Castles South Moravia

The Massive Ruin of a Gothic Castle Above Boskovická brázda

Hrad Boskovice, an extensive ruin towering above the town of Boskovice in Moravia, is one of the most significant Gothic castles in the Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravian Region). It was probably founded in the mid-thirteenth century and belonged to the estate of the lords of Boskovice, who were among the most powerful Moravian nobles. The castle was originally conceived as a guard and defensive castle. It reached its greatest expansion under Ctibor Třebovský of Boskovice in the fifteenth century. After the nobility moved to a more comfortable Renaissance chateau in the town, the castle began to decay in the seventeenth century. During the Thirty Years' War, it was still used as a military bastion, but after the war, it was definitively abandoned. Today, it is an extensive and romantic ruin that offers views of the surrounding area and is gradually being conserved. It is known for its massive defensive tower and the remains of palace structures.

Access

Hrad Boskovice is located on a hill above the town of Boskovice in the Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravian Region). Access by car is possible via road I/43 with a turn-off onto the local road leading to the castle. Parking is available below the castle. A tourist trail leads from the town to the castle. Boskovice has railway and bus connections.

What is Worth Knowing

In the town of Boskovice, visitors can visit the Empírový zámek Boskovice (Empire Chateau Boskovice), which served as a more comfortable residence for the Dietrichštejn family. The Židovské město Boskovice (Jewish Town of Boskovice) with its preserved synagogue is also unique. North of the town, hrad Pernštejn (Pernštejn Castle), one of the most beautiful Gothic castles in Moravia, is accessible. Zámek Kunštát (Kunštát Chateau) is also located nearby.

Near the picturesque village of Nedvědice stands the beautiful Gothic hrad Pernštejn. Thanks to its specific architectural elements, rich history, and interesting surroundings, it has become the setting for many Czech fairy tales and films. It is located in the Jihomoravský kraj in the Brno-venkov district. The area is well-known not only because of Pernštejn, but it is also popular with tourists who head here every year in large numbers to discover the lesser-known corners of the Vysočina region.

The first mentions of Pernštejn date back to the end of the 13th century, when the castle was merely a smaller structure with a palace and the Barborka tower. Over time, as the power and financial means of the lords of Pernštejn increased, the castle was rebuilt into a representative political and administrative centre. In the 15th century, the residence was expanded with additional residential buildings, and an outer defensive wall was erected around it. A new representative room was then created in the courtyard, which was the largest room in the castle, the so-called Rytířský sál.

Subsequent years at Pernštejn were marked by the expansion of the fortifications with effective towers, the bridging of the entrance to the ground floor, and the addition of a library and several other living quarters. At the beginning of the 18th century, stucco reliefs by G. A. Corbellini complemented the original decoration of the Rytířský sál. Hrad Pernštejn thus gradually transformed from a medieval castle into a Moravian provincial fortress. You may have also encountered the term "marble" castle. It received this name thanks to Nedvědice marble, which was used in large quantities during its construction.

Hrad Pernštejn likely received its official name from the German term Bärenstein, which translates to "bear stone". Legend has it that in ancient times, when the castle did not yet have a name, a charcoal burner lived in its vicinity. One day, he found a bear den in the forest with abandoned cubs inside. He brought them home for his son to play with and subsequently to the castle, where he gifted them to the castle lord. When the mother bear returned to the den and did not find her young, she followed the tracks, which led her to the charcoal burner's house. There, in a rage, she took the young boy and carried him into the forest. The charcoal burner could only regret his actions thereafter.

Another legend is associated with a nearby yew tree, which you will find close to the forest stone path leading to hrad Pernštejn. Long ago, when a weary pilgrim was returning home from a pilgrimage, he was intrigued by the lively activity and numerous workers on the massive rocky hill. He learned that they planned to build a castle there. At the same time, however, he did not believe it was possible to build another stone structure on the rock. He therefore stuck his yew staff into the ground and declared that if it took root, the castle would be successfully built. Before long, the first buds appeared on the staff, and at the same time, the first vertical walls of Pernštejn were constructed. Over time, a beautiful tree grew from the staff, firmly linked by fate to Pernštejn. When a violent storm destroyed part of the crown of the massive yew tree one day, the vault in the castle hall also subsided. It is said that when this massive tree dies, hrad Pernštejn will also cease to exist.

Hrad Pernštejn faced several attacks over the centuries. Probably the greatest attack occurred in 1645, when the castle was besieged by the Swedes. During the shelling, the top floor and the tower above the third castle gate were destroyed and were never rebuilt. Pernštejn was also damaged on 15 April 2005. On that day, a fire broke out in the depository. Despite the very rapid mobilisation of the local volunteer brigade and professional firefighters from nearby Bystřice nad Pernštejnem, it was very difficult to reach the third courtyard with heavy equipment. However, the fire was brought under control. A great piece of luck was the fact that the most valuable items were not in the depository but were distributed along the tour routes. Therefore, they were not affected by the fire.

Hrad Pernštejn offers you up to eight tour circuits. You may choose the basic circuit "From the Gothic to the 20th Century", which will provide you with an overall overview of the castle's development. A shorter circuit will offer you the most interesting parts of the basic circuit. It is, however, less time-consuming and suitable even for smaller children who cannot maintain their attention for too long. You may also set out on a tour of the Vrchnostenská zahrada. This is the newest circuit, which was opened after an extensive reconstruction in 2021. In the nearby gardens, you will see what they looked like at the beginning of the 19th century.

