Bečov Castle

The complex dates back to the first half of the 13th century, when Bečov Castle was likely built as a customs post. It was first documented in 1349 in the possession of the Lords of Ossegg and Riesenburg. It underwent a transformation starting in 1495 under the Lords Pflug von Rabenstein, who expanded the building in the Renaissance style. After the confiscation of property by King Ferdinand I in 1547, due to Kaspar Pflug's involvement in the Estates' Uprising, the dominion passed to various noble families and towns. During the Thirty Years' War, the castle was captured by Swedish troops in 1648 and damaged. From 1624, the Questenberg family became the new owners, beginning the construction of the Baroque chateau below the old castle in the early 18th century. This was completed in 1753 by the Lords of Kaunitz. In 1813, Friedrich Beaufort-Spontin acquired the complex. His descendants, in 1945, hid the St. Maurus Reliquary, which was only rediscovered in 1986 and, after restoration, has been exhibited in the chateau since 2002.

Bečov Castle is located in the town of Bečov nad Teplou in the Karlovarský kraj (Karlovy Vary Region) in the Severozápad (Northwest) region of the Czech Republic, at an elevation of approximately 518 m above sea level.

Visitors can tour the chateau today and see the St. Maurus Reliquary. Various guided tours are offered, providing insights into the state rooms, the library, and the chateau chapel.