Jemniste is first mentioned in 1381, when the estate belonged to Benes of Cimburk. He then adopted the name of the local village of Jemniste. The building was of course not the château of today, but a fort which was surrounded by a moat. The fort can be still seen in the nearby village.

Count Frantisek Adam of Trauttmansdorff (1762) bought the estate in 1717. The old château in the village no longer suited his taste and his needs and he therefore built a new château in 1724 at a nearby hillock. The renown Czech architect Frantisek Maxmilian Kanka prepared the plans. In 1754 the château burnt down and only the Chapel of St. Joseph escaped damage. Franti�ek A. Trauttsmandorff had therefore the entire château rebuilt and newly equipped. Because only these modifications were made, no harm was done to the château which could have been done by any fundamental reconstruction works. This is therefore an ideal opportunity to view a typical seat of a nobleman at the height of the Baroque period.
During the 19th century the château changed hands several times. The owner of the nearby estate Cesky Sternberk was Zdenek, count Sternberg. He was the great-great grandfather of the present owner and bought the estate in 1868. Because he was the fourth of the five sons of count Josef Leopold (1770 - 1858) Zdenek, count Sternberg had no right to fidei- commissum on Castolovice estate, which later on came to his elder brother Leopold (1811 - 1899). In 1841 he purchased Český �ternberk from count Somsić of Saard and in 1868 he bought Jemni�tě from prince Windisch-Graetz. Following the death of count Zdeněk his elder son Alois (1850 - 1907) inherited Ceský Sternberk and Radnice, and his second-born son Filip (1852 - 1924) inherited Jemniste. Because Alois died a childless bachelor, Filip became the owner of all these estates as well as the owner of so-called Sternberg Houses in Vienna. Filip Sternberg carried out the necessary repairs to the château and promoted Jemniste to his main place of residence. He had two sons and two daughters with countess Karolina of Thurn and Valsassina (1863 - 1944). His elder son Zdeněk (1885 - 1899) died prematurely as a result of rheumarthritis and thus the second-born son Jiří Douglas (1888 - 1965 , the grandfather of the present owner) inherited a greater part of the property (Cesky Sternberk and Radnice) whilst Jemni�tě was passed equally to daughters Marie Gabriela (1890 - 1934) and Terezie (1902 - 1985). After the death of Marie Gabriela, Terezie (Sita) became the sole owner of the estate of Jemniste. She married in 1927 Frantisek, count Mensdorff-Pouilly (1897 - 1991). Sita and Frantisek owned Jemniste until 1943.
They were subject to all kinds of persecution due to their refusal to become German nationals (similar to the brother of Terezie, Jiri Douglas) following the occupation of the Czech lands. The least pleasant event occurred in 1943. The owner of a nearby estate Tloskov near Neveklov, Oskar Danek of Esse (a descendant of the founder of the CKD factories Vincenc Danek), where the German administration set up an exercise area for the SS troops, succeeded in obtaining as a citizen of the Reich the right to compensation. He chose Jemniste. Even though the Mensdorffs protested against the forced sale they had to move out within 14 days. They did manage however, to move out some of their belongings to the castle of Cesky Sternberk and some to a small château near Postupice (Podlesi). They also took some of their belongings to the vicarage of Postupice where they lived later on and where they spent the rest of their lives.
Jemniste was "liberated" in 1945 by the Russian troops led by General Malinovsky. However, the Russians treated the château which was then in German ownership, as though it was a conquered territory and not much remained from the original inventory. Jemniste was confiscated by the state despite protests from the Mensdorffs. Countess Terezie (Sita) therefore requested the return of her property. She succeeded in court but never moved back. It was again nationalised in 1951, this time by the communist regime.
Terezie Mensdorffová lived until her death in 1985 in nearby Postupice. Her husband Frantisek died in 1991. Because they were childless the claim to Jemniste was inherited by their nephew Jan Bosko Sternberg (born 1936). The château and the estate were restored to the hands of the Sternbergs in 1995. The current owner of Jemniste is his son Jiri, who lives together with his family in the left wing of the château.

Opening hours:
January - March: by prior arrangement only
April and May: on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 9 - 16.30
June: daily 9 - 17, closed on Mondays
July and August: daily 9 - 18, closed on Mondays
September and October: on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays 9 - 17
November and December: by prior arrangement only

SE from Prague: 1 hour from Prague
Trips: 1)Jemniste chateau SE3 - 4hour round trip
Trips combinations :
2)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Sternberk castle SE2 - 6hour round trip
3)Jemniste SE3 + Kutna Hora medieval town E1 - 8hour round trip
4)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Sternberk SE2 + Kutna Hora E1 - 10hour round trip
5)Jemniste SE3 + Konopiste castles SE1 - 6 hour round trip
6)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Sternberk SE2 + Konopiste SE1 - 8 hour round trip
7)Jemniste SE3 + Hluboka castle SS3 - 7hour round trip
8)Jemniste SE3 + Konopiste SE1 + Kutna Hora town E1 - 9 hour round trip
9)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Sternberk castles SE2 + Hluboka SS3 - 9 hour round trip
10)Jemniste SE3 + Konopiste SE1 + Hluboka SS3 - 9 hour round trip
11)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Krumlov castles SS1 - 11 hour round trip
12)Jemniste SE3 + Trebic and Polna ghettos SEE2 - 11 hour round trip
13)Jemniste SE3 + Hluboka castles SS3 + Cesky Krumlov town SS1 - 12 hour round trip
14)Jemniste SE3 + Trebic and Polna ghettos SEE2 + Cesky Sternberk castle SE2 - 12hour round trip
15)Jemniste SE3 + Trebic and Polna ghettos SEE2 + Kutna Hora medieval town E1 - 12hour round trip
16)Jemniste SE3 + Cesky Krumlov SS1 + Jindrichuv Hradec SS2 - 12hour round trip
17)Jemniste SE3 + Jindrichuv Hradec SS2 + Cervena Lhota SS6 - 12hour round trip
18)Jemniste SE3 + Jindrichuv Hradec SS2 + Orlik castle S4 - 12hour round trip
19)Jemniste SE3 + Cervena Lhota chateau SS6 + Ceske Budejovice, Budweiser Brewery SS5 - 12hour round trip

Our popular tours are outlined on our web sites:
www.private-tours.net
www.private-tours.cz
jewish.tourstoprague.com