Castle Roupov

Roupov Castle is a striking medieval ruin in western Bohemia, in the Plzeň-South District of the Plzeň Region, roughly 25 kilometres south of the city of Plzeň. Once the seat of an influential noble family, it survives today as an atmospheric ruin known chiefly for one of the best-preserved late-Gothic kitchens in Central Europe.

Where is Roupov Castle?

The ruins stand beside the small village of Roupov, home to around 300 people, in the Rakovník borderland of the Plzeň Region. Prague lies about 104 kilometres to the south-west. The site is privately owned, and the owners live right next to the grounds, yet the ruins remain freely open to visitors.

Who built the castle?

Roupov was founded in the 13th century by the lords of Roupov, the family that gave the castle its name. In the following century it was rebuilt by a workshop connected to the royal court, commissioned by Něpr of Roupov, an important official of his day. Over more than three hundred years, the lords of Roupov held real influence in Bohemian public life, serving Czech rulers as chancery clerks, court administrators and financiers.

What makes Roupov unusual?

The castle's standout feature is its so-called black kitchen, built between 1495 and 1498. It is considered the second-largest surviving late-Gothic kitchen in Bohemia, and possibly in the whole of Central Europe. Its slender, octagonal chimney has survived intact and remains the most recognisable and most photographed part of the ruins.

Toward the end of the 16th century, under the ownership of Jan Netolický, the castle underwent a partial Renaissance rebuilding. Before that, for close to a century, the property belonged to the lords of Klenová; it was in this period that Kryštof Karel of Roupov moved away to a new residence, a step that hastened the old castle's gradual abandonment.

How did the castle fall into ruin?

In 1704 the estate passed to Jan Jiří of Hauben, who joined it to his holdings at Červené Poříčí. He did not enjoy it for long: he was killed in 1716 fighting the Ottomans. From then on the castle fell into disrepair, and local residents took to stripping its walls for cheap building stone. By 1817 it was already recorded as a ruin.

What can visitors see today?

Roupov today is a partly overgrown ruin, with the black-kitchen chimney and stretches of the perimeter walls as its best-preserved elements. The site is listed as a Czech cultural monument, reflecting its historical significance. It draws hikers exploring the wider Rakovník countryside as well as visitors with an interest in Bohemian noble history and Gothic architecture.

Frequently asked questions

When was Roupov Castle built? It was founded in the 13th century and enlarged in the 14th century by a royal court workshop working for Něpr of Roupov.

What is the "black kitchen" at Roupov? It is a late-Gothic kitchen built between 1495 and 1498, the second-largest of its kind to survive in Bohemia, notable for its tall octagonal chimney.

Why did the castle become a ruin? After the death of Jan Jiří of Hauben in battle against the Ottomans in 1716, the castle was abandoned and gradually dismantled for building material; it was already listed as a ruin by 1817.

Can Roupov Castle be visited? Yes. Although the grounds belong to private owners who live beside the castle, the ruins are freely accessible to the public.