Hrnčíř Castle

Hrnčíř Castle, known in Czech as Hrad pod Hrnčířem, is a medieval hillfort hidden in woodland above the village of Jiřičná, in the Petrovice u Sušice municipality in the Šumava region. Nobody knows the castle's original name, and nothing above ground survives - no walls, towers, or foundations, only earthen ramparts and ditches under the trees. Even so, the site has been a protected cultural monument for half a century and still draws people interested in the history of the Klatovy district.

Where exactly are the ruins?

The hillfort sits on the eastern spur of Hrnčíř hill, right on the cadastral boundary between the villages of Petrovice and Jiřičná. It lies roughly half a kilometer north of Jiřičná, up a rocky ridge above the Volšovka stream, at an elevation of about 575 meters. Its coordinates are approximately 49°12'41" N, 13°26'54" E.

What kind of castle was it?

Archaeologists classify the site as a "transitional-type" castle - a form that bridges simple earthwork hillforts and the first stone-built fortifications - built mainly from wood and earth rather than masonry. The layout consisted of two separate parts divided by neck ditches. In the outer section, excavations turned up pits suggesting a building once stood on the south side. The inner core, cut off by a further ditch, shows no trace of any structure at all, possibly because the castle stood for only a short time.

When was it built, and who built it?

No written record of the castle has ever surfaced, so everything known about it comes from the ground itself. Finds recovered during excavation date its use to the middle of the 13th century. The archaeologist Tomáš Durdík linked its origin to a period when the Sušice region was temporarily split off as a dowry starting in 1121, passing first to the Counts of Bogen and later to the Wittelsbach dynasty - the Wittelsbachs are considered the most likely founders.

Why did the castle disappear?

Its active life was brief. Around 1273, amid a shift in the region's political control, the castle lost its purpose and was abandoned. Forest gradually reclaimed the site, leaving only the ramparts and ditches that are still visible on the ground today.

Is the site protected, and how do you get there?

The ruins have been listed as a protected cultural monument since 1976, registered under number 32917/4-4079. No marked hiking trail leads to the hillfort - the easiest approach is from road II/145, near where it crosses the Volšovka stream, followed by a short walk uphill through the forest. The site itself is freely accessible, with no fees or entry restrictions.

Worth noting: the village of Jiřičná is also home to a guesthouse called "Tvrz Hrnčíř." That is a separate, inhabited building, converted from a 16th-century fortified manor house that was rebuilt as a chateau in the 17th century and given a chapel. It should not be confused with the abandoned medieval hillfort on the hill above, even though both share a name tied to the same mountain.

Frequently asked questions

Are there any standing walls at Hrnčíř Castle? No. Only earthen ramparts and ditches remain - no walls or buildings have survived above ground.

When was the castle built? Archaeological finds point to the middle of the 13th century, though the exact founding date is unknown since no written sources mention the site.

Why don't we know the castle's original name? Because no historical documents referring to it have ever been found - everything known about the castle comes from archaeological excavation alone.

How do you reach the ruins? The closest landmark is road II/145 where it crosses the Volšovka stream; from there, visitors walk uphill on foot, as no marked trail exists.

Is this the same place as the Tvrz Hrnčíř guesthouse in Jiřičná? No. The guesthouse is a separate, still-inhabited building converted from a 16th-century fortified manor, while the hillfort described here has been an abandoned ruin since the 13th century.