Cornštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Cornštejn or Cornštýn, Corštejn, Corštýn, German: Zornstein) is a castle near Bítov, 31 kilometres west of Znojmo, in south-west Moravia, the Czech Republic
Cornštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Cornštejn or Cornštýn, Corštejn, Corštýn, German: Zornstein) is a castle near Bítov, 31 kilometres west of Znojmo, in south-west Moravia, the Czech Republic.
It was built on royal demesne land which was subordinated to Bítov Castle and which was pawned and later (1308) granted as a fief to the noble family of Lichtenburg. In the 1320s Raimund of Lichtenburg, King Wenceslaus II’s favourite, decided to strengthen the security of Bítov Castle and the road connecting Bítov with Vranov Castle by building a fort – Zornstein / Cornštejn. After all, Raimund’s sons had to be provided for as well. According to the instrument issued by Moravian Margrave Charles on 31 May 1343, Raimund`s sons Smil and Czenek were allowed to divide their father’s domain with "Vethow" and "Czornstein" castles.