Házmburk Castle – the pearl of the Bohemian Central Highlands

If you go to the Bohemian Central Highlands during your wanderings, you cannot miss Hazmburk – its silhouette with two towers, the upper prismatic and the lower round, can be seen from all over the world tens of kilometers away.

Hazmburk has belonged to this landscape of the Bohemian Central Highlands for a long time. It is not even known exactly when and by whom the castle was founded . The basalt hill reaches a height of 418 m, according to archaeological findings, it was already inhabited in the 5th thousand. BC to people of culture with pierced ceramics.

According to Dalimil ‘s chronicle, during the time of Prince Vlastislav, a certain Léva built his first residence here and with his retinue controlled the surrounding landscape from there. Historically documented data on the existence of the castle come from the first half of the 14th century, when Hynek of Lichtemburg first changed the castle to other goods with Czech King John of Luxembourgand then, when in 1335 King John of Luxembourg sells it to Mr. Zbyňek Zajícá from Valdek and on Žebrák. The Zajícs were an important noble family who held high positions.

For example, the first owner of the castle and the founder of the family, Zbyněk Zajíc Zámořský , was one of the most loyal friends of Charles IV. He therefore held the office of the highest royal waiter . He received the surname Zámóřský probably because he visited the Holy Land. The predicate from Hazmburk was used by Zbyněk Zajíc from 1337.

The castle was gradually expanded into a comfortable and dignified residence, mainly by building the eastern part of the summit plain. Its dominant features are two towers – the oval Black (25 m) and the prismatic White tower (26 m). The Black Tower , which was built from dark basaltand at one time it also served as a prison, representing an important defensive element. Access to it was possible only through a hanging trapdoor upstairs. The white tower got its name from the light sandstone– the foundations of the tower are made of basalt, the middle part of hewn sandstone and only the top of well-worked sandstone blocks. At the end of the 15th century, permanent residence in the castle became inconvenient for its owners, and thus it also lost its importance. The last of the Zajíc family from Hazmburk to own the castle was Kryštof Zajíc from Hazmburk, who in 1558 sold it to the court master of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Mr. Jan the Elder from Lobkovice na Zbiroz and Točník. At that time, Hazmburk was already deserted. In the history of the castle, a number of owners changed – the Šternberk family, the Ditrichstein family, the Heberstein family, and in 1954 it was transferred to state administration. During its entire living history, the castle has never been conquered.

However, such an old noble residence hides many secrets– underground rooms and secret walled corridors are said to be carved under the castle, which once connected Hazmburk with Košťálov and Budyní castles. One of the corridors also led to the village of Sedlce under the castle. The most famous castle legends speak of hidden cellars with barrels of excellent wine, or of the treasure that the French army hid in the castle after Napoleon’s defeat in Russia.

Parking lot in the village of Klapý and the way to the castle
The best way to get to the castle is from the village of Klapý. From the parking lot, which is under the castle (50.4306250N, 14.0106986E), a yellow and then a red tourist sign will guide you. The distance from the parking lot to the castle is about 2.5 km. The moderately difficult path climbs the northern slope of the hill to the remains of the first gate and then continues to another in the eastern part. The reward for the difficult climb will be a breathtaking circular view from the White Tower .

Operator

Administration of the Hazmburk State Castle
Purkrabská 2
411 17 Libochovice

Tel.: +420 606 175 052

E-mail: hazmburk@npu.cz

WWW: www.hrad-hazmburk.cz

GPS: 50.433783 14.013577

Region: Usti Region
Region: Bohemian Central Highlands
City: Libochovice
Tips for a trip: Libochovice and surroundings

Opening hours

April
1.4. – 30.4.
Monday Tuesday CLOSED
Wednesday – Sunday 10:00 – 17:00

May – June
1.5. – 30.6.
Monday – Sunday 10:00 – 18:00

July
1.7. – 31.7.
Monday – Sunday 10:00 – 18:30

September
1.9. – 30.9.
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 – 18:00

October
1.10. – 31.10.
Monday Tuesday CLOSED
Wednesday – Sunday 10:00 – 16:00

Admission

Price:  130 CZK

Reduced price:  100 CZK

Note:

Pet on a leash: CZK 20.

Duration

2.0 hours