Kozlov Castle

Kozlov Castle is a ruined medieval fortress in the cadastral area of the village of Kozlany, in the Třebíč District of the Vysočina Region, on the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the eastern Czech Republic. Built on a rocky spur above the Jihlava River, the site now sits on an island created by the Dalešice reservoir — or, when water levels drop, on a peninsula.

How to get there?

Kozlany lies in the Třebíč District, within the Vysočina Region, close to the shoreline of the Dalešice reservoir. The castle ruins stand apart from the village itself and are reached on foot along paths that follow the riverbank — the village of Kozlany is the natural starting point, with trails running along the edge of the reservoir. The surrounding countryside is typical of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands: gentle hills, forest, and river valleys popular with hikers and canoeists exploring the reservoir.

What will you see?

The castle was most likely founded around 1310 as property of the Benedictine monastery in Třebíč. It functioned as an outpost guarding the monastery's interests along the edge of its estate, meant to hold back pressure from local gentry settled on the opposite bank of the river. The structure in its known form probably took shape around the mid-14th century.

The castle's fortunes changed when it became a base for so-called robber knights, who used its isolated position to raid nearby trade routes. Because of this reputation, the regional estates ordered it demolished in 1466. It was likely destroyed for good in the second half of the 15th century, during the Bohemian-Hungarian wars. By 1490, records already describe it as abandoned.

What survives today are the moats, sections of the perimeter walls, and the remains of a massive, rectangular tower, along with traces of walling wedged between the rocks. Because the rocky terrain was so irregular, the castle's ground plan was unusually elongated, following the shape of the spur it was built on. Walking the ruins today still reveals how medieval builders adapted their designs to this difficult, uneven site.

The Dalešice reservoir and a changed landscape

The construction of the Dalešice reservoir transformed the surroundings of the castle beyond recognition. What was once a rocky promontory above the Jihlava River is now an island, fully visible only when the water level drops and the site turns into a peninsula. This unusual, partly submerged landscape has become one of the site's main draws, tying the history of a medieval fortification to the modern hydrology of the region.

When to visit?

Because access depends on the water level of the reservoir, the best time to visit is when the water is lower — typically late summer or autumn — when reaching the ruins on foot is easier. Spring and summer are better suited to longer hikes and canoe trips around the area, though the castle spur itself can be harder to reach on foot when the reservoir is fuller.

Frequently asked questions

When was Kozlov Castle built? Most likely in 1310, as property of the Benedictine monastery in Třebíč; the structure in its known form dates to around the mid-14th century.

Why was the castle demolished? Because it had become a base for robber knights, the regional estates ordered its demolition in 1466, and it was probably destroyed for good during the Bohemian-Hungarian wars in the second half of the 15th century.

What remains on site today? The moats, sections of the perimeter walls, and the remains of a massive rectangular tower survive, and the former spur is now partly an island on the Dalešice reservoir.

Where exactly is Kozlov Castle located? In the cadastral area of the village of Kozlany, in the Třebíč District of the Vysočina Region, on the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the eastern Czech Republic.