Rokštejn Castle, Gothic castle ruin near Panská Lhota, Czech Republic.
Rokštejn Castle is a stone ruin sitting on a rocky hilltop above the Brtnice River, featuring two distinct areas with polygonal towers and defensive walls. The structure reveals how the complex was originally laid out and which sections have survived time and decay.
The castle began in the final decades of the 13th century and underwent major rebuilding during Moravian Margrave Jan Jindrich's rule. It fell to siege in 1467, marking the end of its time as an active fortress.
The site preserves physical traces of medieval life in its stone structures and layouts that archaeologists continue to study. Visitors can observe where craftspeople once worked and where residents lived their daily lives, embedded in the remaining walls and ground patterns.
The site can be visited and researchers from Masaryk University regularly conduct excavations here. Ongoing renovation work since 2004 means some sections of the preserved walls may have limited access, so it is worth checking conditions before planning a visit.
The traces of the siege remain visible in the landscape today, showing where attackers once set up their positions. On the northern side of the complex, modern houses now stand where an outer defensive line once protected the fortress.
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