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 byl jako gotický hrad založen v roce 1356 Karlem IV na severovýchodním výběžku hory Zámecký vrch. Hrad byl vybudován k ochraně zemských hranic s Bavorskem, zlatých dolů a nově založené kašperskohorské větve Zlaté stezky. Dílo zorganizoval Vít Hedvábný a stavěl Michal Parléř. Hrad Kašperk byl nazván na panovníkovu počest Karlsberg, ale neustále byl zastavován zástavním držitelům. Dlouho se spekulovalo, že prvním zástavním držitelem byl arcibiskup Jan Očko z Vlašimi, ale později se prokázalo, že vlastnil hrad Kyšperk. Během husitských válek byli zástavními držiteli významní přívrženci kalicha Zmrzlíkové ze Svojšína, a díky tomu se Kašperk vyhnul obléhání husitskými vojsky. Později byl hrad v držení Šternberků, Půty Švihovského z Rýzmberka a rodu Švamberků. Pravděpodobně v 15. století byl pro lepší obranu hradu vystavěn na vrchu východně od Kašperku Pustý hrádek, z něhož ze dochovaly pouze ruiny. Od roku 1584 rozprodával císař Rudolf II. velkou část kašperského panství a konečně roku 1616 celý hrad i se zbytkem panství koupilo město Reichenstein, odtud nazývané Kašperské Hory. Tehdy byl hrad již zchátralý, opuštěný a celkově ve špatném stavebním stavu. Hrad chátral až do počátku 20. století, kdy se začal postupně zpřístupňovat veřejnosti. Nejvýraznější rekonstrukce probíhaly od počátku 70. let.

There is a parking about 1200m far from the castle. You can get there from town of Kašperské Hory towards to village of Nezdice. Czech language Tour: - Adults: 95 CZK Foreign-language Tour: - Adults: 100 CZK Czech language Tour: - Children, students, seniors: 70 CZK - Children until 6 years: 15 CZK Foreign-language Tour: - Children, students, seniors: 75 CZK - Children until 6 years: 20 CZK 1) Please have a valid ticket for entry to the tour. 2) We provide a discount for children, students, disabled people, seniors …if you have a necessary proof. 3) If you have booked tickets, please pick them up at least 30 minutes before the tour. 4) You cannot enter the tour without a guide. 5) Ticket is only for one tour, if you want to see our castle again, please buy a new ticket. 6) Please follow the instructions of a guide. 7) If you do not follow instructions of a guide, you may be excluded from the tour. 8) You may also be exclude if you are drunk. 9) Please do not touch the exhibits, do not try to remove stones from walls…Do not damage our castle. 10) If you have some complaints or recommendations, please tell us.

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