Kost Castle is is privately owned by Kinský dal Borgo noble family. It was first proposed by Beneš von Wartenberg in 1349 as a possible construction site and was completed by his son Peter von Wartenberg. It retains most of the original features and is overall very well preserved and maintained.

The castle is known for its so-called 'White tower'. In about 1414 the family of Zajíc von Hasenburg moved there; later the family of Schellenberg (1497 - 1524), Lobkowicz (till 1576) and others; in this time some more buildings were built near the castle and joined to it.

Unlike most other castles in Bohemia, it does not lie on a hill, but on a spit between two brooks. Another peculiarity is the tower, which has a trapezoid-like ground-plan. The trapezoidal tower has the corners facing the areas of most likely catapult attacks. This is to make the missiles glance off the tower walls instead of hitting it headon thereby minimizing the damage.

The castle is open to the public and hosts events and exhibitions.

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Details

Founded: 14th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Czech Republic

More Information

hrad-kost.cz
en.wikipedia.org

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4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Joe Lobotka (7 months ago)
Very scenic and popular castle in the heart of Czech Paradise. If you drive in earlier in the morning, you can face issues with securing a parking spot nearby. There's also an alternative (safer) option to leave the car on some free spot few kms down the forest hiking trail and take an easy walk to the castle. I arrived just before the tours started and there was a surprising amount of people already waiting to enter (> 100). Because the castle's name is "Kost", which can be translated as a "bone", the castle very dog-friendly. There is also a restaurant, several Czech fast food kiosks and an outside grill specialties venue in the back, but I found the servings small and quite overpriced. They also draft a locally brewed beer. Nice place to visit for an hour or two if you happen to be around. However, I wouldn't come here from a far away.
Brian Webber (7 months ago)
Great display of medieval swordsmanship and horse riding. The show was great for children and funny for those who understand Czech. Castle tour was interesting - there's an extra description available in English.
April Hoskins (9 months ago)
Beautifully restored medieval castle with rooms thoughtfully decorated to give an idea of living and customs of the eras. Highly recommend a visit.
Brian Stukel (10 months ago)
Went with friends and family from the USA. For some it was their first experience with a real castle. Loved it! To listen to 40 year old "boys" talking excitedly about which weapons they would prefer during the times of castles was priceless.
Vilija Hakala (2 years ago)
Fantastic castle, well preserved, with good exhibits. Suitable for anyone to visit. A little restaurant is on site, and there are a few tours available, highly informative. Highly recommended, about 1 hour drive away from Prague.
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