Turnov, Bohemian Paradise Founded around 1260 Gothic Castle
Valdštejn Castle is the oldest castle in Bohemian Paradise, founded around 1260 by Jaroslav of Hruštice from the Markvartici dynasty, ancestors of the Lords of Valdštejn. This picturesque castle complex on jagged sandstone rocks combines Gothic masonry, rock cellars, baroque art, and romantic modifications from the 19th century.
On 3DCesko you'll find a photorealistic 3D model of the castle's current state complemented by a 3D scan of a historical model by Petr Vodička. The model also includes 360° photographs from interiors and interesting places. Change the time period with the first icon at the top right or long press.
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The castle was built by one branch of the Markvartici dynasty between 1260 and 1280. The founder was likely Jaroslav of Hruštice, burgrave of the castle in Mladá Boleslav, or his son Zdeněk. Valdštejn became their ancestral seat, after which they and their descendants used the predicate Lords of Valdštejn - the Valdštejns.
The Valdštejns remained at the castle for 100 years. Notable figures include Zdeněk of Valdštejn, courtier of King John of Luxembourg, Hynek of Valdštejn, who participated in 1336 in the Czech king's military expedition to Lithuania, and Jan of Valdštejn, who lent 1,500 Prague groschen to Margrave Charles, later King Charles IV.
At the end of the 14th century, the seat was acquired by the Wartenberg dynasty, which also belonged to the Markvartici family. The Hussite commander Jan Žižka of Trocnov decided to settle his accounts with Jindřich of Wartenberg, and in spring 1424 he marched with his army to Turnov, conquered it, destroyed the local monastery, and also captured Valdštejn.
In 1438-1439, the castle was seized by bands of robbers, so in 1440 it was conquered by the provincial militia. Around 1550, the castle burned down and lay in ruins for a long time. At the end of the 17th century, hermit Václav Holan Rovenský settled in the ruins and various pilgrims began to visit.
The owners, the Valdštejns (1620-1821) and after them the Aehrenthals (1821-1945), transformed the ruins into a romantic pilgrimage site with a unique atmosphere. In 1713, stone stairs were built, in 1722 the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk was erected in the first courtyard, and soon after, a series of baroque sculptures by the Kosmonosy Jelíneks. In 1817, the Chapel of St. John the Baptist was created, and in 1836 the entrance gate was built behind a stone bridge lined with a row of sculptures.
The complex castle structure was built over centuries on jagged sandstone rocks. Gothic masonry, rock cellars, buildings and artworks from the Baroque period, classicism, and romantic modifications from the 19th century connect the Middle Ages with modern times.
A stone bridge decorated with baroque sculptures of Czech patron saints leads to the castle entrance gate - these are copies of sculptures by the Kosmonosy Jelíneks created by local academic sculptor Jiří Novák. Behind the entrance gate is the first castle courtyard with a small chapel containing the alleged portrait of Karel Hynek Mácha.
Behind the second bridge stands a classicist house with a Ceremonial Hall and a salon with a portrait gallery of the last owners, the Lexs of Aehrenthal. In the second courtyard, the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk dominates, which has been a visible landmark of the castle from afar since the 18th century. The chapel interior houses the original sculptural decoration of the bridges.
Valdštejn Castle is not only a historical residence of humans but also an important refuge for bats. The "attic" of the romantic palace is today an important summer residence of lesser horseshoe bats - a colony of about a hundred females with young occurs here annually from May to August.
In the castle cellars, horseshoe bats hibernate together with other species - the greater mouse-eared bat, Daubenton's bat, northern bat, brown long-eared bat, and common noctule. Valdštejn is among important locations also during autumn migration and so-called bat swarming. During research, many different species have been found here, for example the Brandt's bat, whiskered bat, and others.
The photorealistic 3D model of Valdštejn Castle in the 3DCesko application combines the current appearance of the castle with a historical reconstruction. The model includes a photogrammetric scan of the current state of the castle complex including all three rock blocks, the chapel, the classicist house, and the romantic palace.
Unique is the integration of a 3D scan of the historical model created by Petr Vodička, which shows the castle in its heyday. Supplemented 360° photographs allow visitors to virtually explore the interiors of the Ceremonial Hall, the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, the rock cellars, and the romantic palace.
Valdštejn Castle is located in the cadastral area of Mašov near Turnov, 3 km south-southeast from Turnov, in the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area and European Geopark, on the edge of the Hruboskalsko Nature Reserve. The ruins are at an altitude of 389 m above sea level, with a vertical rise of 90 meters.
A visit to the castle is often combined with a trip to the nearby Hruboskalsko rock town. Valdštejn is the gateway to a rock town with more than four hundred sandstone rock towers. The entire area is interwoven with a network of hiking trails and cycle paths, including an educational trail.
