Boskovice lies 14 km north of Blansko, and from Sloup or Blansko it is about a 20-minute drive. There are three sights to fill a day. The castle ruins above the town can be explored without a guide, and include a 26 m deep cistern with a treadwheel. Below them stands the Empire-style chateau of the Mensdorff-Pouilly family, with a tour of roughly 45 minutes. Beneath the main square lies the Jewish Quarter, one of the best-preserved in the Czech Republic, with the Synagoga Maior of 1639 and a large Jewish cemetery. The castle, chateau and synagogue are all closed on Mondays, and outside the main season they open only on certain days. In April and October the chateau opens only to pre-booked groups. Prices: the castle costs 140 Kč (approx. €5.60 — a rough guide only, as exchange rates fluctuate), the chateau 180 Kč (approx. €7.20) and the synagogue 100 Kč (approx. €4).
QUICK LINKS 🏰 Castle · 🏛️ Chateau · 🕍 Jewish Quarter · 🗓️ Opening times and admission · 🚗 Getting there · 🧭 Combining it with the karst · ❓ FAQ
Anyone spending several days in the karst will sooner or later be looking for a day out that doesn’t involve yet another cave. Boskovice is the nearest historic town and fits the bill nicely. The castle, chateau and Jewish Quarter are all just a few minutes’ walk from one another, so you only need to park the car once.
Boskovice Castle
This Gothic castle stands on a hill above the town, at an altitude of 448 m. Written sources do not say who built it. Archaeological finds place its origins in the second half of the 13th century. The first written mention, from 1313, concerns its capture by the army of King John of Luxembourg. In 1389 the castle was taken by Margrave Jošt. It was then rebuilt by the lords of Kunštát, later by the lords of Boskovice and finally by the knights of Zástřizly, who turned it into a comfortable Renaissance residence. The Dietrichsteins moved down into the town, and around 1733 the castle lost its roofs. It fell into decay from then on, until only the ruin remained.
What you’ll see: late Gothic doorways, a Renaissance gate from 1568 bearing the builder’s name, the remains of the great hall with its ribbed vaulting and, above all, the cistern with a treadwheel, dating from around 1671. It is 26 m deep, and water was fed into it from a second cistern in front of the castle. There are views over the surrounding countryside from the castle.
Practical information:
- Visits are self-guided, with no guide. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
- Dogs are welcome inside on a lead.
- Bicycles are not allowed into the grounds; there are racks in front of the first gate.
- Parking in front of the castle is not permitted. The nearest car park is on Hradní street, about 600 m from the castle. You walk up either along the road or along the red-marked trail around the hill with the viewpoint.
- The ticket office sells drinks and light refreshments, and in summer there is also a stall open in the second courtyard.
- Only the outer courtyard is step-free.
Boskovice Chateau
The chateau stands on the site of a Dominican monastery founded in 1682 by Jan Bohuš of Zástřizly. Joseph II dissolved it in 1784, and between 1819 and 1826 František Xaver Dietrichstein converted it into an Empire-style chateau. From 1856 it belonged to the Mensdorff-Pouilly family, who lost it after 1948 and regained it through restitution in 1991. The chateau is still privately owned, and besides tours it hosts weddings and concerts.
What you’ll see: the guided tour lasts about 45 minutes. Most visitors are particularly taken by the grand hall spanning two storeys, with its original chequerboard floor of 1830, a salon with paintings of the wars against the Turks on buffalo hides, and a Baroque library of more than 11,000 volumes with a copper celestial globe. In the park you will find an Empire-style glasshouse from 1829 and a neo-Gothic riding hall from 1870.
The Jewish Quarter
South of the main square lies the Jewish Quarter, covering about 5 hectares. It is among the best-preserved in the Czech Republic. Jewish settlement here is reliably documented from the 16th century, and an enclosed ghetto with gates was established in 1727. After 1857 more than 1,800 Jews lived here, roughly a third of the population of Boskovice. The Jewish Quarter had its own mayor, police and fire brigade, and remained a separate municipality until 1919. On 14 and 15 March 1942 the Nazis deported 458 people from here. Only a handful returned.
- The Synagoga Maior (Great Synagogue) on Traplova street is a Baroque building from 1639. The vaults and walls are covered in painted decoration and Hebrew texts created by Jewish refugees from Poland in the second half of the 17th century and in the 18th century. Inside is an exhibition on the history of the local Jewish community. In summer it hosts exhibitions and concerts.
- The Jewish Community House on Bílkova street once housed the community offices, a school and the matzah bakery. Today it contains an exhibition on the Jewish quarters of Bohemia and Moravia.
