Rock castle Sloup, Medieval rock castle in Nový Bor, Czech Republic

Rock castle Sloup is a fortification carved into sandstone near Nový Bor, where the carved structures blend seamlessly with the natural rock formation. The site contains hollowed chambers, connecting passages, and multiple levels that together create a functional settlement integrated into the stone.

The castle was probably built in the early 14th century by the Ronovci family; its first documented owner was Čeněk z Lipé, and after 1330 it belonged to the Berkové z Dubé. In 1427 the robber knight Mikeš Pancíř ze Smojna settled here and raided Lusatia; a Lusatian army besieged the castle in 1444 and 1445, starving the defenders and burning it. It was destroyed by Swedish troops under General Johan Banér in 1639 and never rebuilt.

The rock was renamed Einsiedlerstein (Hermit's Stone) after six hermits lived here between 1679 and 1785. Films used the site: in S čerty nejsou žerty (1984), the two-armed Baroque stairway in the rock crevice played the gate to hell.

Visitors walk through carved passages, chambers, and wells on guided routes that involve some climbing over uneven surfaces and navigating tight spaces. The viewing platforms at different heights reward the effort with views across the surrounding landscape.

The sundial on the rock was painted by the hermit Václav Rincholín, brother of the builder Konstantin. On the walkway stands a statue of the glass-lens grinder Samuel Görner holding a telescope; it is the second replica, the wooden original having been shot up by Prussians in 1866.