Buštěhrad, Medieval castle ruins in Buštěhrad, Czech Republic

Buštěhrad is a castle ruin partly absorbed by later buildings in the town of the same name. Its layout is unclear due to the built-up surroundings, but a moat survives on the west and south sides, and a bastion with the western gate and a polygonal tower with loopholes still stands. The original fortress, the so-called Old Palace, stood where houses no. 24 and 25 now are.

A fortress was built in the second half of the 14th century by the Braškov yeomen and the Rokycany family of Prague burghers. In 1450 it withstood a siege by the troops of Jiří z Poděbrad, and it was later rebuilt in late Gothic style. In 1632, during the Saxon army's retreat from Prague, the castle was burned and never repaired.

The castle gave its name to the town that grew around it; the name Buštěhrad is linked to the noble Bušek family. The abandoned ruin was later partly built over, so its walls survive inside houses on Hradní and Starý hrad streets, where visitors can still trace the old masonry.

The ruin is partly absorbed by later houses in the town, so look for the remains in the streets Hradní and Starý hrad. A moat is still visible on the west and south sides, and a bastion with the western gate survives; the terrain is uneven.

Residents built homes within the castle walls during the 17th century, creating a residential quarter called Starý Hrad that mixed defensive structures with everyday living spaces. This integration of medieval fortifications and domestic architecture remains visible in the ruins today.