpse “under the hood” of the revitalization of the whole complex.
You can also plan your wedding, or other social event here.
Docela malinkaté divadélko presents Pohadky z Kufru
Presenting Pohádky z Kufru (Tales from the Trunk) On the 8th of August 2019, at 17:00
in the Zamek Nemilkov courtyard
Entrance fee is voluntary
Please bring your own cushions
Do not miss the very first theather performance at the chateau!
How (not) to Build a Chateau Garden
Our journey at Zámek Nemilkov began with setting up a couple resolutions to guide our work. Nevertheless, we were not so successful in following them. One of the resolutions was not to plant any flowers, trees, or vegetables, since it does not make sense to do so during reconstruction. I made that decision even though gardening is my favorite hobby.
While living in an apartment house at Prague 3 (Žižkov), I had flowers in every window, balcony and all over the courtyard....
Nails, bricks and asphalt
People often visit chateaux to learn about their history, and Chateau Nemilkov it is no exception. When visiting places like chateau Hluboká nad Vltavou, you will probably not hear much about recent Czech history. But when you visit us, it is unavoidable.
Chateau Nemilkov became state-owned after WWII, and because of its position and size, it was dedicated to serving the needs of the town and local agriculture. All inventory that was not useful was taken away by the “state supervisor”, probably to chateau Kozel....
Chateau hygiene: Keeping clean in spartan conditions
Reflecting on our hygienic practices at Nemilkov since last September (2016), it seems to us that we went through development stages of human hygiene since the Middle Ages.
At first, all washing took place out the chateau in a bucket. To wash meant one would be quite cold, especially during chilly September evenings, being as close as we are to the mountains. We rinsed the suds off with warm water from our ancient water kettle, but of course, we often ran out of warm water just when it was least desirable!...
How to survive winter at the chateau
In the Czech TV show Modrá krev (Blue Blood), a Czech noble man from Štemberk says: “Whoever wants to live in a chateau must have a sweater and thick socks.”
While that is certainly true, it would not be enough for Nemilkov. The winter temperatures in the foothills of the mountains of Šumava were quite extreme this winter. According to locals, it was the coldest winter in the past 6 years....
What we did not account for
During a show on Czech TV called “Historical sites for sale”, Zámek Nemilkov was featured in one episode! This particular episode ends with the words: “the chateau is small, suited for one family at most.” Our experience is quite different. Due to the expansive space, we were constantly looking for one another during the first visit to the chateau. We were running from one room to the other, unsure which door to use....
Why we decided to buy an endangered historical landmark?
My husband calls this decision an adventure, I call it suicide, we are probably both right…
How did it all happen? For many years, we had talked about buying something old and damaged. However, few people (including us) believed that it would become a reality. Maybe not even my husband. Buying the chateau advanced my decision to end my coaching career and say goodbye to swimming-my lifelong love. Despite the smell of chlorine, pool decks are clean, bright, and most of all, warm....
