Rabí Castle, Castle ruin in Rabí, Czech Republic
Rabí Castle is a castle ruin sitting on a rocky hilltop beside the Otava River in the Czech Republic. The site displays remaining walls, towers, and fortification structures that reveal how the fortress was built and reinforced over the centuries.
The castle arose in the 13th century to guard trade routes and gold deposits in the region. It suffered heavy damage during two sieges by Hussite forces in the 15th century.
The castle reveals the architectural evolution from Romanesque to Gothic styles through its remaining walls, towers, and defensive structures.
The ruin stands on a hill directly above the town of Rabí, with the Otava looping around the south side of the castle hill. The outer fortification walls and the Gothic cellars are among the best-preserved parts, while the former economic buildings survive only in part. The site is managed by the National Heritage Institute, and a small museum occupies the renovated rooms.
During the second Hussite siege, in July 1421, Jan Žižka lost his remaining eye before Rabí. The castle was nevertheless taken, and the Hussites captured Menhart of Hradec; Jan Rabský had the castle repaired by 1427.
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