Sovinec, Medieval castle in Jiříkov, Czech Republic.
Sovinec is a fortress built on a cone-shaped hill within the Nízký Jeseník mountains, featuring thick defensive walls and multiple courtyards. Gothic gateways and structures are arranged to overlook the landscape below.
The fortress was built between 1329 and 1332 by the Hrutovic family and changed hands many times over the centuries. It played a strategic role during the Hussite Wars in the region.
The rooms here display works by local artists and objects from different periods that tell stories of how people lived in the region. You can walk through spaces that still carry traces of daily life from centuries past.
The fortress is open daily from April through October with guided tours offered in multiple languages. Plan enough time to explore the different levels and courtyards at a comfortable pace.
During World War II, the fortress served as a prison holding French prisoners of war and members of anti-fascist resistance groups. This lesser-known chapter reveals a darker period in its history.
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