The Mir Castle Complex (, Łacinka: Mirski zamak, , ) is a historic fortified castle and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Belarus. It is located in the town of Mir, in the Kareličy District of the Hrodna voblast, at , north-west of another World Heritage site, Niasviž Castle. Mir Castle Complex is above sea level. Erected in the 16th century in the late Polish Gothic style, it is one of the few remaining architectural monuments of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in contemporary Belarus.
Introduction
Mir Castle Complex
Mir Castle Complex | Introduction
16th century After the turn of the 16th century 16th century 16th century
what is 'my belarusy'?
user
It is the national anthem of Belarus.
assistant
who composed it?
user
Sakalowski
assistant
when was it adopted?
user
1955
assistant
can you extract any one line from this?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
in which continent does that country belong to?
user
Europe
assistant
what is the capital of that country?
user
Minsk
assistant
what languages are spoken in that country?
user
Russian and Belarusian
assistant
can you name a few heritage sites there?
user
Mir Castle Complex, the Nesvizh Castle, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Struve Geodetic Arc.
assistant
where exactly is the first place mentioned above located?
user
It is located in the town of Mir, in the Kareličy District of the Hrodna voblast
assistant
approximately in which century or which year was it constructed?
user
Duke Juryj Ivanavič Illinič () began construction of the castle near the village of Mir after the turn of the 16th century in the Polish Gothic style. Five towers surrounded the courtyard of the citadel, the walls of which formed a square of on each side. In 1568, when the Ilyinich dynasty died out, the Mir Castle passed into the hands of Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł, who refitted it with a two-winged, three-story stately residence along the eastern and northern inner walls of the castle. Plastered facades were decorated with limestone portals, plates, balconies and porches in the Renaissance style.
Mir Castle Complex | History
The Mir Castle Complex (, Łacinka: Mirski zamak, , ) is a historic fortified castle and a UNESCO World Heritage site in Belarus. It is located in the town of Mir, in the Kareličy District of the Hrodna voblast, at , north-west of another World Heritage site, Niasviž Castle. Mir Castle Complex is above sea level. Erected in the 16th century in the late Polish Gothic style, it is one of the few remaining architectural monuments of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in contemporary Belarus.
Mir Castle Complex | Introduction
When German forces invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they occupied the castle and converted it to a ghetto for the local Jewish population, prior to their murders. Between 1944 and 1956, the castle was used as a housing facility, resulting in damage to the castle's interior. In December 2000, the Mir Castle was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Mir Castle Complex | History
The castle was first constructed in the 14th century. Around 1559, the castle's protective walls surrounding the castle underwent a reconstruction to better ward off enemies from attempting to capture the village or the castle. The castle belonged to several families including the Balog, Pongrác and Bakošov families. At the beginning of the 19th century, a part of the castle was remodeled into a more period manor house.
Vodný Hrad | History
The core of the castle was built here: the "Barborka Tower" (a round five-storied tower with an edge turned toward the driveway), the castle palace and the courtyard protected by the rampart. These parts were completely covered by later extensions, only the high tower Barborka still projects over the complex of castle buildings. The builder of the castle is unknown. The first historically recorded ancestor of the Pernštejn family can be considered Stephen of Medlov, a significant Moravian personality from the beginning of the 13th century. It as probably he who transferred the family property from the southern Moravia to the Uplands.
Pernštejn Castle | 13th to 15th centuries
In 1817, after the castle had been abandoned for nearly a century and had suffered severe damage in the Battle of Mir (1812), owner Dominik Hieronim Radziwiłł died of battle injuries and the castle passed to his daughter Stefania, who married Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Later the castle became a possession of their daughter Maria, who married Prince Chlodwig Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. Their son, Maurice Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, sold the castle to Mikalaj Sviatapolk-Mirski, of the Bialynia clan, in 1895. Nikolai's son Michael began to rebuild the castle according to the plans of architect Teodor Bursze. The Sviatapolk-Mirski family owned the castle until 1939, when the Soviet Union occupied eastern Poland.
Mir Castle Complex | History
Miren Castle (, also known as ' 'castle' and ' 'Our Lady beneath the Karst'; or "") is an elevation above the settlement of Miren near Nova Gorica, in southwest Slovenia. Its Slovene name reflects the fact that the hill was once occupied by a castle; it is currently dominated by a collection of ecclesiastical buildings.
Miren Castle | Introduction
This ruin of a castle is situated near Sezimovo Ústí. It is not exactly known when it was built, but it was first mentioned in 1377. This castle is an important cultural heritage site, built in Gothic style. Nowadays the ruins are accessible. It is most known for being the place where Jan Hus carried out his activities.
Sezimovo Ústí | Kozí hrádek
The path to Miren Castle features Stations of the Cross designed by the architect Ivan Vurnik in 1931. By the last station there stands the architecturally unique Chapel of the Scala Sancta, (), the floor of which is made of 28 stepped platforms. It was blessed in 1757 by the Gorizia archbishop Karl Michael von Attems.
Miren Castle | Other
Svrčin was one of the castles of Nemanjić dynasty, built around 1321, on an island in the artificially made Svrčin lake, northeast from present day Uroševac. The exact location of the medieval Svrčin has not been determined precisely because of a lack archaeological research in the areas in which it is localized, but based on the remains discovered so far, Svrčin was situated between Svrčin hill and present day village Svrčina. It is registered cultural monument under protection of Republic of Serbia from 1967.
Svrčin | Introduction
Its circuit is and it is the oldest and biggest yew in the southern Moravian region. In 1818 the castle came to the hands of the Mitrovský family. The castle obtained its actual appearance partly down to the Mitrovský family who refused to succumb to the Romantic styles of the 19th century and partly due to the fact that the castle has never suffered at the hands of their enemies. The gate of the first settlement is protected by the older forward fortifications from the beginning of the 16th century. In the prolate settlement there are several outbuilding and a renaissance bastion with a gate, into which the original driveway issues.
