The chateau Račice was built on the site of a former castle from 1275 - 1285. In the second half of the 16th century the manor was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. After 1620 there were several owners. In the 4th decade of the 19th century, the chateau was rebuilt in the Empire style by Baron Mundy. In September 1938, under general mobilization, the chateau became the seat of the General Staff of the Czechoslovak Army for a short time. After World War II the chateau was owned by the state. Until 2014, there was used as a boarding school. The next 3 years it was unused. Over the past seven decades, this cultural monument has only received architecturally insensitive functional fixtures and only basic maintenance of the building has been carried out. For the preservation and sustainable operation of the chateau complex, its costly reconstruction and revitalization is necessary. We carry out all project preparation in coordination with the authorities of cultural heritage. After the reconstruction, which will preserve the historic message of the chateau, we intend to run a thematic educational centre with accommodation in its premises. Above all, we want to make the entire chateau area accessible to the public in its entirety. The tranquil wooded environment of the chateau grounds, covering an area of 55,000 m2, is ideal for educational programmes on the subject of sustainable development, such as the protection and management of historical heritage, the care of the landscape and the gentle interconnection of history with the present. It is a way to raise the awareness of the need to preserve historical heritage through a combination of education and leisure activities.

Chateau Račice: Educational Centre in a Sustainable operation of a historical cultural monument in the conditions of environmental, cultural and economic changes of the 21st century. In a time of rapid change, it is important to protect, revitalize and preserve the architectural, cultural, historical and environmental heritage for future generations. In this context, it is important to develop an educational role where schools are not able to do so. Project goal: The aim of the project is to save and revitalize the chateau complex and build a thematic educational centre with accommodation facilities, which will be sustainable and will raise awareness of appropriate care of cultural heritage and landscape. It will also bring visitors to the region, create stable jobs and structurally strengthen the functioning a network of owners and managers of cultural properties in the region.

Thematic areas of education:

1. Preservation of the several hundred years old building from deterioration while meeting conflicting requirements: - Minimal interference with the original layout and appearance of the object - Compliance with current requirements for safety of buildings - Fulfilment of energy performance requirements and minimization of the ecological burden of the construction - Extension of functions and services in the chateau complex while preserving the original greenery
2. Care for culturally protected forest park: Sensitive solution of forestation of a forest park while meeting conflicting requirements: - preservation of historical trees where possible depending on their health condition - revitalization of forest park - planting new cultures where old tree species had to be remedied for safety reasons - creation of an authentic forest-park landscape around the chateau corresponding to the time of its last historical reconstruction in the early 19th century
3. Care for the historical and cultural heritage of the chateau complex, which has been of considerable importance for the life in the region for centuries
4. Cultural landscape management with an impact on the economic development of the region
5. Economy of the operation of a protected cultural monument under conditions of a market economy, while providing essential added value in the form of socially beneficial educational activities Current educational activities in the chateau area: Currently, the chateau complex in Račice is used for educational purposes as a model workplace. The students can monitor the contemporary methods and procedures of monument care as a part of their professional university preparation. They can be present both during the and after the reconstruction and restoration work, and also throughout the completion and commissioning. Such concrete cooperation is established with the Institute of Monument Care of the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology, where students use the premises to monitor, analyze and practice proposals within the specialized courses Protection and Reconstruction of Monuments, Reconstruction of Monuments in Practice. The Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University in Brno has also expressed interest in participating in this educational program in cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology and the subject of Reconstruction of Monuments in practice by participating in the professional module Cultural Landscape Management.