- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1230 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Central Bohemian, Czechia
- Style
- Gothic architecture
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 50.0378°, 13.8725°
History
The Přemyslids had long hunted in the Křivoklát forests – Cosmas's chronicle mentions the stronghold under the years 1110–1113 – and in the 13th century, under Ottokar I and Wenceslaus I, a stone castle was built here, later enlarged by Ottokar II. From 1319 to 1323 John of Luxembourg kept his young son Wenceslaus, the future Emperor Charles IV, here, away from his mother; after 1333 Charles's wife Blanche of Valois lived at the castle and gave birth to their daughter Margaret here. After a fire in 1422, Vladislaus II Jagiellon redeemed the castle in 1471 and rebuilt it in late Gothic style, marking it with his initial 'W'. In the 16th century Křivoklát served as a state prison, holding among others the Unity of Brethren bishop Jan Augusta (1547–1563) and the alchemist Edward Kelley. In 1685 the castle was bought by the Valdštejns, from whom it passed to the Fürstenbergs, who rebuilt it after a fire in 1826, and in 1929 it passed to the state.
What to see
The castle is dominated by the massive round Great Tower, 42 metres high, while the square Huderka tower stands in the lower castle. The tour takes in the Royal Hall and the Knights' Hall, a chapel with a late Gothic altar and carvings, and the Fürstenberg library of more than 52,000 volumes. The prison tower displays instruments of torture, and the walls overlook the wooded hills of the Křivoklátsko reserve.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1012808
Popularity: articles about this site in 16 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).