Radyně Castle, Gothic castle ruin on Radyně hill, Starý Plzenec, Czech Republic
Radyně Castle is a Gothic ruin on a hilltop near Starý Plzenec in the Czech Republic, made up of two rectangular towers once connected by residential sections. The walls still stand to a considerable height, making the original layout easy to read.
Emperor Charles IV had the castle built in 1353 under the name Karlskrone to control the trade route between Nuremberg and Prague. It lost its strategic value around 1361 and was abandoned shortly after, before it ever served a major defensive role.
Inside the surviving tower, a small exhibition presents stories from the region and shows how life was organized in this part of Bohemia over the centuries. The displays are straightforward and easy to follow, even for visitors with little background in local history.
Reaching the top of the tower involves a long staircase, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before you start. The path up to the ruin is well marked and passes through wooded terrain that can get slippery when wet.
The image of the ruin appears on the stage curtain of Pilsen Theater, painted by Augustin Němejc between 1899 and 1902. This made the castle one of the most recognized visual symbols of the region long before tourism played any role here.
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