Lichnice Castle ruin

Lichnice is a castle ruin near Třemošnice in the Chrudim district of Pardubice. It dates back to the mid-13th century. It lies above the village Podřad on the western edge of the Iron Mountains and is protected as a cultural monument. The building is located in the area of the same-name geopark and CHKO, while its west side forms the national nature reserve Lichnice.

The question of the founder of the castle is discussed. The first written mention from 1251 is presented by Smila of Lichtenburg of the Ronovce family. He was regarded as a builder by August Sedláček or Dobroslav Menclová. Tomáš Durdík, however, assumes on the basis of the building analysis that the castle was founded by the king Václav I. Built-in building, subsequently loaned Smile for support during the uprising of his son Přemysl Otakar II.

The original construction project was probably extensive and included a perimeter installation. Due to financial possibilities, the project was reduced to a core corresponding to the then noble castles of the bergfrit type with a small palace. In 1490 the castle was won by Trček from Lipa, who strengthened the fortifications and extended the residential areas.

The property of the castle has often changed over the centuries. After Smili of Lichtenburg and his son Oldřich left the castle to King Jan of Luxembourg Jindřich z Lichtenburka. As royal property, Lichnice is mentioned in 1323 and 1331. In 1333 the castle was redeemed by the Kralevice Karel IV., which in 1350 included it among castles which were not to be stopped. During his reign, he was here briefly in 1370. In the following decades, the fortress was stopped by various nobles, such as Stephen of Očen, who was murdered in 1397.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the castle became the base for robbery raids under the leadership of Purkrabi Ješek of Trojovice. King Václav IV paid him off after 1410. Later, the castle was won by Queen Sophie as widow's dowry. During the Hussite wars, the crew stood on the side of King Zikmund. In April 1421 she gave the castle without a fight to Hynka Krusin from Lichtenburg.

Between 1428 and 1429 the castle was besieged by the army of the Orphanage Union led by Prokop Little and John the King. The Hussites tried to starve the crew, built camp and bastion, but they didn't use cannons. The siege ended on November 25, 1429, when John of Očen promised to join the orphan party. In 1469 the castle was unsuccessfully besieged by the army of King Matthias. A year later, Vít of Rzavý cast it with a ruse. His crew plundered the area until they were driven out in 1473 with Earth cash.

The decline of the castle began in the second half of the 16th century and was accelerated by a fire in 1610. Even though the fort was partly used during the Thirty Years' War, the fortifications of King Ferdinand III's decree were then destroyed. In the 18th century the castle served the inhabitants of the neighbouring village as a source of building stone.

The first rescue work started in the early 20th century. The current owner of the ruins is the city of Třemošnice. The building is accessible to the public in the designated visiting hours.

Lichnice is an important witness to medieval architecture and dramatic history of Czech countries. Visiting this ruin in the nature of the Iron Mountains offers a meeting with history in its authentic form.