Plikenštejn Castle

Plikenštejn is a vanished fortified settlement on a rocky outcrop above the valley of Lobezský stream, southwest of Kruduma. It is usually classified as a manor castle, but is sometimes referred to as a castle. Where exactly it stood was a mystery for a long time. Its location was only confirmed by archaeological research in nineteen ninety-three.

We don't know when it was founded. It was most likely sometime between twelve fifty and thirteen hundred. That's when the colonization of the territory between Kynžvart and Plikenštejn began, and Konrád Plik from Plikenštejna founded Nejdek. However, it's also possible that the castle already existed in the first half of the thirteenth century.

There are few direct written records about the castle. We therefore follow its history mainly through the Plik family, who took their name from it. Konrád Plik died in thirteen thirty-five and divided his property among his sons Petr and Albert. In thirteen forty, Petr received the castle of Nejdek in fief from Jan Lucemburský. A year later, he states that he holds all his father's property, including tin mines and the rights to ore extraction. The Plik family lost Nejdek in fourteen oh-six and it went to the king.

As for Plikenštejn itself, according to historian August Sedláček, around thirteen sixty it belonged to the lords from Kynžvart. However, Sedláček was unable, or didn't dare, to place it on a map. Miloslav Bělohlávek states that the castle in the years thirteen sixty and thirteen ninety was held in fief by the Plik family. He places it in Slavkovský forest, in the vicinity of Vranov to the east of Rovná.

According to the feudal register of the Leuchtenberks from thirteen eighty-nine, the castle, along with Rovná and half of Vranov, was held by the lords from Kynžvart. The other half of Vranov and the manor of Plikenštejn were given in fief to Albert Plik. That same year, the castle is marked as desolate. At that time, Albert Plik lived in a small family castle near Vranov. In fifteen forty-two, Count Jeroným Šlik acquired the former Leuchtenberg estates, and in an inventory of his property, Blickenstein near Fronaw appears. In the sixteenth century, the castle was probably named after by the Šnobl family from Plikenštejna.

We know very little about what the castle looked like. On its western side, it was protected by three moats. The castle core was only ten meters long, and archaeologists documented stone structures within it.

On June fourth, twenty sixteen, a stone plaque with the Plik family coat of arms was attached to the castle rock. It was created by Milan Litavský from Nejdek as a tribute to the family for founding the city.