Roimund Ruin

Roimund, sometimes also written as Raimund, is a ruined castle in the northwestern part of the Ještědsko-kozákovský ridge, about five kilometers southwest of Chrastavy. The castle stood on a spur projecting from the northern side of the Vápenný ridge, at an elevation of approximately 565 meters. Its remains are protected as a cultural monument.

The name comes from the French words roi and mont, meaning royal mountain. It may have been created in honor of Charles the Fourth, who at the time of the castle's founding married Blanche of Valois and repeatedly stayed in Žitava. In written sources, the castle also appears as Roynungen, Ronnenburg, or Roymunth.

The margrave Karel authorized the construction for John of Donín at the turn of 1342 and 1343, on lands separated from the Grabštejn castle estate. The castle was built between 1342 and 1347. John of Donín died probably around 1363. His sons Frederick and John sold the Roimund estate around 1390 to their uncles Henry and William of Donín at Grabštejn. They divided the property among themselves, and Roimund fell to William.

In 1414, the castle was acquired by John of Vartenberka, husband of Margaret of Donín, possibly William's sister. From the castle he conducted robber raids against the Lusatian Šestiměstí until the beginning of the Hussite Wars. From 1424, the Lusatian side held a garrison of fifty men in the castle, similar to at nearby Falkenberg.

In 1427, with the consent of John of Vartenberka, Hans Foltch of Torgavy became the captain of the castle. A year later, he requested 335 marks of groschen to keep the castle in the hands of Šestiměstí. The same year he captured a relative of the Žagań burgomaster, and the city council of Žitava helped settle their dispute. In further negotiations, which were meant to prevent the captain from surrendering the castle to the Hussites, the rights of the Vartenberks were no longer mentioned. They died out by 1433. The heir became John Hlaváč of Donín, who sold the castle to Venčo of Donín at Grabštejn.

When exactly the castle perished is unclear. The Lusatians may have destroyed it even before they surrendered it to John Hlaváč. In 1453, it is listed as empty, and a year later, the sources mention only the Raimund hill.

The castle was single-structure, had an oval ground plan, and belonged to castles with wall constructions. Besides the western side, it was protected by a moat and a rampart in front of it. The wall structure was surrounded by an outer wall, in whose northern part there was a cistern. A palace stood in the northern part of the castle core.