Castle Skála, Castle ruin in Zálesí, Czech Republic

Castle Skála is a ruin in Zálesí whose grounds measure 200 by 400 metres. Its western, higher part, the upper castle, was reached by a bridge over a ditch leading to a tower gate; the lower castle lies to the north-east.

First documented in 1318, the castle was held by Vilém of Rýzmberk, founder of the Švihov family line. Its garrison backed Sigismund of Luxembourg against Wenceslaus IV, so royal troops besieged it repeatedly; the 1399 siege is the first recorded use of a firearm in Bohemia. In 1441 Hynek Krušina of Švamberk and Hanuš of Kolovrat stormed and burned it, and by 1548 it was sold as deserted.

The castle gave its name to the lords 'of Skála', a branch of the Švihov family, and its chapel is documented in 1413 through a chaplain named Mikuláš. Since 1963 the ruins have been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

The site sits on elevated terrain and is most accessible during dry weather, as the paths can be uneven and muddy. Sturdy footwear is recommended to navigate the rocky ground safely.

The castle area measures 200 by 400 metres, and in its north-eastern part lie a system of ditches and ramparts of unclear age; Milan Novobilský and Petr Rožmberský interpret them as a bailey with economic facilities and space for an army camp.