Blansko Ruin

Castle Blansko is located on the same-name hill at an altitude of 545 metres northeast of Ústí nad Labem, on the village register Mírkov. The ruin is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. From the top of the hill opens a nice view especially to the south and southwest of Ryjický creek valley and the Elbe river.

It is assumed that the area was inhabited in the second half of the 13th century. However, the first documented mention of the castle dates back to 1401. In future centuries, it has become a centre of complex and often bloody political fights. The castle was mostly owned by the Vartenberk family. The first known owner was Václav z Vartenberka, a supporter of Zikmund of Luxembourg. That is why the opponents - supporters of King Wenceslas IV - attacked him and conquered the castle in 1402. However, Václav regained it that same year and held it until his death, estimated at 1407. The following owners were probably one of Václav IV's opponents, and therefore in 1416 the king's soldier Mikuláš Chudý z Újezda reconquered him.

The king Vrabinc was in 1417 stopped Bohush from Zveřenka. In 1421 Albrecht Šenk z Landsberka won the castle and then left it to the dukes of Míšín, whose crew held it until 1426. That's when Zikmund Děčínský z Vartenberka took over the castle after crossing over to the Hussite side. In 1441 the castle was besieged by the Saxon and the Lužice troops, but it failed to conquer. In 1527 the castle was purchased by Jindřich z Bünau, at which time only the captain and crew lived here. After 1585, the fortification had undergone a Renaissance adjustment. At the beginning of the 17th century, the castle served as a prison. In 1628 Günter of Bünau sold it to Christopher Simon from Thun, who joined him to the beautiful estates of March. Since then the castle has gradually deserted.

The building form of the castle was interesting. The castle core was oval-shaped, from which two round bastions opened inside, between which the palace was located. To this day, a bastion has been preserved on the northeast side. On the west side, there was a prism tank tower outside the wall. New research shows that the site was actually divided - the core was about five metres up, where the three-space palace was located according to the old plans. In 1931, a sightseeing building with a covered shelter was built in the highest place of the castle.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the castle was owned by the Czech Forest and later won by the village of Ryjice. Since then, work has been under way to secure preserved masonry remains, which should have been completed by 2020. There's a reputation with the castle. According to her, there was once an evil giant living in the castle who burned on Ústí nad Labem stones and baskets with poisonous snakes with a big slingshot. The city has made the giant leave before the evening sound from the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. But one day he was late - and the angry townspeople beat him to death.