Kokořín Castle

Not far from the present-day Kokořín, a medieval fortress used to be partly carved into the rock. It was built by John of Luxembourg and the first mentions of it appear in 1320, when Hynek Berka of Dubá was the owner of the fortress. In the middle of the 14th century, he had a castle built on a promontory of sandstone rock above the Kokořín mine. In 1426 it was conquered and destroyed by Hussite troops. Kokořín changed owners, including Albrecht of Wallenstein, but in the 16th century he ceased to meet the increased demands for housing and was also in poor condition. After the Thirty Years' War, he was not allowed to be repaired by order of Emperor Ferdinand, and so he was released. The robber knights, who were the fear of the whole area, also found refuge here. In the 19th century, the castle became a ruin, which inspired romantic artists such as Karel Hynek Mácha or Antonín Mánes. Thanks to the Czech Tourists' Club, the castle was opened to the public at the end of the 19th century. Kokořín did not experience its first major reconstruction in the neo-Gothic style until 1911, thanks to Václav Špaček. In 1950, the castle was nationalized and only in 2006 did it return to the hands of the heirs of the Špaček family.

In the castle palace, which was raised by one floor and roofed during the reconstruction, there is a memorial of Karel Hynek Mácha and an exhibition of Czech romantic art from the 19th century. The palace has a sculpture by Josef Kalvoda. The castle is dominated by a cylindrical lookout tower, which is 38 meters high.

According to legend, a wild hunter on a black horse leaves the castle every evening, accompanied by dachshunds with fiery tongues. Its goal is the original fortress, two kilometers away. Whoever meets him on his journey is generously gifted. On the way back, a "white figure" shines on him, who walks around the gallery of the castle tower and illuminates the whole tower with one flame.

Author: Marie Bukovinská