Aueršperk, Castle ruin in Dvořiště, Czech Republic

Aueršperk is a castle ruin perched on a rocky hilltop overlooking a bend in the Bystřice River. The site shows remnants of walls that once formed the defensive structure, with water surrounding it on three sides.

The castle probably arose in the second half of the 13th century, possibly under the Pernštejn family, and was first documented in 1325 when Jimram of Pernštejn used the epithet 'of Aueršperk'. Geruše, daughter of Jimram, held it from 1325 to 1335. A 1403 record calling it deserted is often misread; archaeology shows it was still used in the first quarter of the 15th century.

The name comes from the aurochs (German Auerochse), not from the Austrian Auersperg family; the Pernštejn lords bore the aurochs in their coat of arms and sometimes called themselves von Auersperg or von Ausperg after the castle. Older forms of the name are Auršperk, Ušperk and Aušperk.

The ruin lies on a wooded rocky spur in a bend of the Bystřice, one kilometre north-west of Dvořiště, and is reached on foot. The core is cut off by a dry ditch 13 m deep; the cylindrical tower stump and wall remnants stand in the centre, with the bailey in front of them.

The name Aueršperk derives from the German word for aurochs (Auer), not from the Austrian Auersperg noble family; the Pernštejn lords who held the castle used the aurochs in their coat of arms. The site is also called Aušperk, Ušperk or Auersperg in old records.