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Valdštejn Castle today

Czechia · Partial ruin

Valdštejn Castle

Valdštejn Castle is an early Gothic fortress built on three narrow sandstone cliffs near Turnov in the Bohemian Paradise. The medieval stronghold occupied linked rock promontories and later fell into ruin; a Baroque pilgrimage church was erected on the central cliff in 1722. The site today shows the church and several rebuilt service buildings set among the remnants of the original cliff-top fortifications.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1300

Its prime

1300

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1300

What Valdštejn Castle looked like in its prime.

A compact early-Gothic stone fortress occupying three narrow pale-sandstone crags linked by short masonry curtain walls and narrow footbridges, set amid dense mixed forest. The cliff edges are sheer, with the buildings sited close to the rock rim; medieval masonry shows ashlar and roughly hewn blocks of sandstone. Rooflines in the castle's prime would have been simple steep pitches over the stone ranges; the westernmost crag retains a ruined arched masonry section visible in the present ruin.

Its story

The story of Valdštejn Castle.

Counts of the Waldstein family built the fortress on three narrow sandstone cliffs in the cliff city of Hruboskalsko, in the Bohemian Paradise, in the second half of the thirteenth century. After 1420 the castle was occupied by the Hussites, and later by robber barons, before being abandoned and left to ruin.

In 1621 the Waldsteins, whose most illustrious member was Albrecht von Wallenstein, bought the abandoned castle back. At the peak of the Baroque period, in 1722, they built a pilgrimage church dedicated to John of Nepomuk on the ruins; the church and several rebuilt service buildings still stand among the remnants of the cliff-top fortifications.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1300.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Valdštejn Castle, including the full exterior approach. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Forested approach to the cliff-top fortressWestern outcrop with arched masonryCentral cliff-top courtyardEastern crag entrance yard and service buildingsCurtain walls and linking footbridgesCliff-edge battlement terraceOuter yard and small workshops

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The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1300, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

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Whose castle

Clans who held Valdštejn Castle.

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

  • Waldstein

    Built in the later thirteenth century by the Counts of Waldstein; lost after 1420 to Hussites and robber barons, and bought back by the family in 1621.

Questions about Valdštejn Castle

What is the history of Valdštejn Castle?

Valdštejn Castle was built in the second half of the thirteenth century as the family fortress of the Counts of Waldstein. After 1420 it was occupied by the Hussites and later by robber barons. The Waldsteins bought the abandoned castle back in 1621, and a pilgrimage church dedicated to John of Nepomuk was built on its ruins in 1722.

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

Valdštejn Castle was built as a fortress and later became a pilgrimage site. The original stronghold occupied three linked sandstone cliffs, while a chapel dedicated to John of Nepomuk was built on the first courtyard in 1722. Stairs, statues, a later chapel dedicated to John the Baptist, and a gateway built in 1836 form part of the later complex.

Where is Valdštejn Castle?

Valdštejn Castle is near Turnov in the Bohemian Paradise, in the cliff city of Hruboskalsko. It stands in the area of Mašov u Turnova, about 3 kilometres south-east of Turnov. The castle is also associated with Kadeřavec as its administrative locality.

When was Valdštejn Castle built?

Valdštejn Castle was built in the thirteenth century. The site record gives 1300 as its first-raised year, while the historical descriptions place its construction in the second half of the thirteenth century. It was an early Gothic fortress built on three sandstone cliffs.

Was Valdštejn Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Valdštejn Castle was captured by the Hussite commander Jan Žižka in spring 1424, when he took Turnov and the castle. It was later seized by bands of robbers in 1438–1439. A regional levy captured the castle from them in 1440.

Which family or clan held Valdštejn Castle?

The Waldstein family held Valdštejn Castle. Counts of Waldstein built the fortress in the later thirteenth century, lost it after 1420 to the Hussites and robber barons, and bought it back in 1621.

What did Valdštejn Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Valdštejn Castle was a compact early-Gothic stone fortress on three narrow pale-sandstone crags. Short masonry curtain walls and narrow footbridges linked the cliffs, whose edges were sheer. The buildings had simple steep roof pitches over stone ranges, with ashlar and roughly hewn sandstone blocks in the medieval masonry.

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

Valdštejn Castle is a partial ruin. The medieval stronghold later fell into ruin, but the church and several rebuilt service buildings still stand among the remnants of the cliff-top fortifications. The westernmost crag retains a ruined arched masonry section.

Can you visit Valdštejn Castle?

Valdštejn Castle is accessible to visitors on foot. The ruin can be reached by the green and red marked walking routes, and tours are possible in the seasonal months. Its status as a cultural monument is recorded alongside its current management by Turnovské památky a cestovní ruch.

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