Templštejn, Medieval castle ruin in Jamolice, Czech Republic

Templštejn is a medieval castle ruin perched on a wooded hilltop that rises about 100 meters (330 feet) above the Jihlava River within the Střední Pojihlaví nature reserve. The stone fortification consists of several preserved wall sections and towers scattered across the forested elevation.

The Templars founded the castle between 1281 and 1298 as the seat of their commandery, first documented on 16 July 1298. After the order was dissolved in 1312, Berthold Pirkner bought it in 1318; the lords of Leipa rebuilt the palace from 1410. A fire in the first half of the 16th century left it deserted, and stones bearing 1552 mark an abandoned rebuild.

The castle was built on the model of English castles, and the core from the 13th century was enclosed by a massive mantle wall with a circular ground plan, reinforced at its tip facing the access path by a large pillar. Visitors can still see the ruins of the palace, parts of the mantle wall, the castle gate, the well, and remains of the Gothic castle chapel and the ditches.

The ruins are accessible via marked hiking trails from the village of Jamolice, with parking facilities available at the base of the forested hill. The climb to the site requires proper hiking shoes and takes roughly thirty minutes from the parking area.

The castle was never taken by force; charred beams and metal finds show it burned in the first half of the 16th century. Stones bearing the year 1552 mark an abandoned rebuild by the lords of Leipa. A wooden staircase built in 2014 now gives a view over the Jihlava valley.