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Maidenburg

The ruins of Dívčí hrady belong inseparably to the silhouette of Pálava, a limestone ridge and at the same time a protected landscape area in the south of Moravia. Take a look at these interesting remains of the Gothic castle and let yourself be enchanted by the beautiful view of the surroundings.

Information for visitors

Adress: , Dolní Vestonice
GPS: 48.87583030, 16.66191140
Maidenburg map

Interesting facts Maidenburg

Girls' castles, also called Děvičky or Maidenburg, rise on the northern edge of the Děvín ridge, which is the highest peak of the Pavlovské vrchy. The rock on which it stands rises to a height of 428 m.n.m. and she and the remains of the castle are visible from a distance. The girls are inaccessible from three sides, which was probably the biggest advantage for them, perhaps thanks to which it was never necessary to build a watchtower and only unusually high and strong walls were used for defense. The castle was named after three rock formations that stand in the rock directly in front of it and, according to legend, represent fossilized girls.

The first mention of the castle, then still probably made of wood, comes from 1222, when it was a royal castle in royal possession. Then there is no mention of it for some time, so it was probably destroyed and then rebuilt at the end of the 13th century. In the middle of the 14th century, it was rebuilt into a brick Gothic castle. In 1344, King John gave the castle of Luxembourg to the Liechtensteins, who owned it until 1572, when it was bought by the Dietrichsteins. During the 16th century, the fortifications of the castle were strengthened and living spaces were modified. The destruction for the castle was the conquest by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War. They looted and set him on fire as they left. The Dietrichsteins made only the most necessary repairs so that the castle could serve as a guard fortress and then as a fire station. At the beginning of the 19th century, the castle was definitely abandoned and has since fallen into disrepair.

The ruins are freely accessible all year round along marked hiking trails. To this day, the perimeter walls, some interior walls, a Renaissance bastion with loopholes and a fortification have been preserved. From the walls there is a beautiful view of the Novomlýnské reservoirs and the villages of Pavlov and Dolní Věstonice.

Author: Martina Limbergová