Chapel in Houska Castle, Gothic chapel inside Houska Castle, Blatce, Czech Republic

The Chapel in Houska Castle is a Gothic sanctuary within the castle complex in Blatce, featuring fading frescoes of medieval subjects. The structure displays architectural elements characteristic of early Gothic construction from the 13th century as practiced in Bohemia.

The chapel was probably built in the 1270s, when the castle itself was likely completed; Houska was founded between 1270 and 1305 and first appears in writing in 1291. In the 16th century the Hrzán family converted the castle into a Renaissance chateau and divided the chapel into two floors with a wooden ceiling, painting over the original frescoes. The frescoes were rediscovered in 1928 during reconstruction under Karel Fiala.

The chapel's wall paintings were uncovered in 1928 and dated by A. Bartušek's team to around 1330, which would make them among the oldest in Central Europe. Besides the Crucifixion and scenes from the Virgin Mary's life, the presbytery shows Archangel Michael fighting a dragon, and a centaur is painted on the spiral staircase.

The chapel is open to visitors during regular castle hours, with guided tours available in multiple languages through advance booking. It is helpful to wear comfortable shoes since accessing the chapel involves walking through the castle and navigating uneven indoor floors.

The chapel's medieval frescoes, uncovered in 1928, include an unusual image of a centaur on the spiral staircase in the northwest corner, alongside Archangel Michael fighting a dragon. A. Bartušek's team dated the paintings to around 1330, making them among the oldest in Central Europe.