📍 Houska Castle

About the venue

An early Gothic castle from the second half of the 13th century, most likely founded by King Přemysl Otakar II, it sits in the forests of the Kokořínsko Protected Landscape Area about 47 km north of Prague. In the 16th century the Hrzán of Harasov family rebuilt it as a Renaissance château, though the Gothic masonry survives up to the second floor. The castle chapel holds unique 14th- and 16th-century frescoes and, according to legend, stands directly above a gateway to hell. After restitution, the castle opened to the public for the first time in 1999; summer brings fairs, swordfighting shows and other cultural events.