Orlík Castle

Orlík Castle near Humpolec is a ruined medieval stronghold set on a wooded hill close to the village of Rozkoš, a few kilometres from the town of Humpolec, in the Pelhřimov district of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. It has nothing to do with the famous Orlík Castle on the Vltava river in southern Bohemia — this is a separate, much smaller site that happens to share the same name, but it offers a genuine medieval ruin visitors can actually climb into.

How did the castle come to be, and where does the name Orlík come from?

The original stronghold, simply called Humpolec at the time, was most likely built after 1371 on the initiative of the lords of Dubé. The first written record dates to 1399, when it belonged to Henry of Dubé. Just five years later, in 1404, it was captured by the army of Henry of Rožmberk, a member of one of the most powerful noble families in medieval Bohemia. After Henry of Dubé's death, the castle passed to his daughter Agnes, whose husband, Jan of Jenštejn, sold it in 1420 to Jan Leskovec of Leskovce. At the start of the 16th century the castle underwent a major reconstruction that added bastioned fortifications, and it was around this time that it started being called Orlík — the name it has kept ever since.

Why did the castle fall into ruin?

The early-16th-century rebuilding was never fully completed, and the castle gradually lost its importance. By the 1630s it had been abandoned altogether. Over the following centuries it slipped into obscurity, and its stones were gradually taken by locals as building material — a common fate for Bohemian castles that lost their military and administrative role. From 1911 onward, local enthusiasts and the Club of Czech Tourists began looking after what remained, saving the ruins from further decay.

What is there to see at the site today?

Visitors can still see sections of the fortification walls and the so-called black kitchen, complete with a reconstructed bread oven. The main draw, however, is the rectangular tower: in 2014 a 22-metre steel viewing structure was built onto its old stone base, combining the historic masonry with a modern observation platform that offers wide views across the hills of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. A small on-site museum displays the castle's history, archaeological finds, and replicas of medieval stove tiles. The ruin has been protected as a cultural monument since 1963 and has been open to the public since 1997.

How do you get to Orlík Castle?

The ruins lie roughly two to three kilometres from the centre of Humpolec, on a hill rising above 600 metres. The easiest approach is on foot, following the marked trail from town toward the village of Rozkoš — a route used by both hikers and cyclists that typically takes under an hour to walk.

Frequently asked questions

Is Orlík near Humpolec the same castle as the famous Orlík nad Vltavou? No. These are two different places that happen to share a name. Orlík nad Vltavou is a large, well-preserved chateau in southern Bohemia, next to a reservoir. Orlík near Humpolec is a small, long-abandoned castle ruin in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, in the Pelhřimov district.

Where does the name Orlík come from? The castle was originally called Humpolec. It took on the name Orlík around the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, during a major reconstruction.

Can visitors climb the viewing tower? Yes. Since 2014, a 22-metre steel viewing structure has stood on top of the old stone tower and is open to visitors.

Since when have the ruins been open to the public? The ruins have been a protected cultural monument since 1963 and have welcomed visitors since 1997.