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Kašperk Castle today

Czechia · Restored

Kašperk Castle

Kašperk Castle is a 14th-century hilltop stone castle above dense forest in western Bohemia, founded in 1356. It stands on a narrow rocky ridge with a long curtain wall linking a tall rectangular keep and a secondary tower, overlooking low cloud and distant rolling hills.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1356

Its prime

1356

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1356

What Kašperk Castle looked like in its prime.

Perched on a narrow rocky ridge, the castle presents a long, continuous grey-stone curtain wall linking a tall rectangular keep with a steep, pyramidal slate roof and a lower secondary tower with a gabled tile roof; the masonry is rough-faced local stone. The silhouette is linear along the ridge, with battlemented wall-tops and a compact inner bailey. Dense conifer forest falls away on the slopes below and the castle looks complete and roofed at its prime.

Its story

The story of Kašperk Castle.

Kašperk was founded in 1356 and is said to be the most highly located royal castle in Bohemia, standing at 886 metres above sea level in the kingdom's forested south-west. Its core is two residential towers linked by an oblong palace, deliberately set back from the outer walls; the tower fronts rise 30 metres without a single opening, save one bay window in the western tower, to make the stronghold harder to storm.

From 1411 to 1454 the castle was in the hands of the house of Zmrzlík of Svojšín and Orlík. In the mid-15th century it passed to the powerful Sternberg family, who held immense sway over the region. Since 1616 Kašperk has been the property of the town of Kašperské Hory, and it stands restored on its narrow rocky ridge above the forest today.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1356.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Kašperk Castle, including 1 interior: inner bailey / courtyard. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the southern forested trackCurtain-wall rampart walkMain keep (exterior)Keep roofline and battlementsInner bailey / courtyardGatehouse thresholdSecondary tower and linking wallView from battlements down into the forested valley

Build Your Own Castle

Recreate Kašperk Castle with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1356, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

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Castle Siege

Play Castle Siege at Kašperk Castle.

A strategy game played on Kašperk Castle’s real ground plan: the same surveyed walls shown in the archive below. Post your finite garrison on the battlements between assaults, then hold out as rams, siege towers, trebuchets and sappers arrive in ever-worse waves.

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Whose castle

Clans who held Kašperk Castle.

The families that held Kašperk Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Zmrzlík

    Held by the house of Zmrzlík of Svojšín and Orlík, 1411–1454.

  • Sternberg

    Passed to the Sternberg family in the mid-15th century.

From the archive

Kašperk Castle on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

Plán hradu Karlšperka. Vysvětlení plánu: 1. první brána; 2. cesta dolní ohradou; 3. příkop; 4. branka ven; 5. druhá brána; 6. kopice; 7. předbradí; 8. příkop; 9. brána; 10. staveni se sklepy pod nim; 11. palác;, Kašperk Castle

Plán hradu Karlšperka. Vysvětlení plánu: 1. první brána; 2. cesta dolní ohradou; 3. příkop; 4. branka ven; 5. druhá brána; 6. kopice; 7. předbradí; 8. příkop; 9. brána; 10. staveni se sklepy pod nim; 11. palác;

1890s · A. Sedláček, Hrady, zámky a tvrze Království českého, díl 11 (1882–1927)

Public domain

Questions about Kašperk Castle

What is the history of Kašperk Castle?

Kašperk Castle was founded in the 14th century as a frontier stronghold. Charles IV established it in 1356 to protect Bohemia’s borders, nearby gold-mining works and the trade route to Bavaria. From 1411 to 1454 it was held by the house of Zmrzlík of Svojšín and Orlík, later passed to the Sternberg family, and became the property of the town of Kašperské Hory in the early 17th century.

What is inside Kašperk Castle?

Inside Kašperk Castle are an inner bailey, a lower castle with a second courtyard, and an upper castle containing the palace and two residential towers. The palace has two storeys, while its square towers have four storeys. The complex also includes a water cistern, a former kitchen, a gatehouse area and the restored burgrave’s building.

Why was Kašperk Castle built, and what was it used for?

Kašperk Castle was built to defend Bohemia’s south-western frontier and protect local mining works and a trade route to Bavaria. Its position also gave control over the gold-rich region near Kašperské Hory and the Golden Route. Later, it served as a strategic stronghold and provided shelter for people from the surrounding area during the Thirty Years’ War.

Who owns Kašperk Castle now?

Kašperk Castle is owned by the town of Kašperské Hory. It has been the town’s property since 1616, although the castle was definitively bought from Emperor Matthias in 1617. It is also protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

Where is Kašperk Castle?

Kašperk Castle is in Žlíbek, in the Šumava foothills of south-western Bohemia, about 2.5 kilometres north-east of Kašperské Hory. It stands on a rocky ridge above dense forest, at an elevation of about 886 metres above sea level.

When was Kašperk Castle built?

Kašperk Castle was first built in 1356, placing its foundation in the 14th century. The castle was completed in 1361, and later alterations included late-Gothic changes to its fortifications and buildings.

Which family or clan held Kašperk Castle?

The house of Zmrzlík of Svojšín and Orlík held Kašperk Castle from 1411 to 1454. In the mid-15th century, it passed to the Sternberg family, who held considerable influence in the region.

What did Kašperk Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Kašperk Castle had a long grey-stone curtain wall running along a narrow rocky ridge. The wall linked a tall rectangular keep with a lower secondary tower, creating a linear silhouette with battlemented tops and a compact inner bailey. The keep had a steep pyramidal slate roof, while the secondary tower had a gabled tile roof.

Is Kašperk Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Kašperk Castle survives as a restored ruin rather than an intact occupied stronghold. It was neglected after the town acquired it and became a ruin, while later reconstruction work began in the 19th century and intensified from the 1970s. A new shingle roof was added to the eastern tower in 2007 after a storm destroyed its earlier roof.

Who built Kašperk Castle?

Kašperk Castle was commissioned by Charles IV and built by the builder Vít Hedvábný. In 1356, Charles IV entrusted Vít Hedvábný with constructing the castle as a border fortress. The castle was completed in 1361.

Can you visit Kašperk Castle?

Kašperk Castle is open to the public during visiting hours. It is a protected cultural monument and a restored castle ruin, rather than a private residence. The surrounding trails also allow visitors to reach the castle on foot.

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