Hradenín, Castle ruins in Hradenín, Czech Republic

Hradenín is a Gothic fortified residence on the border between a fortress and a castle, with a preserved five-story residential tower whose entrance is on the west side at first-floor level. The tower's best-executed room occupies the top floor, lit by large pointed windows. A polygonal artillery bastion stands by the tower gate, and a Renaissance stone bridge spans the moat carved into the rock.

The fortress was probably already standing in 1398, when Mikuláš Písek of Hradenín, a wealthy Kutná Hora burgher, took his name from it; the first explicit mention dates from 1437. In 1483 Mikuláš Dax of Hammerštejn had it rebuilt in late Gothic style, and around 1600 the Nečanští of Minice added a Renaissance palace by the gate. In 1663 it was attached to the Komorní Hrádek estate and converted for farm use.

The fortress was home to prosperous families who shaped the village's character for centuries. You can see how local nobility and wealthy citizens displayed their status through this fortified residence.

The site is located in a village and managed by the local museum, which carries out ongoing restoration work. Visitors should expect uneven terrain and partially unstable structures, so caution is needed when exploring.

The tower was struck by lightning in 1955 and became a ruin; the Renaissance palace was demolished after 1869 and the tower converted into a granary. In 2016 the restoration of the tower and its roof truss won the Patrimonium pro futuro award as deed of the year 2015.