Castle Ruins Valečov
In the western part of the Bohemian Paradise you cannot miss the ruins of the Valečov castle. It rises on sandstones near the village of Boseň and its silhouette invites you to visit this remarkable place. It is one of the few castles in the Bohemian Paradise that has a Czech name, German names predominate. Valečov Castle is part of the Golden Trail of the Bohemian Paradise, a route that connects the most famous and most beautiful places of the Bohemian Paradise from Mladá Boleslav to Jičín.
Information for visitors
Interesting facts Castle Ruins Valečov
Valečov is a rock castle
When you look at Valečov and its location, it occurs to you that the founders of the castle took advantage of what nature offered them. Due to their layout, the sandstone rocks created a suitable place, which was directly destined for the construction of the castle. Valečov is the largest Czech rock castle and is very rugged. Rock spaces and cracks were also used in its construction. The castle consisted of a castle core, two fortifications and a fortified part with rock flats and auxiliary spaces, kitchens, storerooms and cellars. The rock and brick buildings are combined.
The castle was founded by the local nobility
The exact date of the castle's origin is unknown. It was probably founded by the local nobility, the Lords of Valečov, as a combination of a wooden castle and rock rooms. The castle was burned down in the 15th century. During the reign of George of Poděbrady, the lords of Valečov rebuilt the castle, including the appropriate fortifications. They built a castle grounds and added outbuildings. The castle also served as a wintering ground for the army. After the extinction of the family of lords from Valečov, the owners changed at the castle. The Battle of White Mountain closed the history of the castle as a manor house. The castle was confiscated and began to decay. Completely abandoned in the 18th century, the rock room was inhabited by the poor.
Devil's footsteps near the ruins of the castle
Around the ruins of the castle there are interesting rocks that shape the imagination of visitors. On one rock you can see a strange footprint like from a hoof. One of the castle legends is related to this imprint. The people in the castle at that time treated each other in such a way that even hell was angry. A devil was sent to walk around the region and scare and correct people. The devil met two carts with carriages near Valečov Castle. The carts argued over which of them would pass first through the narrow gap between the rocks, and they couldn't agree, none of them wanted to back down. The devil was upset by their behavior and decided to punish them. He stamped his hoof on the rock, which began to crumble, and the carriages hurriedly helped each other and drove away. However, the imprint of the devil's hoof has remained on the rock to this day.
Author: Helena Syslová