Castle Kopec

Kopec Castle (also known as Prostiboř Castle) is the ruin of a medieval stronghold later converted into a residence. It stands on a rocky spur above the Úhlavka River, roughly a kilometre from the village of Prostiboř in the Tachov district of the Plzeň Region, at an elevation of over 430 metres. Listed as a protected cultural monument since 1964, the site has been undergoing a slow, multi-stage restoration in recent years.

When was the castle built, and by whom?

Indirect mentions of Prostiboř date back to the 13th century, while direct written records of the castle itself appear in the first half of the 14th century. It was built by a local landed family known by the Prostiboř name, whose last recorded member, Habart of Prostiboř, still appears in sources around the mid-14th century. From the start, the fortress guarded a river crossing and a route running along the Úhlavka valley.

How did the castle end up in the hands of Kladruby Monastery?

A turning point came in 1372, when, with the approval of Emperor Charles IV, the castle was sold to the Benedictine monastery in Kladruby. The monks used the stronghold not only as a defensive outpost but also as a treasury and a place of confinement for prisoners. In the early 15th century the site became a target of military action: royal troops besieged it in 1403, and in 1421, during the Hussite Wars, Hussite forces captured the castle.

How did ownership change, and how did the fortress become a residence?

After the Hussite Wars, Prostiboř changed hands repeatedly. For much of the 15th century and into the early 16th, it belonged to the Vrtba family, before passing through several other noble houses. During the 17th and 18th centuries the old Gothic stronghold was gradually rebuilt into a comfortable, single-storey residence, gaining barrel-vaulted rooms and an entrance portal with cross-ribbed vaulting. In 1799 the once-dominant tower was demolished, erasing the last clear trace of the building's medieval, defensive silhouette. From the mid-19th century the estate belonged to the Löwenstein family and was administered together with their nearby Bor estate.

What do the interiors hide — frescoes and one of the oldest ceilings in the region?

Restoration work in 1982 uncovered Renaissance frescoes on the interior walls, depicting the Last Supper and a Madonna with Child. Based on the coat of arms of the Ronšperk family, they have been dated to 1528–1537; the frescoes were later moved to the château in Horšovský Týn, where they can be seen today. One of the rooms still preserves a wooden ceiling of oak beams that dendrochronological analysis has dated to 1307, making it one of the oldest surviving timber structures in the Czech lands. In the courtyard stands an Empire-style granary from 1816, the only farm building to survive from the former manorial estate.

What does the castle look like today, and can visitors go inside?

The residence remained inhabited until 1950, after which it fell into disrepair — as late as the mid-2000s, photographs show the building standing without a roof. In 2021 the property changed hands, and its new owners began emergency stabilisation work and a partial reconstruction, with plans to eventually reopen the site for cultural and educational events. The interior remains closed to the public as private property, but the ruin can be viewed from outside along a marked hiking trail that passes near the hill.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Kopec Castle located? On a rocky spur above the Úhlavka River, about a kilometre from the village of Prostiboř, in the Tachov district.

Can visitors go inside Kopec Castle? No — it is private property currently under restoration, and can only be viewed from the outside.

Why is the castle sometimes called Prostiboř and sometimes Kopec? Kopec is the name of the nearby settlement, while Prostiboř is the historical name tied to the original owners and the neighbouring municipality.

What is the castle's most valuable feature? An oak-beam ceiling dated to 1307, one of the oldest surviving wooden structures in the Czech lands, along with Renaissance frescoes from 1528–1537.