Inhabited since the l0th century, the are became a town at the beginning of the l4th century. The history of the town is closely related to the history and development of the manor house. This was originally a farmstead, later a Gothic stronghold and a castle (the contemporary "Old Mansion"), and finally-at the latest since 1709-a baroque château (today's "New Mansion"). Both seats were gradually changing. The Old Mansion was destroyed in 1639, burnt to the ground by Swedes and , after the year of 1648, adapted in the baroque style. The New Mansion underwent large architectonic adaptations in 1737 and during the l9th century. Last alterations of some interiors are from the beginning of the 20th century. The most famous architects of that time participated in the reconstruction of the buildings and the park: Jan Ferdinand Schor, Gottlob Engelhard, Ernest Hager and even the workshop of Matthias Bernard Braun (statues integrated in the rococo enclosure of the courtyard and at the so called "Sun Gate" in the castle park). The earliest history of the town is inseparably connected with some great names of noble houses: the Lords of Žerotín, King Wenceslas IV, the Lords of Říčany, the Lords of Martinice, etc. In the New Mansion lived the Lords of Vrbovice and, since 1852, the Lords of Hanavy at Hesensko. Nowadays, the castle Hořovice is in the possession of the State and the installed exposition is open to the public. Phone 00420/316/2479. The former district town of Hořovice continues to be a centre of production, administration and culture of the region which lies on the natural border of the Křivoklát Forest, the Czech Karst and the Brdy mountains. It is very close to the Nuremberg-Prague motorway, there is an important airport, a swimming pool, saunas, an athletic hall, tennis courts, a horseback riding centre in the town as well as accommodation facilities.

The Town Hall of 1904

The château of Hořovice

The château garden