Medieval castles in Czech Republic

Hasistejn Castle

Hasištejn (Burg Hassenstein) is a ruined medieval castle situated near Kadaň, Klášterec nad Ohří and Chomutov. The castle, first mentioned in Maiestas Carolina, was probably founded by Friedrich of Schönburg to guard the way from Prague to Saxony. The castle was seized by Václav IV of Luxembourg in the early 15th century and given to Nicholas of Lobkowicz. The most renowned inhabitant of the cas ...
Founded: 14th century | Location: Chomutov, Czech Republic

Silesian Ostrava Castle

Silesian Ostrava Castle was originally built in the 1280s near the confluence of the Lučina and Ostravice rivers. The castle was built for military purposes due to its proximity to the Polish border. In 1534, the gothic castle was rebuilt into a renaissance chateau. It burned down in 1872 but was rebuilt. It was restored recently after many years of dilapidation, caused by coal mining under the castle. Today, the ca ...
Founded: 1280s | Location: Ostrava, Czech Republic

Wildstein Castle

The Vildštejn castle (Wildstein) in Skalná was founded by the noble family Notthracht towards the end of the 12th century. It was first mentioned in 1224 and stands on a rock protruding from the Soosbach (Sázek) valley. The stream could be dammed earlier, so that the main castle was surrounded by water all around. The oldest parts of the castle, the portal to outer ward, part of the surrounding wall , the gateway to th ...
Founded: 12th century | Location: Skalná, Czech Republic

Cornstejn Castle

Cornštejn Castle stands on a strategic location, surrounded by magnificent landscape of the Dyje (Thaya) River Valley. It was built on royal demesne land which was subordinated to Bítov Castle and which was pawned and later (1308) granted as a fief to the noble family of Lichtenburg. In the 1320s Raimund of Lichtenburg, King Wenceslaus II’s favourite, decided to strengthen the security of Bítov Castle and the road co ...
Founded: 14th century | Location: Bítov, Czech Republic

Bítov Castle

Bítov Castle is located on a steep promotory towering above the meandering River Želetavka. Built in the 11th century, Bítov is one of the oldest and largest Moravian castles. A Přemyslid fortified settlement originally stood on the site and included the Chapel of Our Lady. The fort was rebuilt in the first half of the 13th century as an impregnable Gothic castle guarding the southern boundaries of the Přemyslid lan ...
Founded: 11th century | Location: Bítov, Czech Republic

Primda Castle

Přimda castle dates from the early 12th century and represents early Romanesque architecture. The castle is probably of German origin, not similar to Czech buildings from this period, but strikingly reminiscent of period Bavarian buildings. The remains of a Romanesque residential tower and the castle bastion invite you not only to see the ruins, but also to look into the beautiful surrounding landscape of the Bohemian Fo ...
Founded: 12th century | Location: Přimda, Czech Republic

Neuberg Castle

Neuberg (also Neuberk) is a ruins of castle in Podhradí in the Karlovy Vary Region. The castle was built by the Neuberg probably in late 13th century, and was first mentioned in 1288. In that year, after Albrecht von Neuberg"s death, King Rudolph I of Bohemia handed Neuberg and the whole village to the lords of Plauen as a fief. Later, the castle was damaged by the army of Charles IV. In 1392, the village and the ca ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Podhradí, Czech Republic

Hauenstejn Castle

Hauenštejn is a medieval castle in the Czech Republic built in the 13th century by Přemysl Otakar II or his son Václav II to guard royal paths and local mines. The first known owner was Mikuláš Winkler, burgrave of Loket Castle, who sold Hauenštejn to the monastery in Doksany. The monastery exchanged it for another building with King John of Luxemburg. His son Charles IV enlarged the castle‘s domain. The castle fr ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Stráž nad Ohří, Czech Republic

Grabstejn Castle

The original Gothic castle of Grabštejn (or Grafenstein) was founded in the 13th century. In 1562, it was bought by Crown Chancellor Georg Mehl von Strelitz. Between 1566 and 1586, he had rebuilt the castle in Renaissance style and thus turned it into a representative chateau. Georg Mehl also had a steward"s house built below the castle, which was around the year 1830 rebuilt in Classicist style. Shortly befo ...
Founded: 13th century/1566 | Location: Hradek nad Nisou, Czech Republic

Lemberk Castle

Lemberk Castle is located in the village of Lvová, part of Jablonné v Podještědí, west of Liberec. It was constructed in the 1240s by Havel of Markvartice. In the second half of the 16th century it was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau and it acquired its present appearance after the mid-17th century under the lords of Breda. The last owners were the Clam-Gallas family, who owned the castle until 1945. Today only t ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Jablonné v Podještědí, Czech Republic

Kynzvart Castle Ruins

Kynžvart was once significant castle, located at one of the highest elevations on the territory of the Czech Republic (827 m), used to stand near the famous Kynžvart Chateau of Austrian Chancellor Metternich. Its original name was Königswart (Royal Guard) as it was built as a border stronghold of the kingdom in the 13th century. The castle frequently changed its owners and it even served as a hideaway for thieves i ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Lázně Kynžvart , Czech Republic

Blansko Castle

Blansko castle, likely built in 1431 but first mentioned in a reliable source in 1532. Currently the site of the Blansko Museum. The following exhibitions are permanent: Moravian Karst, The Oldest Ironworks, Ironworking in the 19th and 20th century, the castle"s history and the history of Blansko in relation to developing improved measurement devices. There are also exhibitions, cultural events and music concerts hel ...
Founded: 1431 | Location: Blansko, Czech Republic

