Castle Grabštejn's Rules for Visitors
The National Heritage Institute, Regional Heritage Administration, Sychrov's Rules for Visitors
Castle Grabštejn is hereinafter referred to as “the castle”.
Part 1 - AREAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The castle premises (hereinafter referred to as “the premises”) refer to all the buildings, courtyards, roads, parks, gardens and other parts of the castle. By entering the premises, the visitor agrees to follow these rules and to obey any instructions given by castle staff.
The area is divided into three areas for purposes of visitor access:
● Areas of the castle freely accessible to the public during opening hours;
● Areas of the building open to visitors upon payment of an an admission fee;
● Areas of the building not accessible to the public.
Part 2 - ORGANISING A VISIT
- The box office is open from 8.45 to 17.00 Tuesday–Sunday from June till August. In May and September, as well as on weekends and public holidays in April and October, it is open from 8.45 to 16.00. On weekdays in April and October it is open from 9:45 to 15:00.
- For information about individual tours, including when they start, please ask at the ticket office or check the website: www.hrad-grabstejn.cz
- Tours are divided into two types - although some can be taken independently, others can only be taken with a guide.
- The castle staff decides how often individual tours can take place. The number of visitors allowed on one tour and within the castle is limited in accordance with the castle’s capacity and with visitors’ safety in mind.
- Guided tours should contain at least five people, including people exempt from admission charges. A group of fewer than five visitors will be asked to wait for the next scheduled tour to begin, which will then take place even if fewer than five people are in attendance. Exceptions may be granted by castle management. The last tour of the day will take place even if fewer than five visitors have expressed interest.
- Tours can be booked for larger groups as well as for individuals. The exact date and time of the start of the tour must be agreed with castle management in advance, whether in writing, by phone, by e-mail or through the electronic reservation system. The tour will be cancelled in the event of non-attendance; please come to the ticket office at least fifteen minutes before the agreed tour time. Castle management reserves the right to add additional visitors to reserved groups up to the maximum permissible tour capacity.
Part 3 - ADMISSION FEES
- Tours in parts of the castle subject to an admission charge must be paid for in advance. Admission fees and discounts are determined by the price assessment for the respective year, issued by the National Heritage Institute and the Regional Heritage Administration in Sychrov. This price assessment is available at the ticket office.
- Visitors are given a ticket upon paying the admission fee. Group leaders are given a group ticket. The start time of guided tours is indicated on the ticket.
- Tickets will no longer be valid if visitors are not present at the time indicated.
- Purchased tickets cannot be returned or exchanged.
- Visitors are obliged to show their tickets at the beginning of the tour, retain them for the entire duration of the tour, and present them again upon request.
Part 4 - CASTLE TOURS
- Visitors should pay careful attention to uneven roads, narrow passages, or other risks resulting from the historical nature of the castle. Visitors must pay maximum attention to the safety of their children and/or other individuals in their care. Visitors must take extra care during periods of bad weather, as there may be heavy snow, ice, or falling branches.
- Castle management may choose to close parts of the building in the event of bad weather or serious technical problems.
- Children under the age of 15 are allowed to enter the premises only if accompanied by a person over the age of 18, who is responsible for ensuring that their behaviour complies with the Rules for Visitors.
- Visitors must keep to marked areas inside the castle.
- Third-party translations of tours can only take place by prior arrangement, and only in the case that a castle guide, printed material, or audio tours are not available. Interpreters must always be respectful of other visitors when interpreting.
Article 5 - PROTECTION AND SECURITY OF THE CASTLE
- Visitors are obliged to follow the instructions of the employees of the castle. If instructions issued in the interest of visitor safety or protecting the castle and its collections are not followed, visitors will be asked to leave the premises without reimbursement, and i t is their responsibility to leave the premises immediately. Furthermore, the visitor runs the risk of being sanctioned by law.
- For the protection of the castle, its visitors and furnishings, CCTV with recording is in operation in selected areas inside the castle and around the exterior.
- Persons reasonably suspected of drunkenness or having taken drugs are forbidden to enter the premises.
