Valdštejn Castle

This rock castle, situated above Turnov, was founded around the years 1260–1280 by one of the branches of the Markvartic family. From this, its owners began to use the predicate 'Lords of Valdštejn' and became one of the most prominent Czech noble families. In the 14th century, it passed to the Wartenbergs, and in 1424, it was conquered by the Hussite commander Jan Žižka. After further changes of ownership, the castle burned down around 1550. The ruin received a new appearance only in the Baroque period, when a hermit settled there and its owners transformed it into a romantic pilgrimage site. Stone stairs were built in 1713, followed by the Chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk in the first courtyard in 1722, featuring a series of Baroque statues, and in 1836, an entrance gate behind a stone bridge lined with statues. The castle stands at an elevation of 389 meters on rock blocks at the edge of the Hruboskalsko Nature Reserve and is protected as a cultural monument. An interesting fact is the image of the saint in the chapel, which is considered perhaps the only existing portrait of the poet Karel Hynek Mácha. Today, the castle belongs to the town of Turnov and is accessible to the public during the season.