Houska Castle, Gothic and Renaissance castle in Blatce, Czech Republic
Houska Castle is a château in Houska village in Mělník District, Czech Republic. Thick stone walls surround the structure on a wooded hill, with narrow windows and Renaissance elements added to the Gothic core.
King Ottokar II of Bohemia ordered construction between 1253 and 1278 to manage royal estates in northern Bohemia. Later renovations added Renaissance architecture to the original Gothic design.
The chapel holds medieval wall paintings showing biblical scenes and saints. The green chamber displays Gothic decoration with patterns and figures from the building's early period.
Visits take place from April through October, with guided tours providing access to interior rooms. Parking is available near the entrance at the edge of the forest.
No external defenses or natural water source were provided, so an underground cistern collecting rainwater was the only supply. This unusual design sets the structure apart from other fortresses of the period.
Location: Houska
Inception: 13 century
Architectural style: Renaissance architecture
Address: Houska 1, 47201 Blatce
Website: https://hradhouska.cz
GPS coordinates: 50.49100,14.62421
Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:41
Medieval castles and fortresses span Europe, documenting defense systems and princely seats from the 9th through 16th centuries. These sites include mountaintop strongholds such as Montségur in the Pyrenees, island fortifications like Trakai in Lithuania, and coastal defenses such as Kronborg in...
Chapel in Houska Castle
16 m
Černý důl
777 m
Luňákova kaple
649 m
Housecká vrchovina
1 km
Statue of Saint Ludmila in Houska
80 m
Usedlost čp. 20
1.6 km
Remains of the church in Houska
162 m
Usedlost čp. 22
1.7 km
Usedlost čp. 35
1 km
Usedlost čp. 25
715 m
Usedlost čp. 25
1.3 km
Usedlost čp. 4
1.6 km
Usedlost čp. 10
1.6 km
Usedlost čp. 23
1.7 km
Socha svatého Jana Nepomuckého u parkoviště hradu v Horní Housce
577 m
Usedlost čp. 3
1.7 km
Usedlost čp. 14
87 m
Usedlost čp. 2
1.7 km
Usedlost čp. 9
1.7 km
Lípy na rozcestí u Housky
641 m
Usedlost čp. 1
1.7 km
Kaplička svatého Antonína
1.7 km
Pomník padlým v první světové válce u silnice v Konrádově
1.7 km
Myslivna
1.4 km
Český kříž
929 m
Usedlost č.e. 20, Houska
320 m
Houska 57
444 m
Pamětní kříž u parkoviště hradu v Horní Housce
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