The Pardubice Castle is once again coming to the forefront of attention,
both among experts and among the general public. It was built in the late Gothic
style at the site of a former moated castle by Vilem of Pernstejn when he
decided to make it his new seat in 1491. The Castle with its uniquely preserved
original disposition, separated from the "rest of the world" by massive ground
ramparts, is unequalled in the Czech Lands. Due to its far-reaching ramparts the
Castle covers almost the same area as the town's historical centre. The Castle
changed owners many times in the course of history with each new resident
carrying out repairs and reconstruction.
In 1880 the Pardubice Museum Society rented some parts of the Castle to deposit
its museum collections there, and in 1920 purchased the whole Castle. After the
Second World War it became the seat of cultural institutions (museum, gallery,
conservation institute, and temporarily also the town's archives). Long-term
reconstruction of the whole Castle was launched in 1975. In 1994 the Castle was
brought under the administration of the East Bohemian Museum. One by one, its
individual parts are now being opened to the public to host various social and
representative events and present rich museum collections.