Trosky Castle

This symbol of the Bohemian Paradise and one of the most visited castles in Czechia towers on two rock pinnacles, the remains of a Tertiary volcano – Panna (511 m above sea level), the highest point of the Vyskeř Highlands, and the slightly lower Baba (502 m above sea level). This state castle, administered by the National Heritage Institute, is open to the public; since 2002, it has been listed as a national cultural monument, and its upper parts are protected as a natural monument. It was founded in the fourteenth century, and during the Hussite Wars it served as a significant Catholic stronghold of the Lords of Bergov, successfully withstanding two sieges. It was only conquered in 1469 by the army of King George of Poděbrady, after which it ceased to serve as a noble seat and was assigned first to the Kost estate and later to Hrubá Skála. At the end of the Thirty Years' War, the castle was alternately occupied and stormed by Swedish and imperial troops; after their departure, it was no longer maintained and gradually turned into the ruin we see today.