About Bezděz Castle
Bezděz Castle is located in the Czech Republic, in Česká Lípa district. The castle stands on a hill with the same name Bezděz. The dominating silhouette of the two towers creates one of the region´s unique views.
The castle was founded by the King Přemysl Otakar II in 1264. The building was finished in 1279. The same year, the Crown Prince Václav II and his mother Kunhuta were held prisoners here. In 1300-1348, the castle belonged to the Berk of Dubá clan. Afterwards, the King Charles IV bought Bezděz and had some changes in the surrounding areas made – for example, the Gread Pond (now it is called Máchovo jezero, a famous vacation spot). In his scripture called Majestas Carolina, Charles IV banned selling the castle, but this ban was broken by his son Václav IV. During the Hussite wars, the castle belonged to Jan of Michalovice, a devoted Catholic who supported the King Sigismund. Bezděz became the refuge place for local Catholics - it was a wise decision as the Hussites did not even attempt to conquer it. However, Bezděz was conquered in 1620´s, when the King Maxmillian of Bavaria´s troops attacked and burned down the castle. In 1620, Albrecht of Valdstejn made some attempts to repair the damage, but he gave up six years later and the castle was left to dilapidate. For a short period of time it became a monastery, but eventually it remained abandoned. Now, it is a ruin. It had its moment of glory in 19th Century when Czechia was a part of Austria-Hungary Empire. Many Czech patriots, artists and politicians tried to make Czechia a proud and independent country. Bezděz Castle became a symbol of patriotism and the Czech landscape. Its silhouette appeared in paintings, and several books inspired by this area were written. The Valdštejns sold the castle to the Czech Tourism Club, today it belongs to the Czech Heritage Institute.
The castle was built as an early Gothic fortress and the king´s representative seat. It is divided into two parts and it is surrounded by double outer fortifications. The entry road was watched from the castle´s curtain wall and from the round tower, called the Devil´s Tower. The inner castle was wider in the bottom part and narrow in the upper part. There is a round bergfrit on the highest spot of the castle. The entry road was not the same as it is today – there was a gate in the head of the courtyard. All four palace buildings were built in a similar style – a rectangular chamber with arched ceiling, a small side room with a fireplace, and another small room built on its opposite side. All these chambers were built on the second floor. On the first floor, there were service rooms. All roofs were steep. The chambers were connected by covered parapet walks, which also lead into the chapel. The chapel is one of the most important Czech early Gothic religious objects, it was very sophisticated for the time it was built. The kings watched the service from their private balcony in the south-western part of the chapel. The arched windows are curved and make the illusion of leaning into the chapel, making a unique cross-shaped image.
Bezděz is one of the most famous Czech historical sites and the best preserved castle from the times of the king Přemysl Otakar II. Its location on a long and narrow site forced to build the castle in a unique shape, with long and narrow chambers. There was no representative royal palace. The defense walls following the road show obvious attempts to keep enemies far from the castle as long as possible. There used to be another fortification system on the opposite hill, but there are no remains of it left.
You can visit Bezděz Castle during its opening times and explore it on your own or take a guided tour.
Texts: Simona Čechalová
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