Castles Hoslovice

Do you love Czech history and are you planning a holiday in South Bohemia? Then we have a tip for you. Head to the Strakonice Region! Your attention is certainly deserved by hrad Strakonice, which towers above the confluence of the Otava and Volyňka rivers in Strakonice.

We have a mention of the castle in Strakonice from 1243, when there is a record stating that its owner, Bavor I, donated half of his castle to the Knights Hospitaller. It is therefore more than likely that the castle is even somewhat older. The peculiarity of this castle is that it was originally strictly separated into a secular and a Hospitaller part, and only in 1402 did the Hospitaller knights become the sole owners. Currently, the castle has as many as three owners, namely the town of Strakonice, the South Bohemian Region, and the religious buildings are owned by the Roman Catholic Church.

As is often the case with many castles, the Strakonice castle was also ravaged during the Thirty Years' War, subsequently struck by fire, gradually fell into disrepair, and thus underwent several smaller and larger reconstructions over the centuries. The last, most extensive reconstruction in 2005 revealed archaeological finds from the 14th and 15th centuries and a 12th-century burial site was also partially uncovered. Archaeological finds can be seen today as part of the exhibition of the Muzeum středního Pootaví, which is located directly within the castle grounds.

The castle complex includes as many as three castle courtyards, the Church of St. Procopius, which today belongs to the Catholic Church, and the former prior's residence, which now houses a primary art school. If a grand wedding day awaits you, you have the opportunity to book a ceremony at the castle, where a ceremonial hall is designated for weddings. In addition to it, the chapter hall, the Bavarian Palace, or the former manorial brewery can also be seen.

The most interesting attraction at the castle is, however, undoubtedly the Rumpál Tower. Why a treadwheel (rumpál)? Well, convicts who were tortured and imprisoned in this tower were apparently lowered into the starvation dungeon precisely by a treadwheel or a similar device. However, the tower originally served for defense. From the outside, you can see gargoyles in the shape of various monsters and non-existent beasts, inside 96 steps await you, and at the top of the tower you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of all of Strakonice and also the foothills of the Šumava mountains.

You will experience a second, equally interesting tour in the black kitchen. It dates back approximately to the 16th century and in it you can see what the castle kitchen with a chimney, drying room, and bread oven presumably looked like one to two centuries later. At that time, it was a modern part of the castle. Of course, cooking no longer takes place in it today, but even so, you can try some of the specialties of the local "castle kitchen". Since we are in the South Bohemian Region, a region of ponds, fish must certainly not be missing on the menu, but you can also enjoy partridges, pheasants, or hares. In short, everything that the inhabitants of the castle could have had on their plates more than half a millennium ago. If you fancied a sweet treat, you certainly will not resist genuine parish-feast cakes, doughnuts, or strudels.

Since the Muzeum středního Pootaví, the Šmidingerova knihovna Strakonice, and the Městské kulturní středisko Strakonice currently have their headquarters at the Strakonice Castle in addition to the primary art school, throughout the year you can visit various exhibitions,vernissages, lectures, or creative workshops not only for children here according to the current program.

If you are traveling to Strakonice with children, there is a diverse range of activities for them as well. Directly in the castle moat is the castle safari, which is open year-round, and children can stroke donkeys, miniature goats, pigs, or wild ducks here. If you would like to feed the animals, an automatic machine is available where you can purchase suitable feed. Another leisure activity suitable for children is called Strakonická šifra, during which 14 stops with riddles await you. If you solve them, you can then exchange the correct solution at the city information center for a small treasure as a reward for your efforts. If you like cycling, take a ride along the Otava and as part of the Otavská plavba dětem event you can collect stamps along the way. Moreover, the Podskalí educational trail runs along the Otava riverbed, which even preschool children can manage on foot because it is only 3 km long.

If you already have older children and cannot tear them away from their mobile phone displays, try Geofun. This is a game for smartphones that offers interesting tasks with a reward in the form of "geonks" in various places across the republic. You can find the local game under the name Za Švandou dudákem do Strakonic. For the whole family or a group of friends, discgolf can be an unconventional sport, which is also worth trying.

