Kostomlaty Castle

Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou is a small village of around 900 residents in the Teplice District, in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It sits at the foot of Milešovka hill, in the heart of the České Středohoří (Bohemian Central Uplands), a landscape shaped by distinctive, steep volcanic hills. For visitors, the village works mainly as a base for exploring a ruined medieval fortress, a Baroque manor house, and the hiking trails that wind through the surrounding hills.

What can you see in Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou?

On the hill above the village stand the ruins of the Gothic Kostomlaty fortress. It was founded shortly after 1300 by the lords of Rýzmberk, and the earliest written record dates to 1333, when Boreš of Oseka sold it to Chotěbor of Herštejn. Just two years later the fortress passed to the Moravian margrave who would later become King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, turning it into a royal estate. It was abandoned by the end of the 16th century, and since 1964 the ruins have been protected as a cultural monument.

Down in the village itself stands a Baroque manor house (zámek), built between 1670 and 1684 by Jan Černín of Chudenice on the site of an older fortified residence. It was enlarged in 1820, and in 1910 a transverse wing with a projecting bay was added. Like the fortress ruins, the manor has been a listed cultural monument since 1964.

Also worth a stop are the originally Romanesque Church of St. Lawrence and a Baroque chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, next to a spring once regarded as having healing properties.

How do you get to Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou?

The village lies in the Teplice District, within the České Středohoří tourist region, close to the larger towns of Teplice and Bílina. It's reached via local roads connecting to the regional road network of the Ústí nad Labem Region, and the area is popular with cyclists thanks to a dense web of trails linking nearby villages and hills.

What else is there to see nearby?

Hiking trails lead from the village up to Milešovka itself and to the Bukovická lookout point. Nature lovers should also head for the Březina nature reserve — the only peat bog in the entire České Středohoří — which has an educational trail running through this unusual ecosystem.

When is the best time to visit?

The area works best for hiking and cycling trips during the warmer months, when the trails up Milešovka and through the Březina reserve are fully accessible and the views from the surrounding hilltops are at their best.

Frequently asked questions

How many people live in Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou? According to 2014 data, the village had around 900 residents.

Where exactly is Kostomlaty pod Milešovkou located? In the Teplice District of the Ústí nad Labem Region, in northwestern Czech Republic, within the České Středohoří upland region.

Can visitors reach the fortress ruins? Yes — a marked trail leads up to the hilltop ruins, making them one of the area's more popular hiking destinations.

Besides the fortress, what's worth seeing nearby? Milešovka hill, the Bukovická viewpoint, and the Březina nature reserve, home to the region's only peat bog.