Home to Kings and Prisoners

Everyone has an idea of what a castle is like: a huge stone edifice, preferably on a hill, built centuries ago by a king or nobleman. Some people find castles enchanting and romantic, others see them as monuments of power. Castles abound in Czechia: hundreds have been preserved and most of these are open to the public, regardless of whether they’re now in private hands or owned by the State. Castles are a testament to the tastes and needs of their owners over the ages, and to the craftsmanship of those who built them. In each of our issues this year, Soffa will be bringing you impressive reminders of Czechia’s rich history. By way of texts and beautiful photos, these offer a glimpse of the country’s glorious past. This new Once Upon a Time section opens with Loket, one of our oldest stone castles.

“Loket is a castle positioned so beautifully that it defies description. It can be admired from all sides, like a work of art in the open air,” wrote Johann Wolfgang Goethe in July 1807. More than two centuries later, the castle still towers majestically over the surrounding woodland and is just as worthy of admiration. Here we explore the setting in which Emperor Charles IV used to ride his horse, and where the world’s oldest known meteorite once landed.

The river Ohře runs through the geologically diverse landscape along the northwestern border of Czechia. On its way, it meanders around a granite rock formation on top of which sits Loket Castle, overlooking a tiny town of the same name. The castle allegedly refers to the bend in the river, so sharp it resembles an elbow (loket). Its foundations date back to the 12th century, when the first Romanesque structures were built. The 26-metre-high tower that dominates the castle, along with a small rotunda in its northern section, are partially preserved to this day. Loket was built as a royal castle and served the strategic purpose of protecting the King’s interests against those of his greedy neighbours. This earned it the proud nickname of Key to the Kingdom of Bohemia. Czech kings successfully utilised the castle as a military outpost, continually reconstructing and expanding it over time. A small settlement was established below the structure that – thanks to the privileges afforded a King – slowly grew into a respectable town and served as a stop along numerous trade routes.

For one of the most renowned Czech monarchs, Emperor Charles IV, however, Loket Castle held some very unpleasant memories. As a three-year-old boy, his father, King John of Bohemia, had him imprisoned in the vaults. Despite this, though, Charles IV frequently returned to Loket as an adult. In fact, it was during one of his hunting trips in the surrounding forest that his retinue happened upon the hot springs that would later give rise to the famous spa town of Karlovy Vary.

At the end of the Hussite Wars, King Sigismund pledged Loket to his chancellor, Kašpar Šlik, and as a result the castle remained in the hands of the Šlik family until 1547. Then, in 1562, King Ferdinand I leased the castle for 30,000 thalers to the town of Loket for 30 years. And in the late 16th century, the town bought it from Emperor Rudolf II for nearly three million groschen. As soon as the castle became the town’s property, it was used to house the court, stables, granaries, and mill house. Unfortunately, the Thirty Years’ War and many subsequent military conflicts brought the castle into disrepair. In the late 18th century, it was decided to rebuild it as a prison. After numerous interruptions and financial difficulties, the works were finally completed in 1822. In the process, the castle lost most of its decorative architectural elements and the interior was divided into prison cells, including dank underground dungeons. The prison closed down in 1949, but the castle still retains much of the dreary atmosphere of that period.

Loket Castle: ‘a work of art in the open air’, covered in a light sprinkling of January snow. This is one of the few Czech castles open to visitors all year round. Take advantage and visit before tourist season: you will be able to enjoy its poetic atmosphere without having to queue to enter. The castle walls feature fine Gothic murals.

Loket Castle stopped being used as a prison in 1949 and opened its doors to the public. From the 1970s until 1992 it had to close down due to being in considerable disrepair. Renovations began once the castle was returned to the town of Loket, and are still going on. Some of the internal halls now feature wooden ceilings with polychromic paintings, salvaged from various townhouses in the city of Most. These fit very well with the 19th -century painted chests and cabinets from the castle’s collection.

The town of Loket, situated in the bend of the Ohře River, has managed to retain much of its quaint ambience and remains a popular destination in northern Bohemia. Take a walk around the city walls, visit the exhibition on book binding at the local library, and have a coffee in the town square – in the same spot the poet Goethe once walked. A scenic route through the woods and beyond the river offers a beautiful vista of the town and the castle.

If you don’t feel up to viewing an unsettlingly chamber of mediaeval torture, visit instead the castle’s museum collections. This includes an exhibition on regional history, some rustic furniture, and the colourful targets used at the local Sharpshooters Club. There’s also a vast collection of antique porcelain, manufactured both in Loket and in other nearby factories. As well as all this, the exhibit includes a precious curiosity – a meteorite, or a part of one, dating back to 1422. No one knows for sure whether it fell into the castle’s courtyard or into the adjacent field. But as one of the oldest known meteorites in the world, it has captured the interest of numerous scientists. For a while, the huge, heavy stone was hidden at the bottom of the well, to protect it against invading Swedish troops. In the 19th century, when scientific research was blossoming, the stone was cut into smaller pieces. These pieces now grace museum collections all over the world. Which is such a pity, as Goethe said, having often visited Loket. According to folktales, the stone is not a meteorite at all but rather the result of the nobleman of the castle, Gerhard von Wüstenfels, being turned into stone as punishment for his cruel treatment of the local peasants.

If you are interested in yet more colourful tales, set out for northwestern Bohemia and visit this curious castle perched on a rocky crag looming over the countryside. The trip to Loket and its surroundings is well worth it.

text: Helena Stiessová

photos: Lina Németh