Albrechtice nad Orlicí Castle

The castle Albrechtice nad Orlicí is a case of a extinct medieval mansion whose exact location remains unknown. Its remains are believed to be located in the centre of the village of the same name in Rychnov nad Kněžnou district. Like many medieval castles in the region, it fell during the bourgeois history of the Czech countries in the late Middle Ages and left only traces in archive documents and the names of local settlements.

The village of Albrechtice appeared for the first time in letters in the middle of the 14th century in Majestor Karlovna. However, the castle itself was founded probably in the second half of this century, when Vartenberk owned the village since 1352. The first direct written mention of the castle dates back to 1437, suggesting that its existence was younger than it originally seemed.

The history of the castle was closely linked to the livre of the then nobles and monarchs. The village has been stopped repeatedly as collateral for loans. In 1398, Václav IV. stopped her by Margrave Prokop. Since 1411, the castle has become part of the famous estates of the Czech queens Žofie Bavarian and Barbara Celský, which shows its relative importance. Since 1495, he was held by the Pernstejn, a powerful tycoon family that joined Albrechtice to a vast Pardubice estate. In 1560 the castle was sold to the Royal Chamber for Emperor Maximilian II of Habsburg.

The exact causes of the castle's demise remain unclear. The castle could be destroyed either during Hussite wars in the 15th century or during the invasion of Hungarian troops in eastern Bohemia in the summer of 1470. This second event, very specifically dated, suggests that the second scenario is not excluded, although the Hussite wars are traditionally considered as frequent periods of demise of similar buildings.

Today, the remains of the castle are found in a place unknown, which makes it an interesting case for archaeologists and historians. But the village of Albrechtice has retained its name and tradition of its rich past. The story of the castle remains an enlightening testimony about how the small mansions became part of the dynasty games of the great magnates and monarchs, and how their physical remains were lost in the landscape over time.