hrad Louka Castle ruin

Welcome to the top of Hradisko Hill. You are now standing six hundred and thirty-five meters above sea level, north of the village of Louka, in a place where the remains of an ancient mansion are quietly poured into the countryside. You put on headphones and took several steps into space that has witnessed many human destinies, political negotiations and the transformation of the landscape for centuries. Look around you. What you see in front of you is no longer a high intact wall or a busy courtyard full of life, but a noble and quiet memento of the past. You're standing in front of the ruins of Louka Castle. Feel the special atmosphere. Stone walls that come out of the field grow through the bark of trees and moss trees. It is a place where nature slowly returns and hugs the work of human hands that originated here centuries ago.

Now let's stop together at the very beginning of this place and immerse ourselves in historical springs. To understand what once stood here, we must return in time to the 14th century. The first written mention of Louka Castle dates back to a thousand three hundred and sixty. In this year the castle is associated with the name of the nobleman who was Procek z Lomnice. The Hradisko Hill was chosen for the construction entirely on purpose. Its significant altitude and strategic position above the surrounding terrain provided ideal conditions for defence as well as an overview of the broad surroundings. At that time the castle did not only perform defence functions, but became a very important administrative centre for wide surrounding areas. It was from here that the administration of the property was governed, the fees were collected and the will of the gentlemen at the time was exercised.

If you look at today's terrain layout, try to imagine what the castle originally looked like at the time of its greatest glory. We know from historical research that hrad Louka had a double-size. The original builders used the shape of the hill top to divide the castle area into two main parts. A part of this complex was also the residential towers, which served both for safe and comfortable housing of the estate and for an overview of the events around the castle walls. Unfortunately, the names of architects or builders who designed and built this stone fortress remain unknown. However, their skill and skill have left an unoverlooked mark in the Blansko district.

Let us now move a little further and pay attention to what has been preserved from the castle until today. Look carefully at the remains of stone structures in front of you. To date, parts of the original perimeter walls, remnants of the castle gate and underground basement spaces have been preserved. Notice how carefully the individual stones were folded together. Parts of the walls that still resist the tooth of time show us the power of the former fortifications. The location where the gate was built was mainly determined by the entrance corridor to the castle space. The horsemen were just passing through, supply wagons and noble guests. If you look carefully towards the terrain inequalities, you can record the entrances to the basement space. These underground rooms were used to store food, supplies and valuable property, as there was a constant temperature in the depths of the country throughout the year.

The history of the castle Louka is extremely rich in prominent personalities who took turns in its possession and shaped the history of the entire region. After Procke of Lomnice, the castle got into the hands of other major Moravian families. An important chapter was written by members of the mighty family of Boskovice. Among the first were Jan Ozor the second from Boskovice and after him Vaněk from Boskovice. The lords of Boskovice belonged to the most influential noble families in Moravia and the possession of Louka Castle strengthened their position in this area. Later, the brothers Dobeš, Beneš a Tas Černohorští z Boskovic entered the history of the castle, who jointly managed the family estate and exercised their influence in the period politics.

Relations between noble families were dynamic, and the property often moved. Over the next decades Bohuš z Lomnice appears in the castle, thus returning the administration of the castle to the family that stood at its first written mention. But time passed and new owners became members of the House of Tvorkov. First Pertold z Tvorkova and then Ondřej a Kryštof z Tvorkova. Each of these personalities brought their own approach to the administration of the castle estate and used the castle as a foothold for their economic and political interests.

One of the most important owners in the history of the castle was undoubtedly Vilém z Pernštejna. This extraordinarily capable economist, politician, and one of the richest men of his time won the hrad Louka at a time when it consolidated its vast domains throughout the kingdom. The Pernstejns were known for their ability to modernise the management of their property. Later in history, Hanuš Ferdinand z Hardeka appears among the holders, representing another family line connected to this residence. The alternating owners, changes in property conditions and gradual shifts in the needs of the nobles eventually led to the castle losing its original meaning. As the ways of leading the war and the demands for comfortable housing changed, the center of life moved to better accessible settlements in the valleys. The castle on the high hill was so gradually orphaned and began to turn into a ruin.

Now pay attention to an interesting fact. Although the castle went through a long period of decay and succumbed to the relentless flow of time, its value for our history and culture has not disappeared. In the year one thousand nine hundred sixty-four, hrad Louka was officially registered as a cultural monument. By doing so, it has obtained a State-recognised protection that recalls the importance of this site for future generations. It is fascinating to realize that even after centuries, when the majestic manor became mere walls, gates and cellars, this place can reach our senses and inspire us to respect history.

Take another look at the remains of the perimeter walls and soak up the atmosphere of calm that exists here. Today, Hradisko Hill is an oasis of silence, where history joins nature. It remains, however, a place which hides the memory of many generations, from unknown builders of the fourteenth century to the famous families of Lomnice, Boskovice, Fvorkov and Pernstejn, to today's visitors such as yourself.

Now I invite you to slowly walk past the preserved parts of the walls, see the area of the former gate and, from a safe distance, see the entry points to the basement areas. Feel every detail of the old stone masonry and think about the stories that took place here. When you're ready, you can take the next journey along the surrounding beauties. Thank you for your attention, I wish you a pleasant rest of your statement and a nice day.