Gutštejn Castle
castle, chateau
673m
Tachov District, Plzeň Region

The ruin of Gutštejn castle rises on a steep cliff above the creek Hadovka near Konstantinovy Lázně (Spa Constantine)

https://media.whitetown.sk/pictures/cz/gutstejn/gutstejn.jpg
Previous names
Gutštejn Castle, Hrad Gutštejn
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Description

The ruin of Gutštejn castle rises on a steep cliff above the creek Hadovka near Konstantinovy Lázně (Spa Constantine). The castle was built on phylitic greywacke and slate, which were formed at the bottom of the Proterozoic sea more than 500 million years ago. The original marine sediments were strengthened and then transformed during later orogenic processes.

The castle was founded in the early 14th century by Hroznatovci, who derived their origin from the beatific Hroznata, founder of important Premonstratensian monasteries in Teplá and Chotěšov. The first written record of the castle dates from 1319. The castle belonged to the Gutštejns until the mid-16th century. During the Hussite wars the owners of the castle stood on the Catholic side and served the king Zikmund (Sigismund). The castle lost its impregnability in 1422, when it was besieged by Hussite troops under the command of Jan Žižka. The Gutštejns family , faithful to the king Zikmund, had received a number of villages and monasteries in Chotěšov, Pivoň, Plasy and elsewhere . After the Hussite wars they belonged to the most powerful families in western Bohemia. Burian of Gutšetjn owned Bělá, Rabštejn, Nečtiny; Tachov, Komberk and for a short time also Stříbro. He was the regional governor to Žatec and Plzeň and managed the Chotěšov monastery. At the turn of the 15th century during wars between the Gutštejns and King Vladislav Jagelonský the castle became prison for the rich prisoners. The seat of the Gutštejns was moved to Bezdružice in the 16th century. Gutštejn family members had held important posts at that time. They died off in 1747.

The castle consisted of two main parts, the forecastle and the inside castle, separated by a deep moat. The forecastle, which had economic function, is practically lost. The only remain of the forcastle is a small cellar carved into the rock. The original castle had no tower and so the defense was provided by massive perimeter wall. The core of the castle consists of three parts: the trapezoidal first courtyard, the second courtyard with the remains of the palace and the main towers with the defense wall towards Hadovka. The castle dominant is the main square tower with rounded corners and high-lying entrance. According to the results of archaeological research the tower was completed at a later date, probably at the turn of the 14th century.

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Useful information

The deadline for making the castle available to the public is not yet set