Velhartice Castle

The castle was founded at the turn of the 14th century as the family seat of the Lords of Budětice. It was during this period that the castle flourished the most. The complex consists of the Gothic buildings of the so-called Paradise Palace and the residential and defensive tower called Putna (Bucket), interconnected by a world-unique stone bridge.

The seat of Bušek of Velhartice was made famous also thanks to the Czech poet Jan Neruda, who described the friendship between this famous chamberlain and Emperor Charles in his poem Romance o Karlu IV. (The Romance of Charles IV). The valley of the Ostružná River also charmed the Czech actor Jan Werich, who was a keen angler. In 1938, he had a cottage built under the castle, designed by the artist Jiří Trnka. The famous Czech actor liked to spend his free time here. An educational trail with beautiful vistas of the medieval castle leads to Werich’s cottage from the town square, through the town conservation area and along the edge of the Borek nature reserve.

Today, the castle premises also include a castle brewery with interactive exhibitions and an open-air museum of folk architecture in the forecourt.