The residence, founded in the first half of the 13th century, probably by Přemysl Otakar II, underwent a significant Renaissance reconstruction into a château between 1584 and 1590. The greatest attraction is the castle chapel with unique Gothic frescoes, among which a rare painting of a left-handed female archer stands out. According to legend, this very sacred space was built directly over a bottomless pit to hell to prevent demons from entering. In the 20th century, the building was used by the German army and the State Library as an archive, so it was only opened to regular visitors in 1999. Today, the monument is owned and managed by the descendants of Josef Šimonek, the former president of the Škoda Works, who bought it in 1924.
Audio guide · Liberec Region
Houska Castle
Originally a 13th-century Gothic castle, it attracts attention due to its location of no strategic importance and the famous legend of guarding a gateway to hell.
Reads the text aloud in English, right in your browser.
The full guide in the Loquari app
In the app you can listen to this place in 16 languages, with a map and navigation – and offline once downloaded.
Where it is
Liberec Region, Czechia
GPS 50.49100 N, 14.62421 E