- The streets of the quarter can be walked at any time. About 20 houses are listed buildings, and the oldest part is around the square called U Vážné studny and in the streets U Koupadel and Traplova.
- The Jewish cemetery beneath the castle hill, about 800 m from the main square, is one of the largest in the Czech Republic. It holds about 2,500 gravestones, the oldest dating from 1670. Check the cemetery’s opening hours with the museum.
Every summer the town hosts the Boskovice festival, the Festival for the Jewish Quarter.
Opening times and admission
All three sites are closed on Mondays, except on public holidays.
| Castle | Chateau | Synagoga Maior | |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | Sat–Sun and public holidays 10–17 | pre-booked groups only | Tue–Fri 10–17, Sat–Sun 13–17 |
| May | Tue–Fri 11–17, Sat–Sun 10–17 | Fri–Sun and public holidays 10–16 | Tue–Fri 10–17, Sat–Sun 13–17 |
| June | Tue–Fri 11–17, Sat–Sun 10–17 | Tue–Sun 10–16 | Tue–Sun 10–17 |
| July–August | Tue–Sun 9:30–18 | Tue–Sun 10–17 | Tue–Sun 10–17 |
| September | Tue–Fri 11–17, Sat–Sun 10–17 | Fri–Sun 10–16 | Tue–Fri 10–17, Sat–Sun 13–17 |
| October | Sat–Sun and public holidays 10–17 | pre-booked groups only | Tue–Fri 10–17, Sat–Sun 13–17 |
| Full admission | 140 Kč (approx. €5.60) | 180 Kč (approx. €7.20) | 100 Kč (approx. €4) |
- Castle: concessions 100 Kč, children aged 6–17 70 Kč, under 6s free. In October 2026 it is also open on 28–30 October and on 31 October – 1 November. The price list on the castle’s website is marked as valid for 2024. Tel. 722 669 712, hradboskovice.cz.
- Chateau: concessions 120 Kč. The last tour starts an hour before closing time. Tel. 516 452 241, zamekboskovice.cz.
- Synagogue and Jewish Community House: one joint ticket, concessions 70 Kč, family ticket 240 Kč. With a ticket from the castle or chateau you get a reduced admission price at the museum. Lunch break 12:30–13:00. From November to March open to pre-booked groups only, tel. 702 049 052, muzeum-boskovicka.cz.
The Museum of the Boskovice Region also has a main building, the Count’s Residence on Hradní street, with an exhibition on the natural and human history of the Boskovice area. It is open all year round except Mondays.
Getting there
- By car: from Blansko about 17 km, from Sloup about 14 km, and in both cases around 20 minutes.
- By train: from Blansko, changing at Skalice nad Svitavou, from where a train runs to Boskovice. Find connections at idsjmk.cz.
- By bike: from Blansko, cycle route no. 5117 runs via Petrovice and Žďár, about 19 km.
Combining Boskovice with the karst
For a single day: the castle in the morning, then lunch in town and, in the afternoon, a tour of the chateau or the synagogue with a stroll through the Jewish Quarter. If you have time to spare early on, you can fit in the Sloup–Šošůvka Caves (Sloupsko-šošůvské jeskyně) on the way; from Sloup it is the shortest hop to Boskovice.
When it rains in the karst: the chateau, synagogue and museum are all under cover. You’ll find more ideas in our article The Moravian Karst when it rains.
Where to stay: for a trip to Boskovice, the most convenient accommodation is in the north of the karst – see Accommodation in Sloup. For how to plan a longer stay, see A week in the Moravian Karst.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Boskovice from the Moravian Karst? From Blansko about 17 km, from Sloup about 14 km, around 20 minutes by car.
Do you have to take a guide at Boskovice Castle? No, the castle is explored freely. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
When is Boskovice Chateau open? For individual visitors from May to September, closed on Mondays. In April and October it is open only to pre-booked groups of more than 15 people.
How much does it cost to enter the synagogue in Boskovice? Full admission is 100 Kč, and the ticket also covers the Jewish Community House.
Are dogs allowed at Boskovice Castle? Yes, on a lead.
Information verified as of 13. 10. 2026. Sources: Boskovice Castle: opening hours, admission and castle history; Boskovice Chateau: opening times and price list; Museum of the Boskovice Region: opening hours and prices, Synagoga Maior; Wikipedia: Boskovice, Boskovice Chateau, The Jewish Quarter in Boskovice, The Jewish cemetery in Boskovice; Jedovnice.com: Cycle routes (route 5117).
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