Stoupec Fortress

Welcome to the silence and tranquility of the Iron Mountains. You are standing in a place that once served as an important point in the landscape, even though at first sight it may not look like a chateau from fairy tales. In front of you is the Stoupec. It's a place where history has buried itself deep into the earth and where the peace of nature today reigns. When you look around you, you won't see tall towers, stone walls or monumental gates, but you'll see something else. You'll see traces of human labor that time has erased a little, but it hasn't completely erased. Feel this space, feel the smell of the forest and try to imagine that you have returned hundreds of years back to the time when the nobles ruled and the surrounding woodlands were full of secrets.

This fortress was built in the 14th century. At that time, it was not just about the ordinary residence of a nobleman, but about controlling the surroundings and ensuring security. Stoupec was strategically located in a landscape that combined two very important areas, Čáslav and Chrudim. Imagine the transport network at that time as a complex web of roads, on which merchants traveled with your goods, soldiers in heavy armor and messengers with important news. Right here, in the vicinity of today's road connecting Březinka to the Jetonics, the key roads were crossed. One of the most important was the Multi-Million Pass, which was part of the famous Libice trail. Whoever controlled Stoupec had basically a finger on the artery of the then transport and trade. The fort was not only home, but also a guard point that oversaw everything that flowed through here.

Now please focus on what you see right in front of you. Notice the terrain and the shape of the ground. What may now look like a natural ripple of landscape or ordinary hills is actually a fortress. Look carefully at the wall and the deep moat. It was these elements that formed the fundamental defence system of the fortress. The moat was supposed to prevent easy access to the enemy and the wall served as a solid support for wooden or stone walls that once stood here. Try to imagine how huge and hard work it was these deep cuts in the earth to engrave and how many people had to sweat here to create a safe fortress. In addition to these fortifications, archaeologists also found the remains of the economic cellar. These premises were not only intended for food storage, but were primarily used as a valuable source of water. Water was the greatest treasure at the time, and without reliable access to it survival in this exposed half in the heart of the woods would not be possible.

Who actually lived here and who made the decisions in these rooms? The first written mention of this place dates back to a thousand three hundred ninety-four. The name Jan Chrast de Stupecz appears in connection with the fortress. He was a man who took very active care of his property interests and demanded the King's right to property after Petra Milčevsi. The history of this place is so confused with many names that now sound like distant echoes from the past. These included Zdeněk z Urbanic, Matěj Slaměnec or Držka z Kratonos. We also mention John of Čejkovic, who was called by the people of Býchoor, and finally Frank of Hrozbočice. Each of them left a trail, whether in the form of asset management or in the context of political and family disputes, which at that time accompanied the Czech nobility. Imagine them as flesh and blood people walking the same paths that you walk today, looking at the same trees and hills.

But why is Stoupec today just a silent fortress in the woods? Why isn't there a chateau here to impress us with its size and beauty? The answer probably lies in the stormy second half of the fifth century. History tells us that in the year one thousand four hundred sixty-nine, the surrounding village of Hoda, which was closely linked to the fortress, could have died during the invasion of Matthias Korvin in Czech countries. Wars, plundering and constant uncertainty have destroyed the stability of the entire region. A little later, in the year one thousand four hundred and eighty-six, the fortress Stoupec is already listed as desolate in the royal declaration of the property of Frank of Grybčice. This means that no one lived here anymore, the houses were abandoned, and the buildings began to break down slowly. Maybe it was just the cruel wars, or maybe the gradual economic decline that made it impossible to maintain and live in this place. It is a fascinating and sad mystery at the same time how quickly a place full of life, power and ambition can turn into quiet ruins that gradually and patiently devour the forest.

Now invited to take a slow walk around these ditches and ditches. Try to see the atmosphere of a place where once it was decided to cross paths between two cities. The Stoupec no longer has walls to tell us its stories, but its shape in the country is still legible and speaks to us even after centuries. Let your imagination guide you. Try to hear the horse fights, the guard screams, or the sound of cars passing through the multimile pass. Feel the silence of the Iron Mountains, which today guard the secrets of John Chraste and the other inhabitants of this extinct fortress. This is the true beauty of these places where nature wins over man, but also retains memories of what once was.

Thank you for spending time with us on this forgotten piece of history. We hope you felt a connection to the past and that this walk inspired you to explore again. We wish you a pleasant further journey, many new experiences and the joy of exploring the beauty of our landscape. Goodbye.