Hell at Houska Castle

Hell is a hand-carved wooden mechanical artwork made from linden wood, freely inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy, specifically its first part, Inferno. The twelve-meter length and two-meter height provide ample space for eleven moving scenes depicting infernal punishments for earthly sins. In its original form, the work continues the craft tradition of Czech nativity-scene makers and is quite unique even within a European context. The exhibition is located in the former carriage house on the first courtyard of Houska Castle and can be visited independently, outside the main castle tour route, without a guide. The project is the work of three creators: Tomáš Štěpán (originator of the idea and carver), Jan Kopecký (puppeteer and theatre artist, principal carver), and Ing. Miroslav Konopásek (castellan of Houska Castle, engineer and operator of the infernal mechanisms). The exhibition is open from April to October according to the castle's opening hours. Admission is 80 CZK, which directly supports the further development and refinement of the scenes.