Hrad Pernštejn is also very popular among filmmakers. Fairy tales such as Sedmero krkavců, Pták Ohnivák, or Jak se budí princezny were filmed here. You can also see the castle premises in the well-known Italian series Princess Fantaghiro. For the inhabitants of Nedvědice, it is no longer an extraordinary event when they meet a popular actor or actress in their village. They have become accustomed to the fact that Pernštejn simply attracts attention.

If you have not yet visited hrad Pernštejn, or if none of your school trips brought you here during your studies, you should certainly rectify this as soon as possible. Pernštejn is one of the most beautiful castles in all of Moravia. In its surroundings, you can also find several other historical buildings that were not as fortunate and gradually turned into ruins. For example, there is the ruin of hrad Zubštejn, which is set in the forest near the nearby village of Pivonice, belonging to Bystřice nad Pernštejnem.

The selection of accommodation near hrad Pernštejn is also quite diverse. Guesthouses are on offer, suitable, for example, for school trips as well as for the stay of larger groups. Or you may stay in a romantic cottage and explore the surroundings of Nedvědice far and wide. Even a small village can often surprise you.

Visitors who come for a trip to Brno, which is the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, will soon catch sight of not only the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul but also hrad Špilberk, known in the Brno hantec dialect as Špilas, which towers on one of the high hills above the city center. This fortress is located in the territory of the Brno-mid district, making it easily accessible on foot. Visitors simply need to disembark at the Husova, Česká, or Pekařská stations. Routes here also lead from the stops at Úvoz and Obilní trh. In the event that a walk through the hilly park is not appealing, visitors can also make use of the special municipal line number 80, which will transport visitors right up to one of the castle gates. 

he history of the castle dates back to the 13th century, when it was commissioned to be built by the Czech king and Margrave of Moravia, Ottokar II of Bohemia. The main objective of constructing the castle was to provide support for the monarch's power and to establish a dignified seat in Moravia. An interesting fact is that it received its name from the original designation of the hill from which it looks down upon Brno. Surprisingly, however, Czech monarchs did not find pleasure in staying at the castle and visited it rather sporadically. Consequently, Moravian margraves gradually settled in the castle during the 14th century, which included figures such as the popular Jobst of Moravia.

A Baroque Fortress, the Prison of Nations, and a Museum

Špilberk made a much more pronounced mark on history by transforming into an almost impregnable fortress that played an important role during the Thirty Years' War. The fortifications of the complex were improved by Colonel Raduit de Souches, thanks to which the city's defense survived a three-month siege by the Swedes. This was so despite the fact that the foreign army significantly outnumbered Brno's defenders. Given that this was a significant historical moment associated with the ringing of noon at Petrov at 11:00 AM, the victory of the people of Brno is regularly commemorated during an event called Brno Day. This takes place every year in August and offers visitors a truly wide-ranging program. During its course, a costumed Swedish army marches through the city along with the prepared defenders. At selected locations, reconstructions of parts of the battle then take place, which are complemented for the public by a more detailed commentary. Until the middle of the 18th century, further modifications of the castle into a massive fortress took place, which transformed Brno into a perfectly protected territory.

However, the evolution of the castle did not stop even thereafter; part of it also included a much-feared prison, which was sometimes also called the Prison of Nations. Among the best-known prisoners who are still remembered is, for example, the pandur colonel Baron Trenck. And optionally also the well-known bandit Babinský. Among prominent European personalities, the Italian poet Silvio Pellico was also imprisoned here, who wrote a book about his experience titled My Prisons. The hardest criminals who were sentenced to life imprisonment were often placed in the worst castle dungeons. Following the departure of the army garrison in 1959, Špilberk was then gradually transformed into the Brno City Museum.

Špilberk from Casemates to the Tower

The outdoor parts of the castle are publicly accessible. Visitors can thus walk along the outdoor bastions, from which there is a magnificent panoramic view of the city. In one of the castle courtyards, visitors will certainly also be captivated by the carillon, which plays one of 32 melodies every hour from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The park that surrounds the castle is also very popular, as it has been complemented by a romantic waterfall and observation gazebos. Those who are not afraid can also take a look at the aforementioned casemates, in which criminals were imprisoned. A unique spectacle is also offered by the so-called Temple of Stone, which leads visitors into the restored water reservoirs. The view of the city from the castle tower is also very attractive, which visitors can likewise climb during visiting hours.

And that is definitely not yet everything that visitors can undertake during a visit to Špilberk. The sightseeing tours are very nice, the routes of which lead, for example, into the Royal Chapel. There are also several permanent exhibitions located here, among which are Brno: The Prison of Nations, From Castle to Fortress, Brno on Špilberk, which also maps the oldest history of the city, and New Brno - Brno Interwar Architecture. The Brno City Gallery further offers an interesting program with a gallery of old art, modern art, and contemporary art. Various social and cultural events also take place within the castle grounds throughout the year. This turns a place that was long feared into a popular tourist destination that will always surprise visitors with something.

Are visitors planning to find accommodation near hrad Špilberk? Visitors can try out Brno hotels, guesthouses, or apartments, which are also suitable for long-term rentals. This certainly comes in handy, all the more so since visitors should also visit other significant attractions in the city. These include, for example, the dragon at the Old Town Hall, accompanied by the wheel from the legend. Many people also go to catch a glass sphere in the ultra-modern Brno Astronomical Clock at 11:00 AM. Visitors are looked forward to!