Rabí or Rábí is ruined castle in Southwestern Bohemia (Plzeň Region), on a prominent hill by the central course of the River Otava, in the foothills of Šumava region, 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Prague, Czech Republic. It is the largest castle (in terms of area) from all Czech castles. Its name might derive from the German word raben ("raven"), or it could be mangled Czech name vrab(č)í vrch ("sparrow's peak").
The Rabí Castle was proclaimed as National Cultural Monument in 1978.
The first mention of Rábí Castle dates from 1380, although it is not known exactly when it was founded. It is likely that the Lords of Velhartice established it after 1300 to protect trade routes along the Otava and also to inspect gold-bearing deposits in it. They built a strong palace, ramparts and a keep. Subsequent owners, the Švihovský of Rýzmburk family, continued building work and built the outer ward and two square towers.
At the start of the Hussite rebellions, the Švihovský family searched for havens of supporters of the Catholic side in the district and for their treasures, at Rábí. In 1420–21, the Hussites conquered the castle twice, and legend has it that during the second siege an arrow fired from crossbow hit the trunk of a pear tree and a resulting splinter from the tree hit Jan Žižka in his only good eye. In 1479, the provincial governor Půta Švihovský of Rýzmberk became the owner of the estate and began with a thoughtful remodelling of the castle under the guidance of famous master Benedict Rejt. New living quarters and service buildings were constructed, the castle was enlarged and the fortifications heightened.
Rabí Castle was, from the very start, envisioned as a donjon-type castle. It was built in the form of three separate sections, constructed in tiers above each other. The ramparts were up to 6 metres (20 ft) wide, and had bastions, vallum fortifications and moats. However, building activity exhausted the Švihovský family's finances and the fortifications remained incomplete.

Rabí Castle

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The history of the village dates back to the first half of the 11th century, when it was property of the Prácheň castle. In 1043 the ruler gave the village to the monastery in Břevnov (Prague). Then it was under the ownership of the Rabí castle (since 1420) and since the second half of the 16th century it has been a sovereign village.
The original fortress, which was founded in the village at the end of the 16th century, was rebuilt into the Renaissance chateau. It is ornate with graffiti. The precinct was built on the layout in the shape of the letter "L". There is a chapel from 1680 in the east wing.
https://jiznicechy.org/

Žichovice Chateau

The stone castle was built in the 13th century. From the 16th century the castle was left to decay and today there are only the external walls with defence towers and parts of inner buildings.
https://czecot.com/

Prácheň Castle

The Horažďovice chateau stands in the town of the same name above the Otava river.
A small, but strategically important, water fortress stood originally in the place of the present chateau. Through time it took the role of the Prácheň castle and it was enlarged into the Gothic town castle. The castle was property of the Lords of Strakonice in the 14th century, then the Lords of Hradec kept it and at the end of the 15th century brothers Jan and Racek of Kocov were owners of the castle. They often broke law and that was the reason, why the Emperor plundered the castle and the town. At the end of the 16th century the castle was under the ownership of the Švamberks, who rebuilt it into a Renaissance chateau. They reconstructed it one more time in the Baroque style in the 17th century and then the chateau became a possession of the Mansfeld family.
The four-winged building encloses the spacious courtyard. A town museum is located in the south-western part, which was built under the project of the Italian architect Salomini. Its main part is the hall with rich decoration. A small tower is situated in the north-western corner. A chapel, which was rebuilt into the Baroque style, with the preserved original early Gothic castle tower from the 13th century is a part of the chateau as well.
https://jiznicechy.org/

Horažďovice Chateau

The Baroque chateau, which stands in the large park in the part of the original village Nalžovy, was founded in the 17th century. It was reconstructed together with the surrounding park in the 1840's. The Baroque St. Catherine's Church was built in Stříbrné Hory at the beginning of the 18th century.
https://jiznicechy.org/

Nalžovy Chateau

In a beautiful valley of southwestern Bohemia, only seven miles northwest from the charming royal town of Susice, a view of a small Renaissance chateau of Mokrosuky suddenly appears before your eyes. Not even the miserable condition, into which it was brought in the last sixty years, can silence a quiet and compelling voice of the testimony of pain and glory of ages, inscribed into its walls.
https://infogr.am/