Pernštejn Castle | 17th to 21st centuries
Mikulov Castle is in the town of Mikulov in South Moravia, Czech Republic. The castle stands on a place of historic Slavonic settlement, where since the end of the 13th century the original stone castle was erected. The present castle is the result of a reconstruction in 1719–1730 under the princes of Dietrichstein. The end of World War II meant a complete disaster for the castle, as German troops withdrawing from the town set fire to it. During the war, the anthropological collection from the Moravské zemské muzeum had been moved to Mikulov Castle for safekeeping purposes. Many of the most important discoveries from Předmostí u Přerova, Dolní Věstonice and the Mladeč caves were destroyed by the fire.
Mikulov Castle | Introduction
The first wooden fortifications were built in the area before the 1241 Mongol invasion of Rus, during which they were subsequently destroyed. The ruins were later reconstructed by Knyaz Daniil from the Ostrogky family on the city's Sudovy Hill ("castle hill"). Since then, more additions and reconstructions were carried out, although the complex still retains its Medieval architecture. The castle complex consists of four main structures: the Guard Tower ("Vezha murovana") where the castle's museum is located, the Bohoyavlenska Church, the New Tower, and the Belltower (constructed in 1905).
Ostroh Castle | History
The first stage of the construction of the water castle (probably an inhabited tower with fortifications) can be dated to the 12th to 13th centuries. Pieces of pottery that have been found confirm this. The upper polygonal construction made by stone-based bricks was built in the second stage of construction, in the early 14th century. Research has confirmed that simultaneously with the fortification on the western side, an early-Gothic palace was built. On the east side of the castle a quadrangle entrance tower was built and at the courtyard was a well, fortified by stone.yhh
Trebišov | Ruins of Parič Castle
The only remaining construction from this period are the foundations of a Romanesque chapel. From 1391 the castle and then already existing town belonged to the house of Lvové (i.e. Lions) of Rožmitál. Under the new masters the fortress was for the first time rebuilt in stone (the oldest parts being the tower and Rožmitálský Palace) and the surrounding marshes were changed into wide water trenches, thus giving the castle the looks of "A swan sitting in a lake". Their long rule marks the golden age of this place. Lvové were continuously rebuilding and enlarging the castle, first with the so-called Old Palace, standing separatedly over the remnants of the Romanesque Chapel.
Blatná | The castle
Very little remains of the castle that used to dominate the southern end of the settlement. It is first mentioned as an estate in written documents dating to 1241. The castle itself was built in the mid 15th century. By 1810 it was in a very dilapidated state and building material from the castle was used in contemporary buildings in Ribnica.
Breg pri Ribnici na Dolenjskem | Castle
Český Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of its size; within the Czech Republic it is second in extent only to the Hradčany castle complex of Prague. The castle was first mentioned in written sources in 1240. Inside its grounds are a large rococo garden, an extensive bridge over a deep gap in the rock upon which the castle is built, and the castle itself, which in turn consists of many defined parts dating from different periods. After the garden had been inadequately maintained in the second half of the 20th century, the site was included in the 1996 World Monuments Watch by the World Monuments Fund.
Český Krumlov | Castle
In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1320.
Mirkovce | History
Nothing is known of the history of the castle site. Castle researchers previously thought that the castle was built in early part of the 14th century. More recent research now doubts, however, that the site was a castle at all. Ceramic finds date the settlement of the area to the 14th century. It could have served as a place that miners used as a place to live and work, where iron ore was processed and smelted. Old names such as Zlatý potok ("Goldbach" or "Gold Stream") or Železná jáma ("Eisengrube" or "Iron Pit"), have survived to the present day in the surrounding area, which indicates medieval mining took place here.
Kyjovský hrádek | History
The castle was built from a medieval fortress, which was first mentioned in 1401. From this year comes the tabular record of the hearing succession of Jan z Cách, owner of the nearby Čelákovice. This record is the first mention of the fortress, but its origin is not known. Until the 1970s, it was presumed that the remains of the fort had not been preserved, but later findings revealed that parts of the castle corresponded to the Gothic tower fortress. On them the southern part of the east wing was built. The possibility of further research is therefore very limited.
Dolní Počernice (château) | From the 15th to the 20th century
The ruins of Rekštanj Castle (), a medieval castle first mentioned in written documents dating to 1392 and abandoned in the 17th century, lie north of the settlement on a hill above the right bank of the Mirna River.
Laze pri Boštanju | Rekštanj Castle
In the 15th to 17th centuries the military and political significance of the castle grew to its peak. At that time Pernštejn was not only a centre of a large barony, but also a fortress, which played an important role in the struggle for Moravia and the city of Brno. This role of the castle responds for the first leg of its construction – John I carried out the largest reconstruction of the castle, which was also supposed to repair the damage after a big fire from the time before 1460. To the original heart of the castle was then complemented mainly by an ingenious fortification system that protected the whole naze.
Pernštejn Castle | 15th to 17th centuries
The partially preserved ruins of Koprivnik Castle () are located in the hamlet of Konfin. The castle was abandoned in the 13th century, when the owners relocated to Krumperk Castle, and it was in ruins by the 17th century. In the second half of the 19th century, the castle became known as Old Castle () or Freight Castle (), named after the nearby freight route from the Central Sava Valley. In 1930 the ruins of the castle were purchased by Valentin Rožič.
Sveta Trojica, Domžale | Castle
Mirów Castle () is a 14th-century castle, now ruined, located in the Mirów village, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. It changed owners multiple times, and was finally abandoned in 1787.
Mirów Castle | Introduction
Hrubý Rohozec () is a castle in Turnov, Czech Republic. The original structure was connected to a polygonal tower by a defensive wall. Its purpose, in the 14th century, was to monitor the trade route running below it. Between the two parts of the castle, Gothic palaces were built by Jan von Šelmberk, and later Konrad Kraiger Kraigk. During the Renaissance, the Wartenberg family rebuilt the complex in the style of a château. Albrecht von Wallenstein bought it in 1621 followed by the noble family Desfours, who held it until 1945. After 1822 the castle was upgraded on the basis of plans by the architect Jan F.
