Štěpanice Castle, Medieval castle ruins in Dolní Štěpanice, Czech Republic

Štěpanice Castle is a ruined fortification in northern Bohemia built from local stone with walls and foundations still visible among the surrounding hills. The layout of the original structures can be traced through the remaining fragments scattered across the site.

Construction began in the 13th century when the House of Waldstein established this fortification in the region. The castle was abandoned during the 16th century as political shifts led to the decline of many such strongholds.

The name Štěpanice comes from the lords of Valdštejn, who founded the castle and held it until it was abandoned. The Harrach family owned the ruin from after 1620 until the 1945 confiscation. A 20 cm wide arrow slit in the surviving tower was reconstructed from a drawing by Vojtěch Brechler.

No marked trail leads to the ruins; a forest path reaches them from both Horní and Dolní Štěpanice. The remains are freely accessible, but the terrain is uneven, with two moats and a rampart to cross.

The ruins occupy a natural rocky ridge that offers sweeping views across the surrounding landscape to anyone who reaches the summit. The builders relied entirely on stone quarried locally, making the structure an integral part of its natural setting.