Milčany

Milčany is a ruined medieval castle in the Česká Lípa district, west of the small town of Holany, wedged between two ponds — Holanský and Milčanský. Little remains of the once-defensive structure today, since much of it was lost to flooding and centuries of stone quarrying, but the site itself, tucked between two bodies of water in the Máchův kraj region, still draws visitors looking for a lesser-known destination off the main tourist track.

Where does the name Milčany come from?

The castle's name refers to the Milčané, a Slavic tribe from Upper Lusatia that once bordered Bohemian territory. It's an unusual case of a Czech fortification taking its name directly from a neighboring Lusatian people rather than from its founder or a feature of the landscape.

What is the castle's history?

Before the structure known today as Milčany existed, an older knightly residence — likely bearing the same name — stood on an islet in a neighboring pond, and it disappeared around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. The new castle, which inherited the name of its predecessor, was built between 1391 and 1402. Jindřich z Dubé is documented as its owner in 1402. In 1437, Zikmund Děčínský z Vartenberka bought the castle from Chvala Berka z Dubé. According to one theory, the structure may have been destroyed in 1444 during an incursion by the forces of the Lusatian Six Towns. By the 15th century the castle had already begun falling into disrepair, and sources from 1543–1622 describe it as abandoned.

What survives today?

Milčany was a single-unit castle built in Gothic style from sandstone. Centuries of quarrying at the site seriously damaged its original layout and lowered the surrounding terrain by 3–4 metres. What remains today is a shallow ditch on the northwest side and a fragment of the southern wall, which shows traces of earlier renovation work. Part of the ruins now lies beneath the waters of the Milčanský pond. Since 1965, the site has been protected as a cultural monument, registered under number 41829/5-2952, and it is owned by the Czech Republic.

How do you get to the ruins?

A red-marked hiking trail connecting Holany with Stvolínky runs near the ruins, making it an easy stop for anyone exploring the area on foot. The trail links the castle site with other regional attractions, including the ponds and nearby hills.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

Right next to the castle lies the Milčanský pond, established in 1864 and known locally as Velká Nohavice — part of the larger Holany pond system. It offers sandy, tree-shaded beaches, a swimming area, boat rental, a children's playground, and campsites, including Kemp Milčany with eight four-bed cabins and space for caravans and tents. The surrounding area also has the ruins of Hostíkovec castle and the natural hills of Vlhošť and Ronov, with the whole region falling within the Kokořínsko–Máchův kraj protected landscape area.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly are the Milčany castle ruins located? In the Česká Lípa district, west of Holany, between the Holanský and Milčanský ponds.

When was Milčany castle built? Between 1391 and 1402, on the site of an older knightly residence that had disappeared around the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries.

What is left of the castle today? A shallow ditch on the northwest side and a fragment of the southern wall; the rest was lost mainly to long-term stone quarrying, with part of the remains now submerged beneath the pond.

Since when has the site been a protected monument? Since 1965, registered under monument number 41829/5-2952.

How can you reach the ruins on foot? Via the red-marked hiking trail running between Holany and Stvolínky, which passes close to Milčany.