Hrubý Rohozec | Introduction
The local church, built in the hamlet of Žunovec north of the settlement, is dedicated to Saint Peter and belongs to the Parish of Mirna. It is originally a Gothic building from at least the 16th century. The sanctuary dates to the 17th century and the belfry to the 19th century.
Selo pri Mirni | Church
The castle stands on a steep and long rocky headland, which is lined with Vltava from the south. The bridge over the Bear Moat leads through the passage to the Lower Castle, on the left side is the oldest part of the castle (Hrádek), an old palace with a tower from the 13th century and paintings from 1580. From the tower is a beautiful view of the castle and the city. The eastern and northern wing of the irregular large courtyard of the Lower Castle consists of a burgrave's house from 1578. In the middle of the courtyard is a stone fountain from 1641.
Český Krumlov Castle | Points of Interest
There are two theories about the origin of this fortress. According to the Turkish traveler, Evliya Çelebi, the fortress was built by the Serbian despot Đurađ Branković. Historians consider that Branković built the fortress after the fall of Smederevo in 1439. In its construction the fortress had some architectural elements similar to those in the fortress of Smederevo and the fortress around the Manasija monastery. The other theory claims that Vršac Castle is a remnant of the medieval fortress known as "Erdesumulu" (Hungarian: "Érdsomlyó" or "Érsomlyó", Serbian: "Erd-Šomljo" / Ерд-Шомљо or "Šomljo" / Шомљо). However, sources for this theory do not identify "Erdesumulu" with Vršac, but claim that the location of this town and fortress was further to the east, on the Karaš River, in present-day Romanian Banat.
Vršac Castle | History
Vysoký Hrádek is a Renaissance castle in Temelín, Czech Republic Lords of Březí, from the court of Knín and Býšov originally constructed the fortress and courtyard. The first records we have are of Albert of Březí, who died in 1367. The fortress was inherited by his son, Svatomír, and then by another two sons of Albert, Smil and Bušek. After the Lords of Březí died out, the fortress, called Hrádek, was inherited by their relatives, the Lords of Býšov.
Vysoký Hrádek | Introduction
Kerestinec Castle (Croatian: "Dvorac Kerestinec" or "Dvorac Erdödy u Kerestincu") is a castle constructed by the Erdödy family in Kerestinec, in town of Sveta Nedelja. It is a 1st category monument. It is a two-story structure with a square layout and cylindrical corner towers and open arcades in the courtyard. This is a Renaissance castle with fortified elements. In 1565, Petar II. Erdödy (1504 - 1567) was awarded the noble title of count, and already then was actively working on the construction of the castle at Kerestinec, surrounded by a wide moat. In 1575, the castle was expanded and renewed, and works continued until the late 16th century.
Erdödy castle, Kerestinec | Introduction
Mirów Castle is a castle located in Książ Wielki which currently housing the Wincenty Witos Institution and an Agricultural School. There is a museum in the castle. The castle is located in Książ Wielki, Lesser Poland Voivodeship; in Poland. The castle was the residence of the House of Myszkowski. It was designed and built in between 1585-1595 by Santi Gucci, by an order of the Bishop of Kraków Piotr Myszkowski. During the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the castle went into the hands of the Wielkopolski family, and was reconstructed in a Baroque style. The castle is part of a tourist trail and program called the "Trail of the Renaissance in Lesser Poland" ("Szlak Renesansu w Małopolsce", Polish), made by the Association of Justus Ludwik Decjusz.
Mirów Castle in Książ Wielki | Introduction
The castle was built approximately in the first part of the 13th century, but archaeological finds suggest that the area around Buchlov castle was settled in the oldest periods of civilization. The function of the castle was defensive, agricultural and administrative as well. The first form of the castle had a similar ground-plan as buildings of that era. It was created by two massive prismatic towers situated on opposite parts of a rocky plateau. A high palace on the southern part of the yard was built at the same time and it was surrounded by a wall. The second construction period occurred in the 1370s.
Buchlov | History
The current entrance to the castle represents a bridge, built in the seventeenth century, when the wall of the castle was pierced in this part. It is mentioned as the main entrance of the castle from the year 1815. The original wooden bridge existed until the beginning of the 19th century, when the defense pit was filled. During the later remodeling and rediscovery of the transverse moat on the side of the castle, it was restored its medieval appearance of yesteryear with the construction of the current bridge, which connects the grove of the castle with the building itself. The present form of the entrance was born on the basis of the idea of the architect Boris Kobe.
Ljubljana Castle | Entrance to the castle complex
A first castle at the site was erected by the Teutonic Knights in the early 13th century, then the seat of a commandry within their Bohemian bailiwick. In the early 16th century it passed to the Moravian noble house of Kaunitz ("Kounicové") who had it rebuilt in a Renaissance style. The present-day palace with 115 rooms was erected from 1696 onwards according to plans designed by the Italian architect Domenico Martinelli. The conversion was finished under Prince Wenzel Anton of Kaunitz-Rietberg more than fifty years later. Wenzel Anton hired the painter Joseph Pichler to apply frescoes in the chapel and the ceremonial hall of the castle.
Slavkov Castle | History
The passage leads directly to the main communication space of the castle, the passage to the right leads to the small Tyrolian Yard. In the northwestern corner of the castle core there stands five-storey Barborka tower with an edge turned toward the driveway. A two-tract palace stood in the south, with its cellars partly dug in the rock. The large Knights' hall on the first floor was completely rebuilt and its Renaissance vault was decorated with stuccowork and fresco paintings. During the rule of John I the last medieval expansion of residential and representative rooms was achieved: the new renaissance palace was attached to the core and the residential tower in the southeast.
Pernštejn Castle | 17th to 21st centuries
In the 13th century, a water castle existed at the site. The place was first mentioned in a 1277 deed, when one Herman of "Moiethin" acted as mediator in a border dispute between the abbeys of Hradisko and Velehrad. In 1306, King Wenceslaus III of Bohemia vested Lord Unka of "Moyetyn" with extended woodland estates which also were claimed by the Olomouc citizens who founded the village of Grygov. A lengthy conflict arose which was finally decided in 1352 by the Moravian margrave John Henry in favour of Olomouc. The Lords of Majetín remained in dispute with their neighbours; during the Hussite Wars they supported the insurgents, whereafter Emperor Sigismund had their castle demolished.