- Visitors in heavily soiled, inadequate or otherwise inappropriate clothing will be refused entry.
- Smoking and any use of open fire is prohibited inside the castle. In the event of a fire or other emergency, visitors should follow the instructions of staff. Smoking may be permitted in outside areas designated elsewhere in these regulations.
- For safety reasons, visitors are prohibited from bringing any weapons or firearms into the castle, including any replicas.
- Access to the indoor exhibit areas is prohibited with bulky luggage, inappropriate headwear, bags, umbrellas and pets.
- If it is discovered that any of the exhibited collections are missing or damaged, all visitors are obliged to comply with all necessary security measures, wait for the arrival of the police and obey their instructions.
- It is forbidden to damage or endanger the castle, its furnishings, park or garden or any other property on the premises. In particular, the following are prohibited:
- Touching, writing, painting and chiselling on walls and objects, or damaging them in any way;
- Deviating from the designated tour routes during the guided tour, leaving the guide and the tour group;
- Causing a disturbance (by talking on the phone, playing music, singing, using mobile phones and mobile playback devices, loud exclamations and other similar activities) to other visitors or the guide, or to disturb other visitors to the castle. Failure to comply with this condition may be grounds for expulsion from the tour without reimbursement;
- Eating, drinking and chewing gum inside the castle, entering the castle with ice cream, drinks, food, etc.;
- Throwing anything into ponds, picking flowers, picking fruits, breaking branches of trees and shrubs, walking on lawns and off marked paths , camping on the premises, putting up posters, promoting any goods, services or activities, and otherwise disturbing peace and order, feeding or disturbing animals kept on the premises or wild animals and birds;
- Driving or riding on the premises using vehicles of any sort (except for wheelchairs for those with disabilities, and prams). Bicycles can only be left in the designated areas.
- Parking your car outside the designated public car parks;
- Touching electrical wiring boxes, burglar alarms, fire extinguishers or any other technical equipment.
- Dogs and other animals on the premises must be secured. They may only be taken into the castle in a secure crate or in their owner's arms.
- Photography and filming using flashes, tripods, selfie sticks, or any other lighting devices inside the castle and in certain other designated areas of the premises is forbidden. Any photographs, video or other documentation taken on the premises cannot be used for commercial purposes without the express written permission of the National Heritage Institute’s Regional Heritage Administration in Sychrov. For scientific, documentary, promotional and other filming purposes, the administration can grant an exemption upon written request.
- Flying of unmanned aircraft (drones, multicopters, etc.) and aircraft models is forbidden on the premises without the prior written consent of the castle manager.
- Geocaching and related activities and the organization of other outdoor games are allowed only with the consent of the castle manager.
Article 6 - SPECIFIC PROVISIONS
- Photography for non-commercial purposes, without flash, is allowed in the rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors, except for the room on the 2nd floor of the tower (where the original statue of St. Barbara is located).
Article 7 - FINAL PROVISIONS
- Requests and feedback can be submitted by visitors in writing to bartova.iva@npu.cz. They can also be submitted in writing or by telephone to the National Heritage Institute's Regional Heritage Administration in Sychrov, Zámek č. p. 3, Sychrov, 463 44, for the attention of Mgr. Lucie Bidlasová, or by e-mail bidlasova.lucie@npu.cz
- Visitors are responsible to the National Heritage Institute, in the person of its local management, for any breach of the Visitors' Rules and for damage caused to property in line with valid legal regulations. The responsibility of the management of the castle for possible damage incurred by the visitors during their time on the premises is governed by the relevant regulations. The National Heritage Institute is not liable for damages visitors may suffer as a result of non-compliance with these Rules.
- In justified cases, exceptions may be allowed by the head of the castle management.
- These visitor regulations came into effect on 1 March 2020, and replace the previous Rules for Visitors .
Ing. arch. Iva Bártová, castle management, manager of Grabštejn Castle
PhDr. Miloš Kadlec, National Heritage Institute, Director of the Regional Heritage Administration in Sychrov