Stohánek, Rock castle ruin in Ralsko, Czech Republic

Stohánek is a rock castle ruin on a sandstone outcrop rising 23–25 metres above the hill, three kilometres southeast of Stráž pod Ralskem. No mortar or building stone survives, so the medieval structures were mainly of wood; cut into the rock are a rock crevice entrance with a door and bolt recess, a rectangular chamber later used as a chapel, and a cistern.

Beneš of Vartenberk founded the castle between 1427 and 1431 on land carved from the Děvín estate after his father's death. First mentioned in 1431, it was reattached to Děvín in 1440. Its destruction is linked, without documentary evidence, to the 1444 Lusatian Six Cities campaign; the last mention dates from 1453.

Soviet soldiers carved Cyrillic inscriptions into the rock during their stationing period, leaving visible marks from a later occupation era. These markings remain visible for visitors walking through the site.

Visitors reach the castle ruins by climbing a stone staircase carved into the rock, following the original medieval route up the sandstone formation. The ascent requires firm footing and caution on the historic steps.

The first hermit built a wooden cabin on the ruin and cut sixteen niches for Stations of the Cross images beside the staircase. In 1768 Johann Wenzel Steinfelder, known as Brother Jerome, took over; he left after five years, married in Svébořice in 1775 and died the same year.