Majetín | History
In the 11th century a border castle was established by Duke Bretislaus I which took his name (in Czech "Břetislav" → "Břeclav"). The castle served as one of the ducal administrative centres in medieval Moravia, later becoming a manor house. The Zierotins rebuilt it in Renaissance style. In 1638 the House of Liechtenstein gained it, but the family did not reside there and in the early 19th century they rebuilt it to artificial ruins as a part of the Lednice-Valtice cultural-natural complex.
Břeclav | Břeclav Castle
Archaeological research revealed the existence of fortification traces on the fortress hill since prehistoric and Dacian times. The medieval fortress of today is considered to be built between 1211 and 1225, during the rule of the Teutonic Knights in Burzenland, although there is no evidence in this respect. In 1335, during a Tatar incursion that ravaged Burzenland, Râșnov and Brașovia were the only fortified places remaining unconquered. This is also the first documented attestation of the fortification. In 1421 the fortress was besieged for the first time by an Ottoman army.
Râșnov Citadel | History
The first royal house on this site was built by King Charles I of Hungary after 1325. In the second half of the 14th century, this was enlarged into a palace by his son, King Louis I of Hungary. In the last third of the 14th century, King Louis and his successor Sigismund of Luxembourg had the majority of the earlier buildings dismantled and created a new, sumptuous palace complex, the extensive ruins of which are still visible today. The palace complex was laid out on a square ground plan measuring 123 x 123 m. A garden adjoined to it from the north and a Franciscan friary, founded by King Sigismund in 1424, from the south.
Visegrád | Royal Palace
Gródek nad Dunajcem Castle was probably built in the early 14th century by Klemens de Gródek, on the Grodzisko Hill in the village of Gródek nad Dunajcem. The building was destroyed either in the late 14th or early 15th century, its ruins were visible as late as early 20th century. Currently, no traces remain of the castle, and the Grodzisko Hill is an island (called Monkey Island) on the Rożnowskie Lake.
Dunajec river castles | <a href="Gr%C3%B3dek%20nad%20Dunajcem">Gródek nad Dunajcem</a> – Gródek nad Dunajcem Castle (does not exist)
Kokořín Castle () is a castle located some 10 km (6 mi) northeast of Mělník, Czech Republic. It was built in the first half of the 14th century by order of Hynek Berka z Dubé. It was heavily damaged during the Hussite Wars and stood in ruins until the reconstruction campaign of 1911–1918. It was nationalized in 1948 and has been designated a national cultural landmark since 2001. The nature preserve of Kokořínsko takes its name from this castle.
Kokořín Castle | Introduction
Over the centuries, a series of churches have occupied the site. The first recorded was the Church of Our Lady, built in 1488, rebuilt in 1753, and destroyed on 30 May 1914. Between 1700 and 1756, Grad was inhabited by hermits. The summit of Grad is now dominated by a monastic church dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows (). It was built in 1886, and was completely destroyed and rebuilt during and after each World War. In 1958, its interior was decorated with frescoes by Tone Kralj. The entrance gate bears the inscription "Ite in domum Matris Vestræ" 'Go into the house of your mother'.
Miren Castle | Our Lady of Sorrows Church
On a hill on the right bank of the Sava River, south of the settlement, is Rajhenburg Castle (). It was first mentioned in written documents dating to AD 895, making it the earliest documented castle in Slovenia. It has preserved some of its Romanesque features and an early Gothic chapel, but most of its current structure dates to around 1600. During the Second World War it was used as a deportee collection centre by the German forces. From June 1948 to October 1956 the communist authorities used the castle as a penal institution for female political prisoners.
Brestanica | Castle
The area of the mire was originally , of which consisted of small lakes. It was a significant habitat for water birds and the lakes were used for fishing. A suggestion about draining the mire was first presented in 1898. The mire was drained in 1902–10. Some of the lakes that dried up were "Tunngansträsk", "Storträsk", "Nydträsk", "Risalaträsk" and "Eskesträsk". Just south of the mire is the Havor Iron Age hillfort. At the time it was built, the mire was still lakes and the fort was located on the shore of one of these. In 1961, an archaeological excavation of the hillfort lead to the discovery of the Havor hoard.
Mästermyr | Geography
The medieval Felsőtárkány was situated around the castle garden, north form today's settlement. On this site, Miklós II, the bishop of Eger ordered the building of a monastery for the Carthusian monks, which was built between 1330 and 1350. During the Ottoman attacks the monastery was also destroyed with the settlement, and is in ruins since 1552.
Felsőtárkány | Middle ages
Lihtenberk Castle, now a ruin, first mentioned in written documents dating to 1250, badly damaged in the 1511 Idrija earthquake, and finally demolished in the early 17th century, was located near the settlement.
Dvor, Šmartno pri Litiji | Lihtenberk Castle
The retreating Russians, withdrawing east, abandoned the town and destroyed the castle with gunpowder. During the Middle Ages it was first located in the Principality of Polotsk, after the Battle on the river Nemiga in the Principality of Minsk, then was taken over by Kievan Rus' but after the Mongol Invasion the Rus' rule diminished and since 1242 Mir belonged to the expanding and dynamic Duchy of Lithuania. In 1569, along with the rest of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Mir became a part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1795, Mir was acquired by the Russian Empire as a result of the Third Partition of Poland.
Mir, Belarus | History
The existence of an original fortress on the site of today's château is assumed from sometime around the middle of the 14th century. It was built on a rocky granite outcrop, which, after the damming of a stream and the filling up of a fishpond, became an island. The first written source is an entry into the land records from 1465, mentioning the division of the property of deceased Ctibor of Zásmuk between his two sons Petr and Václav. The fortress then might have been sold into the ownership of Diviš Boubínský of Újezd, who sold it to the knightly family of Káb of Rybňan sometime around 1530.
