Pecka Castle

Pecka Castle is a Gothic ruin rising above the small town of Pecka, in the Jičín district of the Hradec Králové region, on the fringes of the Podkrkonoší foothills.

When was Pecka Castle built, and by whom?

The stronghold most likely went up at the very end of the 13th century, though the earliest written record dates to 1322, naming Budivoj of Pecka, a member of the lords of Železnice, as its owner. Perched on a rocky spur, the castle was built to guard the region's border and the nearby gold mines at Stupná. The Železnice family held onto the estate until the end of the 15th century.

What role did the castle play in noble feuds?

By the mid-15th century, Pecka's owner, Jaroslav of Pecka, was in the service of Mikuláš Trčka of Lípa, one of the most powerful lords of the era. In 1450, Jaroslav formally declared feud against the house of Rožmberk — a small but telling episode showing how entangled the castle and its owners were in the power struggles among Bohemia's great noble families.

How did a Gothic fortress become a Renaissance residence?

In the 16th century, the originally Gothic castle was remodeled into a stately Renaissance residence. Its most celebrated owner was Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice (1564–1621) — a traveler, writer, composer and statesman, and one of the most colorful figures of the Bohemian Renaissance. He lived at Pecka right up until his execution: after Bohemia's failed anti-Habsburg uprising, Harant was among the noblemen put to death on Prague's Old Town Square in 1621, and his estate was subsequently confiscated by the Habsburgs.

What caused the castle to fall into ruin?

After Harant's death, the residence passed through a succession of owners and steadily lost its importance. A fire in 1830 sealed its fate — the property was abandoned and left to decay from that point on. It wasn't until the 20th century that restoration work began, gradually bringing part of the complex back and opening it to visitors.

What can you see at the castle today?

The tour takes in partially restored interiors, including the so-called black kitchen, alongside exhibitions on the castle's history and the life of Kryštof Harant. During a 2018 building-history survey, researchers found a walled-up niche containing a woman's skeleton — a discovery that matched a local legend long told about an "immured woman," believed in tradition to have been a construction sacrifice whose spirit was meant to protect the castle from its enemies. A separate folk tale ties Pecka to a witch who quarreled with her two helpers and hurled a chicken bone and a piece of fruit at them, supposedly giving rise to two castles: Kost and Pecka.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Pecka Castle? The earliest written mention dates to 1322, but the castle itself was likely built at the end of the 13th century, making it well over seven hundred years old.

Who was the castle's most famous owner? Kryštof Harant of Polžice and Bezdružice, a Renaissance traveler, writer and composer who lived at Pecka until his execution in 1621.

Can you visit the castle today? Yes. Following restoration work, part of the complex is open to the public, with exhibitions on its history and access to the interior, including the black kitchen.

What's the story behind the walled-up woman? In 2018, researchers discovered a walled-up niche containing a woman's skeleton, confirming a long-standing local legend about a construction sacrifice meant to protect the castle.