History of Velké Losiny Chateau

      The first known references to Losiny relate to the village and the local church. The date of origin of the fortress which preceded the castle is uncertain. The estate held long the king who often pawned it. Individual owners took turns. Since the end of the 15th century, Losiny has remained in the hands of Zierotin family for more than three centuries.

      At the beginning of the 1560s, Jan Jr. of Zierotin, later known Jan of Losiny, acquired Losiny in the division of property. Old fortress did not suit the new demands for living, so approximately from 1567 to 1589, Jan had three-winged castle with arcades built. The opposite farm wing was built for the purposes of the economic background, it closed castle courtyard. Jan of Losiny died in 1608. After that, he was succeeded by his sons. Jan Jetřich who died childless, is represented on the portrait between the windows. After his death, he was succeeded by his younger brother Přemyslav II.

      The Thirty Years´ War affected the castle and estate minimally, it managed to negotiate protection from Swedish troops thanks to Protestant faith of Zierotin family. After the Thirty Years´ War, Přemek III of Zierotin, son of Přemek II, took possession of the estate, and after his death in 1673, his sister Angelina Galle was in charge of the estate for his underage sons. In the 1670s and 1680s, she started monstrous witch trials which were stopped after nearly two decades of terror by Jan Jáchym, son of Přemek III. Under him, the estate recovered from these wounds and flourished because Jan Jáchym married Vilemína of Lilgenau and so he connected Silesian estate to Losiny estate, he also obtained the earldom. In the mid-18th century, Jan Ludvík, son of Jan Jáchym, rebuilt chapel, its painting was made by important Moravian painter Jan Kryštof Handke. Ludvík Anton, the last owner of Zierotins, did not manage too well, and in 1802, he had to sell the indebted estate to Karel František Antonín of Liechtenstein, including part of the equipment. In the 1830s and 1840s, Liechtensteins adapted a Low Castle for occupancy and the castle garden did not avoid adaptation too. In 1945, the castle was confiscated the family of Liechtenstein on the basis of the Beneš Decrees. The castle is opened to the public from 1949, and in 1995, it was declare a national culture heritage.