Červená Lhota Castle | History
Klenová castle () is a large castle located in southwest Bohemia near the town of Klatovy. Only ruins remain from the original castle but buildings of a new chateau were added in the 19th century. Klenová castle was built in 1291 as a part of the frontier defence system. Kryštof Harant z Polžic a Bezdružic, a writer and musician from the nobility, was born here in 1564. Between the 17th and 18th centuries the castle fell in ruins but it was reconstructed between 1832 and 1838. Today it hosts an art gallery.
Klenová Castle | Introduction
The first castle in Zerbst was a Slavic water castle constructed in the 12th century. This structure was first mentioned in a document dated 1196 and consisted of a front castle and a main castle, both surrounded by a wall and a moat. The free-standing bell tower, which today is considered part of the adjacent St. Bartholomew church, was originally part of this castle. Over the centuries, the castle was expanded and renovated. By the 16th century, the complex consisted of a number of individual residences for the various family branches, surrounded by a common castle wall. In 1603, an expensive repair project was initiated, because the castle was in an almost derelict state.
Zerbst Castle | Previous structures
South of the settlement is a 13th-century castle known was (). It was greatly rebuilt and remodelled over the centuries, with the last major building phase dating to the 18th century.
Hrastovec, Velenje | Turn Castle
A Great Moravian castle was built in the 9th century and it was abandoned in the 14th century. 1,693 metres of the walls have been preserved, but their height is now lower than the original 10 metres. Other places of interest include a Renaissance manor house, a Baroque church of Trinity, a Piarist monastery from 1720, a late 18th century synagogue and the ruins of the city walls.
Svätý Jur | Landmarks
Milštejn castle () are the remaining ruins of a castle in the north of the Czech Republic. The ruins are located in the Lusatian Mountains at an altitude of 562 m, about 3.5 km north from the town of Cvikov. The exact date when the castle was built is unknown. Based on the surrounding sites, it is assumed that the castle was founded between the 13th and 14th centuries to protect the country trail leading from Lipé to Zittau. The first known owners of the castle were Berka z Dubé, a prominent cadet branch of a Bohemian noble family.
Milštejn Castle | Introduction
is a ruined castle built before 1356. The castle was besieged and destroyed in 1404 by Zbyněk Zajíc of Hazmburk. It has been a protected cultural monument since 1965.
Komorní Hrádek | Čejchanov
Roudnice Castle was built in the 12th century by Bishop Bretislav III, the nephew of the Czech king Vladislaus II, to protected an important trade route from Prague to Upper Lusatia along the Elbe. The castle complex included several farm buildings, protected by a fortified wall; the castle itself had walls that were two meters thick, and watch towers in each corner. In the mid-14th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style and became a popular summer residence for Prague bishops. It is said that Jan Hus was ordained as a priest there. In 1421, the Catholic Church sold the castle to Jan Smiřický, who renovated it once again.
Roudnice nad Labem | Castle in Roudnice nad Labem
The castle was originally built in the second half of the 13th century in the Kingdom of Hungary. It was completely reconstructed by the Thurzó family, owners of the castle from 1524. The last owner was Miklós Bercsényi, general of the anti-Habsburg insurrection army during Rákóczi's War of Independence. The castle fell into ruins after it was besieged in 1710 as a part of the suppression of the anti-Habsburg uprising. A trove of axe-shaped iron coins from the Great Moravian period was found in the Hrádok area. Traces of the Great Moravian fortified settlement found in the village were destroyed by construction activities.
Tematín | History
According to a local legend, the town was founded in 1099, however the first recorded mention is from 1315. The town was founded in the 13th century as a royal water fort on the crossroads of busy merchant routes between Bohemia, Moravia and Austria. The Gothic castle was built in the second half of the 14th century. At the end of the 15th century the castle fortifications were strengthened and a new gate-tower built. In the middle of the 16th century the medieval castle no longer satisfied Renaissance nobleman Zachariáš of Hradec, who had the castle altered in the Renaissance style.
Telč | History
The castle became the administrative and economic centre of the family's lands, a part of which Vok gave to the newly established Cistercian monastery in Vyšší Brod. In 1302, when the cadet Krumlov branch of the Vítkovci died out, Vok's offspring inherited Český Krumlov and they settled there permanently. After 1330 Jindřich of Rožmberk built the Dolní hrad (Lower Castle), which was defended by ramparts placed above the moat, which was cut through the neck of the rock. In 1420 Oldřich II of Rožmberk (1403–1462), father of Perchta of Rožmberk, the White Lady, was forced to pawn the castle to the Lords of Walsee from Austria to get money to finance the army he was fielding against the Hussites.
Rožmberk Castle | History
On three sides of the inner courtyard is closed by semicircular arcades on the ground floor and first floor, while the north-west wing entrance closes with facade decorated with stone portal and shallow attic with a distaff and a bell from the 18th century when the wing was upgraded for one floor. The appearance of the castle before the intervention was preserved in the Valvasor drawing from 1679. The walls of the gallery on the first floor until recently were painted landscapes depicting the castle and its surroundings. Left and right of the residential palace in the same line are located farm buildings with basements, stables and barns, which are connected with the castle high surrounding walls.
Belaj, Cerovlje | Castle history
All this castles and estates Johann united in a single manor Wachsenstein ("Kožljak"), and the center from the medieval castle Kožljak by which was named, was transferred to Belaj. Johann heirs reconstructed the castle in the Baroque style to rustic castle in the end of 17th and 18th century. It was in their property until 1945 when the Yugoslav government nationalized it and given to the use of local agricultural cooperative. Today the castle is a registered monument of cultural heritage, privately owned, partially renovated and very well preserved. The central residential part of the palace is of rectangular layout, , with four-storey wings.
