Šostýn Castle

Welcome to the ruins of Castle Šostýn. You are standing right where time has stopped and where nature is trying to slowly but relentlessly reclaim what once people with great effort and sweat have excelled high up the hill. Look around you. At first glance, you may find it just broken stones and unclear contours in the landscape, but try to look at them differently. Imagine this peak not as an empty place, but as a fortified fortress that once dominated the whole area and which everyone in the surrounding valleys avoided with respect and fear. Feel the atmosphere of peace, but it is contrary to the stormy past this place has experienced. You are standing on a hill that now surrounds you with its height and inhospitality, and it was here, in the heart of Moravian Silesia, that events were taking place that affected the fate of many generations and whole nations.

Let us now return together deep into the past to understand why this castle was built in the first place. It is estimated that the first stones of this castle were already laid around 1280. At that time, it was necessary to have fixed points of control, places that could serve as a strategic position in constant changes to the political map. Šostýn was not just an ordinary residence, it was a Bergfrit castle, which means that its main element was a massive, independent tower, which was intended to serve as the last refuge and symbol of resilience. Although we do not know the exact name of the builder, we know that the castle must have been the work of very competent architects who were able to use demanding terrain to create an almost impenetrable fortress. The first real clue in history, which confirms to us that the castle was already fully functioning and was part of the world at that time, is found in 1347. This is the oldest written mention we have of this place, and it serves us as a fixed point in a sea of vague legends. The castle remained here and performed its function until the first half of the 15th century, when the fate of this place began to change drastically.

Now pay attention to what is right in front of you and what you can see while walking. Although the castle is now a ruin, its basic skeleton is still visible. Look at the stone remains that stand out from the ground. What you see is the foundation of the bergfrit itself, the main tower that once set its height to heaven and was the heart of the castle. If you look closer to the places where the remnants of the walls extend, you can perceive the extent of the entire estate. Note also the exposed spaces that once were the basement of the palace. These basement spaces you see here are partially renovated, giving us a sense of what life looked like inside the castle. Even though there are no ceilings or walls to protect you from the rain, these stone shapes still tell us how the buildings were organized and how deep down the ground the builders had to dig to create solid foundations for their mansion. Feel the structure, the logic with which these stones were stored in the ground.

But Šostýn's history was not just a history of building and stability. It was a castle that was constantly perceived as a target, a symbol of the power that was fought for. And these fights were very bloody. Imagine 1403, when smoke and chaos spread over this hill. Polish soldiers burned down the castle, which meant a great destruction for the people of the time and for the very structure of the castle. But that wasn't all. Only a few years later, in 1420, the castle became the target of another conflict. He was conquered by the army of Bishop John XII. Iron. This period was characterised by a constant struggle of power in Moravia, where the interests of powerful generations, churches and aristocratic factions clashed. In these conflicts, figures such as Jan VII. Volka or Zikmund Lucemburský and later Vladislav II. Jagello often appeared. Each of these personalities has left a shadow in the history of this place, even if they don't have to write names in these stones. Šostýn was at that time part of a chessboard on which the borders and influences in the whole area were decided.

Now I want to invite you to think of one particular thing that makes this place so fascinating. Notice how the castle uses its location. It stands on a hill at a height of 442 meters above sea level and its slopes are incredibly steep, especially those towards the southwest and west. This natural protection was great for defense, but it also made the castle a place that was very difficult to supply and life. In addition, around 1402 a group settled here, which gave this place an even darker touch. It was a period when robbery broke down around the castles and forests. Šostýn was at that time a place where the border between the mighty nobility and the dangerous hiding place for people outside the law was wiped. This turbulent era, when power stopped following rules and replaced brute force, is felt in every stone of this ruin. It's the mystery that makes us wonder how many secrets these remains still hide under a layer of earth and moss.

Now that you know a little more about what this castle used to be and what went through its history, I suggest you continue your tour. Take a walk along the remaining walls, see the wind still blowing so hard on the hill, and try to imagine the times when there were rumbling hammers, shouting soldiers and the silence of night watch services. Let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere of this place, which, even in its present form as a ruin, can still be astonished. Thank you for choosing to visit Šostýn and for wanting to learn more about this piece of Moravian history. We wish you a pleasant walk and many other interesting experiences while exploring our sights. We'll say goodbye, but we believe the memory of this castle will remain within you.