Kokorin Castle, Mělník, Czech Republic

Kokořín Castle was built around 1320 by order of Hynek Berka of Dubé. At the close of the 15th century the castle was heavily damaged during the Hussite Wars and renovated in the late Gothic style by the lords of Klinštejn. Since the middle of the 17th century Kokořín had been tenantless and it deteriorated.

The ruins were not bought until 1894 by Václav Špaček of Starburk, who decided to renovate the castle. The architect, Eduard Sochor, was a leader in this project and, considering its occurrence between 1911 and 1918, it was one of the latest Romantic restorations of a Medieval object.

References:

zamky-hrady.cz

User Reviews

Aivaras Zukauskas (2 years ago)
Great castle, nice view from the tower.

Inga Petry (2 years ago)
Very small but charming with history behind castle. The surroundings are beautiful to walk and and enjoy nature and....caves. If you are collector of turistic labels you can buy a few in the dhop in the Kokorin castle. Great place for a family wandering.

Tomáš Titěra (2 years ago)
Don't really get all the hype about Kokořín - yes, it does look romantic and it's on a nice spot, but otherwise - not much to see. The place was basically built in the beginning of the 20th century, so it's not very authentic. The interiors of the castle are mostly empty and the guided tour is not very exciting either. Nevertheless, totally worth it to climb up the tower and look around.

Motoorg UK (2 years ago)
It's a little castle but really nice. You will need to do a short hike climbing the rock so you can follow the raod or go through the stairs (this is the hard part

Jakub Holovský (2 years ago)
Nice castle, the views are excellent. Could be better maintained though. Especially the pathway to the castle. It's just a matter of time when someone breaks their leg.

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From its origin as a small stronghold built by the ancient Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, becoming a royal castle that was the seat of many Croatian kings, to its final development as a large fortress during the Ottoman wars in Europe, Klis Fortress has guarded the frontier, being lost and re-conquered several times. Due to its location on a pass that separates the mountains Mosor and Kozjak, the fortress served as a major source of defense in Dalmatia, especially against the Ottoman advance, and has been a key crossroad between the Mediterranean belt and the Balkan rear.

Since Duke Mislav of the Duchy of Croatia made Klis Fortress the seat of his throne in the middle of the 9th century, the fortress served as the seat of many Croatia"s rulers. The reign of his successor, Duke Trpimir I, the founder of the Croatian royal House of Trpimirović, is significant for spreading Christianity in the Duchy of Croatia. He largely expanded the Klis Fortress, and in Rižinice, in the valley under the fortress, he built a church and the first Benedictine monastery in Croatia. During the reign of the first Croatian king, Tomislav, Klis and Biograd na Moru were his chief residences.

In March 1242 at Klis Fortress, Tatars who were a constituent segment of the Mongol army under the leadership of Kadan suffered a major defeat while in pursuit of the Hungarian army led by King Béla IV. After their defeat by Croatian forces, the Mongols retreated, and Béla IV rewarded many Croatian towns and nobles with 'substantial riches'. During the Late Middle Ages, the fortress was governed by Croatian nobility, amongst whom Paul I Šubić of Bribir was the most significant. During his reign, the House of Šubić controlled most of modern-day Croatia and Bosnia. Excluding the brief possession by the forces of Bosnian King, Tvrtko I, the fortress remained in Hungaro-Croatian hands for the next several hundred years, until the 16th century.

Klis Fortress is probably best known for its defense against the Ottoman invasion of Europe in the early 16th century. Croatian captain Petar Kružić led the defense of the fortress against a Turkish invasion and siege that lasted for more than two and a half decades. During this defense, as Kružić and his soldiers fought without allies against the Turks, the military faction of Uskoks was formed, which later became famous as an elite Croatian militant sect. Ultimately, the defenders were defeated and the fortress was occupied by the Ottomans in 1537. After more than a century under Ottoman rule, in 1669, Klis Fortress was besieged and seized by the Republic of Venice, thus moving the border between Christian and Muslim Europe further east and helping to contribute to the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians restored and enlarged the fortress, but it was taken by the Austrians after Napoleon extinguished the republic itself in 1797. Today, Klis Fortress contains a museum where visitors to this historic military structure can see an array of arms, armor, and traditional uniforms.

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