Belaj, Cerovlje | Castle history
A castle was first mentioned in Dragomelj in 1411; it developed from a manor house (attested in 1312) or fortified tower (attested in 1386) in the village. It stood next to the mill along Pšata Creek in the hamlet of Škotin in the southern part of the village. The castle was fortified with a moat to resist Ottoman raids and successfully resisted such an attack in 1528. The castle burned in the early 19th century, and only remnants of its embankment and moat remain.
Dragomelj | Dragomelj Castle
The castle was first mentioned in historical documents in 1428. The noble house of Katzen (locally known as "Kacijanarji") rebuilt it in the 16th century, but it took its final shape a century later, when the Counts of Lamberg moved to it from Kamen Castle. The original two-story core of the castle survives inside newer additions, as do remnants of its Gothic architecture. The majority of the present structure dates from its Renaissance and Baroque rebuildings, and the southeast wing was added in the 19th century. The layout of the castle's Baroque garden remains, although the grounds are now occupied by a vegetable garden.
Kacenštajn Castle | History
Vranov's location was first mentioned by Cosmas of Prague in 1100 as a border sentry castle (""). It was built by the Dukes of Bohemia to defend the southern border of Moravia against raids from the neighbouring Austrian March. Until 1323 the castle was in royal hands but in that year king John of Bohemia pawned Vranov to a powerful Bohemian nobleman, the viceroy Jindřich of Lipá. In 1421, during the disturbances of the Hussite Wars the Bohemian noble family of Lichtenburg took control of the castle and the contiguous market town. In 1499 it definitely passed on to Lichtenburgs as hereditary possession by the king Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary.
Vranov nad Dyjí Castle | History
Just southeast of the village (at grid 172/199) is a site where sherds mainly from the Persian era have been found. Pottery sherds from the early and late Roman, Byzantine, early Muslim and Medieval eras have been found at the village site.
Mirka | History
Valuable wall paintings from the 16th century can be found in The Red Bastion, the chapel and in other rooms. Open to public are the castle's armory, the kitchen (with original furnishings that originate mainly from the 18th century), the feast hall, the chapel, the bed chambers and The Great Hall with wooden cassette ceiling that originates from Dobrovice Castle. The castle's chapel was built between 1480 and 1489 by Půta von Schwihau The exterior of the chapel remained mostly undamaged, the interior in the other hand was until its reconstruction in 1890. The stairs leading to the chapel were destroyed as well.
Švihov Castle | Architecture
Olga Kantová. In the next 8 years, the whole area (together with the surrounding park) has been carefully reconstructed under the supervision of preservationists and in cooperation with the municipal office; the family subsequently made its new seat partly accessible to the public for concerts, lectures, exhibitions, weddings, etc. In addition, archaeological research in the courtyard between the chateau and the school building took place in the years of 2009–10, which revealed until then unknown details about previous Early Gothic castle buildings: for example, the foundations of a massive circular bergfried with a diameter of 12 meters and wall thickness of 4 meters were excavated.
Škvorec Chateau | Modern era
It is not known exactly when the Curtea Domnească complex was built, but it certainly replaces an old manor house still in place by the 15th century during the reign of Mircea I of Wallachia. Nevertheless, the first documentary mentions of the Curtea Domnească date from 1403 and 1409. It is therefore believed that the construction works started during the first reign of Vlad the Impaler, but that the complex remained unfinished. Archaeological excavations conducted in the mid-20th century have revealed that the Chindia Tower dates from the second half of the 15th century leading historians to propose that it is the "castle" referred to in the November 11, 1476, account of Hungarian nobleman Stephen V Báthory.
Chindia Tower | History
The area between Raška and Ibar, where the Rogozna mountain forms a natural border towards the Pannonian Basin, was the heart of the Serbian medieval state during the early reign of the Nemanjić dynasty, the Grand Principality of Serbia. Among many other obsolete medieval fortifications in Serbia, Jeleč stands out with its unusual position. It's built on one of the highest peaks of Rogozna mountain, at 1 262 m altitude, as an important strategic fort on the unstable frontier. The first certain mention of this town was in the second half of 13th century, but it was without a doubt built much earlier.
Jeleč | History
He ordered the building of the nowadays Grassalkovich Mansion and the Perish in the mid 18th century. Antal Grassalkovich I made several architects to build this so-called castle in two separate parts. In 1754, the central part was built by Ignác Oraschek, while some others (including the balcony) were designed by András Mayerhoffer. Later, in 1763, two wings were added to the original building according to the plans of József Jung. The central part and the eastern wing is located at the place of a former lodging house which was previously built at the beginning of the 18th century by Count Tamás Stahremberg Gundacker and was created with the use of some parts of the former building.
Grassalkovich Mansion (Hatvan) | History
In the vicinity of the village is the medieval ruinous castle. The castle is located on a steep cliff (184 m.a.s.l.), along the old road which connected Istria with Croatian Littoral (Kvarner). It was built on the place of prehistoric hill fort. It was first mentioned at the time of Patriarchate of Aquileia in 1102 under name "Castrum Iosilach" in the grant by Ulric II and his wife Adelaide to Aquileia patriarchs. Later it is also mentioned as "Gosilach", "Wachsenstein" or "Waxenstein" (from 13th century), "Cosgliacco" (1275), and "Kožlak" ("Istrian Demarcation", 13th-14th century). It belonged to the Patria del Friuli, and from 13th century as loaned feud of County of Gorizia, what would become Austrian part of Istria (March of Istria), situated at the very border area between Austrian and Venetian Istria.
Kožljak | Castle history
It was most likely constructed in the close of the 12th century or beginning of the 13th, by Havel of Markvartice. First major reconstruction was conducted in 16th century which gave a renaissance appearance to the castle, second one took place in the baroque period in the 17th century.
Lemberk Castle | History
Bítov Castle (, ) is a castle on a steep promotory towering above the meandering River Želetavka, near the Vranov reservoir, in the village of Bítov, some northwest of Znojmo, Czech Republic. Built in the 11th century, Bítov is one of the oldest and largest Moravian castles. A Přemyslid fortified settlement originally stood on the site and included the Chapel of Our Lady ("Kostelík Panny Marie"). The fort was rebuilt in the first half of the 13th century as an impregnable Gothic castle guarding the southern boundaries of the Přemyslid lands. In the 14th century a new inner ward was built along with Late Gothic fortifications.
