Krompach Castle

Krompach Castle stands on the village green in Valy, a settlement belonging to the village of Krompach in the Lusatian Mountains, right by the Czech-German border in the Česká Lípa district.

What exactly is here?

The site began as a noble residence of the Berka of Dubá family, who held these lands from as early as the 13th century. The building standing today dates from the 16th century, but centuries of rebuilding have stripped away most of its original manorial character. In 1802 the former seat was converted into an inn known as "Zum Schloss" ("At the Castle") — archaeologists later found remnants of the older aristocratic residence buried in the inn's foundations. After the Second World War the inn became a local social hub, famous for the dance parties it hosted for residents from across the valley.

How do you get there?

Krompach lies roughly 3 km northeast of Mařenice, tucked into a side valley framed by the hills of Plešivec and Kulich and dominated by the border massif of Hvozd (German: Hochwald). Valy, where the castle building stands, climbs the slope above the center of Krompach, along the road heading toward Jonsdorf on the German side. It's a route many hikers use en route to the striking ruins of Oybin Castle and monastery, perched on their rock formation a short distance across the border.

What's the story behind the area?

Krompach was first recorded in 1391 as a glassmaking and trading settlement — an industry that shaped the economy of the Lusatian Mountains for generations. Valy itself only took shape in the 18th century, carved out of the Krompach manor estate; its original German name, Schanzendorf, meant "village by the ramparts," a reference to fortifications that once stood on the site. Today it's a small, quiet settlement with a strongly recreational character, home to fewer than 200 permanent residents and surrounded by the forests and meadows typical of the Czech-German borderland.

When should you visit?

The mountain microclimate makes late spring through early autumn the most comfortable window, when the trails threading through the Lusatian Mountains are dry and well marked. Winter can bring heavy snow that complicates travel along the narrow local roads, though it also draws visitors looking for a quiet, snowbound landscape.

Frequently asked questions

Are there original castle walls still standing in Krompach? Little survives above ground from the 16th-century residence beyond foundations and fragments absorbed into the later inn building — after repeated rebuilding, the structure today looks more like a village house than a classic castle.

Who owned the estate at Krompach? From the 13th century onward the land belonged to the Berka of Dubá family, one of the older Bohemian noble houses with extensive holdings across northern Bohemia.

Is Valy a separate village? Administratively Valy is part of the Krompach municipality, but it grew as its own distinct settlement in the 18th century, built on land carved out of the older manor estate.

What else is worth seeing nearby? A trail from Valy leads to Oybin on the German side of the border, where dramatic castle and monastery ruins sit atop a rock formation — a popular day-trip destination from Krompach.