Pernštejn Castle, Gothic castle in South Moravian Region, Czech Republic
Pernštejn Castle is a Gothic stone castle on a rocky spur above the Nedvědička river, with a round five-storey Barborka tower projecting over the buildings. Its core is surrounded by lower courtyards, gates and a square tower with a red pyramidal roof, linked by a wooden bridge. The walls show pale patches of weathered plaster and local marble frames the doors and windows.
The Lords of Medlov founded Pernštejn between 1270 and 1285; the name derives from the German Bärenstein, "Bear Rock". In 1596 Jan V of Pernštejn sold the castle, ending the family's tenure. After 1818 the Mitrovský family lacked funds for a romanticising rebuild, so the Gothic-Renaissance form survived.
The castle earned its local reputation as the marble castle of Moravia due to its distinctive stone doorways and windows. People in the region see it as a symbol of medieval power and fortitude in the landscape.
The castle welcomes visitors from April through October, with extended hours during summer months when foot traffic is heaviest. Guided tours in multiple languages are available to help explore the different levels and corridors throughout the property.
The castle's name likely derives from the German Bärenstein, "Bear Rock", echoing the Nedvědička stream below, whose Czech name means "bear stream". The round Barborka Tower, named after St Barbara, patron saint of miners, still rises above the later buildings that encased it.
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