Bítov Castle | Introduction
Vila Ravijojla collected medicinal herbs from the Miroč mountain and treated his wounds. Koroglaš Monastery was built on the location in the 14th century. The mountain is known for its quality honey. The surrounding area is rich in animal life, especially deer and wild boar, and there are protected hunting, like Vratna and Ploče.
Miroč | Introduction
Bouzov Castle () is an early 14th-century fortress which was first mentioned in 1317. It was built on a hill between the village of Hvozdek and the town of Bouzov, west of Litovel and northwest of Olomouc, in Moravia, Czech Republic. The castle has been used in a number of film productions lately, including "Arabela", "Fantaghirò", and "Before the Fall".
Bouzov Castle | Introduction
The symbol of the town is the Vršac Castle (Vršačka kula), which dates back to the mid 15th century. It stands at the top of the hill (399m) overlooking Vršac. There are two theories about origin of this fortress. According to the Turkish traveler, Evliya Çelebi, the fortress was built by the Serbian despot Đurađ Branković. The historians consider that Branković built the fortress after the fall of Smederevo in 1439. The fortress in its construction had some architectural elements similar to those in the fortress of Smederevo or in the fortress around monastery Manasija. The other theory claim that Vršac Castle is a remain of the medieval fortress known as "Erdesumulu" (Hungarian: "Érdsomlyó" or "Érsomlyó", Serbian: "Erd-Šomljo" / Ерд-Шомљо or "Šomljo" / Шомљо).
Vršac | Vršac Castle
Residential complex - contains a castle, outbuilding, arcaded house and a park. Not existing today wooden mansion, probably built where originally a hunting mansion of dukes of Mazovia stood. It was demolished in the early 20th century. Castle - situated on a hill in a landscaped park. The construction of the castle started in 1828 ordered by Wincenty Krasiński (owner of a castle from 1811). It was probably designed by a Henryk Marconi. The building was finished in 1843. The castle was offered as a gift from Wincenty to his son Zygmunt, on his marriage with Eliza Branicka. Before 1843 the castle was extended from the north with two big chambers.
Opinogóra Górna | History
In the 2010s, the remains of a monumental 14th-century church in the Dvorine locality were discovered.
Aranđelovac | Middle Ages
Not a lot is known about the initial construction of Ligęza's fortress (castle). No information about the architect nor scripture of the fortress has been preserved. Most of the information gathered about the complex is of the stock-taking done by Zygmund Hendel in 1897. The main building of the complex was fortificated with walls, it had several levels and a double-courtyard located in the northern part of the complex. The complex's floor plan was similar to that of a square. Close by to the complex there was a number of warehouses - whose function remains uncertain. The whole complex and warehouses were surrounded by a thick defensive wall - whose thickness passed 1,5 metres.
Rzeszów Castle | First defensive fortress
It is not clear when and who built the castle. Archeological discoveries on the place revealed large amount of ceramic fragments, dating from the beginning of the 2nd millennium B.C. to the late medieval times. The large tower of the castle was built in the early medieval period. The large size of the castle presumes that it belonged to a rich prince, probably of Panaskerteli family, who settled in the castle in the 15th century.
Samtsevrisi Castle | History
The first castle was built in the 12th century, it is likely that it was an earthwork and timber castle and was destroyed during the Mongol invasion (1241–1242.) The castle that stands today was probably built by King Béla IV, who, after the Mongols left the country, ordered a castle to be built on every hilltop. In the earliest times the castle was an oval structure with a rounded donjon, surrounded by a polygonal outer wall. In 1316 it was mentioned as "new castle", which confirms the theory that it was built in place of a destroyed castle. Judging from a document listing the taxes paid by towns in 1330 it seems the town around the castle was one of the richest towns of the county.
Castle of Diósgyőr | History
On a hill above the settlement, remains of a fortification ditch indicate the location of a medieval castle. Locals refer to the area as "Stari grad" ('old castle') and it is likely all that is left of Kostrivnica Castle, mentioned in documents dating to the 13th century.
Gabrovec pri Kostrivnici | Kostrivnica Castle
Village of Javorník was first mentioned in a written document from 1290, however it was probably established before 1260. The medieval fortress, which would later become castle Jánský Vrch was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th century and was first mentioned in 1307. It belonged to the principality of Neisse-Grottkau, which was under the rule of the prince-bishops of Breslau. From 1428 to 1432, during the Hussite Wars, Javorník and its fort were under siege by the Hussites. They left the village and the fortress in ruins, and it was not until the early 16th century when Jan Thurzo, Prince-Bishop of Breslau, built the Jánský Vrch Castle on the remains of the old stronghold of Jauernig.
Javorník (Jeseník District) | Early history
The first castle, built before 1600, collapsed. After the Battle of White Mountain during the Thirty Years' War, the remains of the castle were confiscated and by 1630 granted to the Metternich family. From 1682 to 1691, Count Philipp Emmerich von Metternich turned the decayed ruins into a Baroque residence. From 1821 to 1836, the Austrian Chancellor Klemens Wenzel von Metternich remodeled the building in the neoclassical style with the help of architect Pietro Nobile. The castle was confiscated from the Metternich family in 1945 by the Czechoslovak government. The castle has a library that includes over 200 examples of incunabula, medieval manuscripts, valuable prints, scientific books, and scientific encyclopedias.
Kynžvart Castle | History
Researchers do not agree on the dating of the first phase, theories ranging from an early medieval, royal "Salhof", dating to before 980, to a mid-12th century castle complex. Examination of an alder post from the foundation of the southeast tower, which is considered to be the oldest part of the castle, showed that the tower could not have been built before 1044 and not after 1216. The end of the 12th century (1186-1190) was the final period of construction for the second castle.