If you stay in Strakonice in a hotel or guesthouse and want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, head to the panská zahrada. The city built this relaxation zone only recently. You can sit here even in worse weather on covered benches, whereas in good weather, for example, a fireplace or a viewpoint is available to you.

If you are therefore planning holidays or a vacation in Strakonice, definitely look for accommodation near the Strakonice Castle. This is because it is not only the most prominent dominant feature of the town, but also a great starting point for your sightseeing trips around the Strakonice Region.

The most extensive ruin in Bohemia is hrad Rabí in the Klatovy district in the Plzeňský kraj region. This castle complex was built sometime in the late Middle Ages as a combination of residential and representative spaces with an unfinished defensive system. The dominant feature of hrad Rabí was and still is the residential tower called the donjon, which also serves as a viewpoint overlooking the foothills of the Šumava.

The history of hrad Rabí appears somewhat mysterious, as almost nothing is known with certainty about its beginnings. Documented mentions date only from the 14th century regarding the lords of Rýzmberk. They stood on the side against the Hussites, and therefore in the years 1420 and 1421 Jan Žižka besieged and conquered the castle. During the second conquest, however, he himself lost his second eye. Although the castle was considerably damaged, the owners received funds for its restoration for their loyalty to King Zikmund. The most prominent personality among the castle owners was Půta Švihovský, but after his death in 1504, disputes arose over the property and the inheritance was gradually sold off. The final blow to the glory of this extensive castle was dealt by the Thirty Years' War, after which the castle was never successfully fully restored.

In the 18th century, the castle was less comfortable for the owners than the residence in nearby Žichovice, which is why Rabí was left abandoned, later burned down, and its walls were used by local residents as a source of building material. An attempt to save the castle involved minor repairs in the mid-19th century when a viewing platform was created on the donjon, but major changes did not come until the 20th century. Now, hrad Rabí has been under state administration since 1954 and has been on the list of national cultural monuments since 1978.

When visiting the ruin of hrad Rabí, visitors can choose from two basic circuits. The first circuit is simply named Věž. It passes through the large courtyard, the small courtyard with the well, the economic facilities, climbs to the top of the residential tower, and concludes the circuit in the castle cellar, where natural dripstone decoration can be seen. The Palác circuit will introduce visitors to the history of the castle and its architectural development. It will guide visitors through rooms where models of the castle in various historical periods, stove tiles, and archaeological finds are exhibited. After descending from the viewing tower to the cellar, an audiovisual projection about the conquest of the castle by the Hussites is prepared for visitors, and the dungeon is viewed last. These two basic tour circuits standardly take place with a guide in Czech, but it is also possible to book a guide in English or German in advance, or to borrow a text translation in Dutch, Russian, and French. In addition to guided tours, visitors can walk unlimitedly and free of charge through the castle courtyard with artillery fortifications, look into the former castle stable, and view the exhibition in the underground part of the church.

Since this is a medieval castle, barrier-free access is not available here, but with assistance, wheelchair users can at least reach the large courtyard. Parking is provided off-season on the square of the town of Rabí, and in the summer months, parking areas are designated on the edge of the town, from where visitors can walk to the castle in approximately 15 minutes. Good news for dog lovers is that a dog can accompany visitors on a leash or in a carrier to all parts of the castle. Photography is also permitted in all parts of the castle, provided that the privacy of other visitors and staff is not interfered with. Souvenirs can be purchased at house no. 50 on the way to the square, where toilets are also located. On the square and in the suburb, visitors can also refresh themselves in a pub or utilise two fast-food establishments.

From hrad Rabí, visitors can set out along the Krajem Půty Švihovského trail. A pleasant, undemanding walk from the square to Žichovice awaits, from there to Horažďovice, above which towers the freely accessible ruin of hrad Prácheň. The zámek Horažďovice château, which houses a museum, is also worth a visit. And once monument exploration becomes tiring, visitors can relax in the local aquapark.

After all that strenuous journeying through the Pošumaví region, good accommodation near hrad Rabí will certainly come in handy. In addition to the village of Rabí itself, visitors can also lay their heads in nearby Kašperské Hory or in Sušice. Guesthouses in Nezdice na Šumavě will also provide their services. And should accommodation be needed alongside a larger group of friends, cabins and cottages in Strašín will welcome visitors.