Hazlov Castle

Hazlov was first mentioned in 1224 as a property of the noble house of Haslau. Bedřich of Hazlov probably built the castle in the village. It was repaired by Landwüst family in the late 15th century. The castle was left to decay after the Second World War, but it is partially restored.
Founded: 13th century | Location: Hazlov, Czech Republic

Nový Hrádek Castle

The ruins of Nový Hradek castle dates from the 14th century, on a promontory overlooking Dyje river. It is situated in the National Park Podyjí, accessible from the villages Podmolí or Lukov, but only on foot or by bicycle. The first historically proven owners of this territory were the Premonstratensian monks from the Louka monastery in Znojmo, who exchanged it with the Moravian Margrave John Henry ...
Founded: 1358 | Location: Znojmo, Czech Republic

Děvín Castle Ruins

The Royal castle of Děvín was obviously founded at the locality of a previous fortress in the middle of the 13th century. King Wenceslas II gave it to Jan of Michalovice in 1283.   During the 1359 - 1516 period it was (with several breaks) in the possession of the noble family from nearby Stráž (Vartemberk). Then it was purchased by the Biberštejn family who had it renovated. In 1645 it was damaged and burnt by Sw ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Hamr na Jezeře, Czech Republic

Skalka Castle

Skalka Castle was built in the early 14th century. The first proven owner was Petr von Skalka between 1357 and 1360. In 1418, Skalken came to Hans von Sullowitz and remained in the possession of the noble family Cappleri de Sulewicz until 1540. In 1639 the Swedes burned the castle and it was not rebuilt. At the end of the 17th century, Jan Hrzán von Harras built a Baroque palace at the foot of the castle rock. The build ...
Founded: 14th century | Location: Vlastislav, Czech Republic

Gutstejn Castle

The Gutštejn castle is situated on the rock-bound pomontory over the stream Hadovka by Okrouhlé Hradiště in the Tachov district. The castle was founded around 1300 as a manor house of Lords of Gutštejn. In 1489 died Burian The Rich, which had been highest chancellor of the Bohemia kingdom. Later his sons rebelled again the czech king and became famous in Bohemia and Bavaria as thieves and marauders. At that time the ...
Founded: c. 1300 | Location: Konstantinovy Lázně, Czech Republic

Bor Castle

Bor Castle was built in the mid-13th century. Švamberk family owned it until 1650. originally a medieval moated castle, it was altered in an extensive late Gothic reconstruction and later in the 18th century to the current appearance. It has been a popular tourist destination since opening to visitors in 2003. Tour begins on the ground floor, next to the ticket office, and includes the diamond-vaulted Švamberk Hall with ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Bor, Czech Republic

Lipý Castle Ruins

Lipý water castle was probably built in the 13th century. The best-known owner of the castle was Jindřich of Lipá. Until the mid 17th century, the castle was the residence of the Berka family of Dubá, who had it rebuilt in the 17th century into a Renaissance chateau with a two-storey palace. In the course of time, the chateau was abandoned and it was pulled down in 1957. The relics of the original structures comprise ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Česká Lípa, Czech Republic

Libá Castle

Libá Castle and palace were the center of the Liebenstein rule. Hans von Sparneck sold Liebenstein Castle in 1426 to the von Zedtwitz family on Neuberg , who had already built up considerable property in the Ascher Ländchen. The robber baron Jörg von Zedtwitz used the castle for his raids against the city of Eger and owners of neighboring castles such as Seeberg or Haslau. The castle was finally destroyed by troops fro ...
Founded: 13th century | Location: Libá, Czech Republic

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Monte d'Accoddi

Monte d"Accoddi is a Neolithic archaeological site in northern Sardinia, located in the territory of Sassari. The site consists of a massive raised stone platform thought to have been an altar. It was constructed by the Ozieri culture or earlier, with the oldest parts dated to around 4,000–3,650 BC.

The site was discovered in 1954 in a field owned by the Segni family. No chambers or entrances to the mound have been found, leading to the presumption it was an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It may have also served an observational function, as its square plan is coordinated with the cardinal points of the compass.

The initial Ozieri structure was abandoned or destroyed around 3000 BC, with traces of fire found in the archeological evidence. Around 2800 BC the remains of the original structure were completely covered with a layered mixture of earth and stone, and large blocks of limestone were then applied to establish a second platform, truncated by a step pyramid (36 m × 29 m, about 10 m in height), accessible by means of a second ramp, 42 m long, built over the older one. This second temple resembles contemporary Mesopotamian ziggurats, and is attributed to the Abealzu-Filigosa culture.

Archeological excavations from the chalcolithic Abealzu-Filigosa layers indicate the Monte d"Accoddi was used for animal sacrifice, with the remains of sheep, cattle, and swine recovered in near equal proportions. It is among the earliest known sacrificial sites in Western Europe.

The site appears to have been abandoned again around 1800 BC, at the onset of the Nuragic age.

The monument was partially reconstructed during the 1980s. It is open to the public and accessible by the old route of SS131 highway, near the hamlet of Ottava. It is 14,9 km from Sassari and 45 km from Alghero. There is no public transportation to the site. The opening times vary throughout the year.