Brömserburg | Construction
To the west of the main building, is the newly reconstructed Hillebrandt building which dates from 1762 and was destroyed by the 1811 fire. The Yard of Honor is the space directly before the castle entrance dates from the late 18th century. Inside the Sigismund Gate and below the Court of Honor, is the Leopold Yard with bastions, constructed in the 17th century. To the east of the castle building the constellation of the Great Moravian basilica (9th century), the Church of St Savior (11th century) and other Early medieval objects is indicated on the ground. The true archaeological findings are directly below this indicated constellation.
Bratislava Castle | Other buildings
In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1567.
Nižný Mirošov | History
In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1568.
Hrabová Roztoka | History
In 1523–1530, under the guidance of renowned royal builder Benedikt Ried of Piesting (or Benedikt Rejt of Pístov), a new palace in a mixed Gothic-Renaissance style was appended (it is named after Rejt these days). In the second half of the 17th century, the castle was owned by the house of Šternberkové for a short time until it was bought by the Polish house of Rozdražovští of Rozdražov in 1579 who had a new Renaissance palace built. During their rule, the castle and town were looted. The Baroque period is marked by the Hungarian house of Serényi who had the castle rebuilt (namely after the big fire in 1763) and also erected many statues in the town and its surroundings.
Blatná | The castle
In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1567.
Vyšný Mirošov | History
Jánský Vrch () is a castle located in the Jeseník District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. The castle stands on a hill above the town of Javorník in the north-western edge of Czech Silesia, in area what was a part of the Duchy of Nysa. For most of its history the castle belonged to the Prince-bishops of Breslau (Wrocław) in Silesia.
Jánský Vrch | Introduction
Branik Castle (, ), also known as Rihemberk Castle ("Grad Rihemberk", ), is a 13th-century castle above the village of Branik, near the city of Nova Gorica in southwestern Slovenia.
Branik Castle | Introduction
The area where the castle stands was inhabited by people two thousand years ago, but it was not until the 14th century when the Bohemian and German king Wenceslaus IV decided to build his residence there. The castle Točník was built after the large fire in the castle Žebrák, which showed how unsafe it was for the king and how its position was not strategic. The castle was built on a three-part ground plan. Behind the defensive wall is a massive moat with a bridge, which was originally protected by a gate tower. The most important building, situated in the residential section on the L-shaped ground plan, is the Royal Palace with its side wing.
Točník Castle | History
In 1491 it was bought by Vilém of Pernštejn ("Vilém z Pernštejna"), who ordered the castle rebuilt in the late Gothic style, with two towers and a moat. The construction was continued by Vilém's sons in the early Renaissance style. During the Thirty Years' War, in the early 17th century, the castle was besieged several times; at the end of the war Swedish troops burned it to the ground. The castle remained a ruin until the early 20th century, when the Pardubice Museum Society was formed. The group purchased the site in 1919 and began reconstruction in 1923, according to the plans of architect Dušan Jurkovič.
Kunětice Mountain Castle | History
The Palace was damaged in both World Wars. After World War I the Palace was repaired, while the first important restoration was done around 1930. The complex, and the royal garden, were entered through monumental, decorative stone arches with gates. In 1919 and 1920, meetings of the Provisional National Assembly took place there. Royal festivities and receptions of foreign guests took place there until 1941. It remained the royal residence until 1922 (King Peter, 1903–21, King Alexander, 1921–22), until the neighboring Novi Dvor became royal palace in 1922. In order to construct the Novi Dvor, the Palace with the towers had to be demolished.
Stari dvor | World Wars and Interbellum
In the eastern part of the castle including entrance, guard towers, water storage and other spaces, it is impossible to discern the purpose of their construction, owing to high rate of their destruction. Due to existence of the remnants of tower and rampart in the middle of the section with the first part, it is likely that this part was the second defensive phase of the castle, so that the defensive layers of the main part of the castle, i.e. Kohandej, is more completed. There is a brick tower with cruciform or lozenge design decorations in the northeast corner of this part which is known as penthouse tower among the people of the village.
Furg Citadel | Situation and structure
Fantast Castle (/), also known as Dunđerski Palace (Serbian: Дворац Дунђерски"/Dvorac Dunđerski"), is a Serbian castle built by Bogdan Dunđerski from 1919 onwards. Dundjerski family originally came from Herzegovina to Vojvodina (Serbia) in the late nineteenth century and at one point he owned 1500 hectares of land. The castle became one of the most famous castles in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It was heavily bombed in 1945, and subsequently seized by the government of SFR Yugoslavia, who proclaimed it as state wealth. Most of the original furnishings were removed, and today only 65 hectares of the surrounding land remain part of the castle's grounds.
Fantast | Introduction
The castle is first mentioned in written sources in 1307, when it was still the property of the Princes of Świdnica. In 1348, Bolko II of Świdnica sold it to the Prince-bishop Preczlaus of Pogarell (1341–1376), and since that time, the castle belonged to Breslau bishops. During the 15th century, the castle was considerably damaged by the Hussites and therefore large-scale repairs were needed. The rebuilding of the castle took place under the rule of Bishop Jan IV Roth, at the end of the 15th century, and it was completed in 1509 by his successor – Prince-bishop John V Thurzó (1506–1520).
Jánský Vrch | History
Kolovrat Castle (sometimes also "Spodnji Kolovrat", ) is a castle built on a small hill southeast of the settlement (). It was first mentioned in written documents dating to 1256. It was badly damaged in the 1895 earthquake. After 1945 part of the castle was restored.
Kolovrat, Zagorje ob Savi | Kolovrat Castle
The old centre is built on a hill (384 m) under the ruins of Višnja Gora Castle (), generally known as Old Castle (), once home of . A second castle, Turn Castle (), stood west of the town center. It was also later known as the Codelli Manor () and was burned by the Partisans in October 1943.
Višnja Gora | Castles
Most of the current structure of the castle dates to the early 17th century, when a two-story building with a central courtyard and two southern towers was built. It was adapted again in the late 18th century to the Baroque style, but retains its original features. After 1945 it was looted and fell into a state of disrepair, although the imposing building on a hill above the settlement is still a prominent landmark.
Podčetrtek | Castle