Mokrosuky Chateau

Pustý hrádek (Deserted Fort) is a former advanced fortress of Kašperk castle. Zdeněk of Šternberk, that time pledge holder of the castle, had the fortress built for firearm shooters about 300m to the east of the castle in the second half of the 15th century. Perhaps before the end of the 15th century, the fortress burnt down and started to fall into ruin. A rather small silent torso has remained of it to these days. Its location offers an enchanting view of Šumava Mountains as well as the castle.
http://m.taggmanager.cz/

Pustý Hrádek Castle

Kašperk Castle was founded in 1356 by Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia Charles IV to protect Czech borders. Historians and scholars believe the castle was built, primarily, for three reasons. The first was about security. Bohemia needed to bolster their border defense against Bavaria. Secondly, the castle's location was chosen so as to allow for absolute control over the gold-rich region near Kašperské Hory. The third reason for building Kašperk Castle was because Kašperk lay in the path of the "Golden Route," a trade route that connected Bohemia and Bavaria to the affluent areas of western Europe.
A royal castle in name and status, the Kašperk Castle, however, had no royal occupant. The castle was given over to the king's pledge holders. Along with the castle, the occupant of the Kašperk castle also received from the king the authority over administrative and judicial matters in the region of Prácheň, which encompassed a significant part of southwestern Bohemia.
The Kašperk Castle's first pledge holders were the second archbishop of Prague and the first Czech cardinal, Jan Očko of Vlašim. From 1411–1454 Kašperk Castle was in the hands of the house of Zmrzlík of Svojšín and Orlík. The father and son of this house, both named Peter, oversaw a relatively peaceful time in the castle's history. Peter, the father,was a royal moneyer. He and his son were followers of Utraquism, which was also endorsed by the Hussite. It was this allegiance of the Peters that the Hussites never attacked the castle. The younger Peter, on the other hand, made numerous raids on the neighboring catholic Bavaria.
During the mid-15th century ownership of the Kašperk Castle passed to the hands of the powerful Šternberkové family of Šternberk. The family held immense sway over the region. This powerful and lucrative position in the region made Zdeněk of Šternberk ambitious, and in 1465 he led an armed revolt against King George of Poděbrady. The Kašperk Castle abruptly became a strategic citadel. With the castle becoming involved in the fighting, the garrison occupying it readied themselves against an onslaught by the king's forces. In order to bolster their defenses, a small fortress was hastily constructed. Ruins situated 400 metres (1,300 ft) to the castle's east are believed to be the remains of that fortress, which today is referred to as the Deserted Fort.
In July 1940, when the Donau-Zeitung referred to a folklore of three Nornen, the writer alluded to sisters who once lived at the Castle, and cheated the blind one out of her fortune.

Kašperk Castle

Hunting chateau Zaluzi is located amidst the beauties of Sumava at about 800 m above sea level, 8 km from Kasperske Hory, 15 km from Susice. It was built by duke Gustav von Lamberg in 1860 and was used later as a hunting lodge.
This is a wonderful chance to spend an unforgettable holiday in the beautiful nature of Sumava.
http://zaluzi.cz/

Záluží Chateau

In the Baroque castle from the 18th century , originally a fortress from the late 13th century. Today, the castle renovated basement and there is a permanent exhibition of Šumava folk crafts. The castle serves also as a school and for exhibitions and cultural events.
http://waymarking.com/

Chanovice Chateau

The castle was founded at the end of the 13th century by Bohemian nobleman Bohumil of Budětice, on the rock above the small river Ostružná. The castle with two palaces on the opposite sides connected with special tower "Donjon" with stone bridge which is unique in Europe. This bridge was Bušek´s work which was a chamberlain and friend of the famous Bohemian king Charles IV. In the 15th century the Velhartice castle became property of the lords of Hradec. They built second walls around the castle with bastions and watchtower. There were built dipstillary and brewery on the lower courtyard. In the 17th century Martin de Hoeff Huerta built a renaissance palace between the Southern palace and the Paradise palace. The last private owner of the Velhartice castle was Josef Windischgrätz. Since the year 1945 it belongs to the state.
https://hrad-velhartice.cz/