Šipín Hillfort

Welcome to this special place. You are standing in front of an ancient castle called Šipín, located near Constantine's Spa. Take off your backpacks for a while, take a breath of fresh forest air and look around you. Before you, there is a landscape that hides deep core traces of human presence dating back to far past. When you look at the terrain waves and nature, you see peace and quiet, but beneath this surface lies the rich story of our ancestors who chose this strategic place for their life and protection.

Let us now look deeper into history and find out how this wonderful place was created and evolved. The original settlement of this space goes incredibly far back to the past, until the late Bronze Age. It is from this period that the oldest traces of use and the first archaeological findings of ceramics, along with indications of the fortifications at that time, have come to the conclusion that people had been living up to this height centuries ago. However, the most significant period of this castle fell between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. It is from this time that medieval ceramics was discovered by archaeologists during the twentieth century and which helped us to date more precisely the peak era of this castle. Even though the names of the builders and then prominent figures written in chronicles have not been preserved until today and remain covered with a cover of secrets, the work of unknown hands has left a permanent mark. The professional importance of this territory was officially confirmed in the year two thousand and six, when the whole area was included on the list of cultural monuments of the Czech Republic.

Let us now focus on the very form and architecture of what has survived from the ancient fort to today. The place you're standing on was very cleverly chosen with regard to the defense needs at the time. The fort was built on an elevated island level at an altitude of four hundred thirty-five metres. If you look around you, notice the nature of the protection that the Tuesday stream creates. This stream flows around the island from two sides, creating a natural water barrier for anyone who would like to approach the castle. But people in the early Middle Ages relied not only on nature, but also on their own strength and building arts. The whole fortified area of the castle has a respectable area of one and a half hectares. The inhabitants of the former castle secured the place with a deep moat and a massive pair of valleys. If you look carefully at the terrain in front of you, you can see the most significant preserved part of the entire defense system. This is the section of the first wall, the length of which reaches an impressive eight metres and turns on the outside to a height of up to four metres. Imagine the huge woodwork that people had to build without modern machines. These fouls and trenches formed a solid wall that protected the population from external danger.

Although we do not know the specific names of the princes, chieftains or families who have lived here over the centuries, the key story of this place is human tenacity and the ability to use the landscape to its advantage. Imagine living here in the tenth to 13th century. People got up at dawn, managed the surrounding land, manufactured ceramic containers whose fractions left the ground for future generations, and took care of the safety of their community. This fort was not only a cluster of huts, but a centre of power, trade and defence in the wider area. Every stone, every piece of clay and every metre of preserved wall carries a silent story of generations that have lived their lives, joy and worries here.

When you think about it, the castle Šipín carries an interesting secret hidden in its very position and resistance to time. Even though almost nothing has passed since his greatest glory, and almost nothing has been left after wooden buildings, the vast ramparts and deep ditches resist erosion and time to this day. The rare archaeological findings of the 20th century ceramics allowed us to uncover the veil of mystery and confirm that this place lived fully in the early Middle Ages, although its early beginnings extend far deeper into the Bronze Age. It's fascinating to realize that you're standing in a place that people used to protect 3,000 years ago and later built a massive fortress here.

Now we slowly come to the conclusion of our walk together today. I hope you enjoyed the discovery of this historic jewel and that you perceived the strength and atmosphere of this ancient place. When you continue to explore the surrounding forests and paths in the Constantine Spa area, remember the people who walked here before you and left us a link in the form of these massive waves. Thank you for your attention, I wish you a wonderful rest of the day and a pleasant journey on your next wanderings of history. Goodbye.