Pětipsy Castle

Pětipsy Castle (zámek Pětipsy) is the ruin of a medieval fortified tower that grew into a Renaissance-and-Baroque chateau, standing in the small village of the same name in the Chomutov district, roughly nine kilometers southeast of Kadaň. Protected as a cultural monument since 1963, the site has been the subject of an ongoing rescue effort since 2012.

How did the fortress get its start?

Pětipsy first appears in written records in 1226, when it belonged to the Doksany monastery; it later passed into royal hands. In 1322, Frycek of Egerberk received the estate as a fief and built a moated fortress there, centered on a three-story residential tower. The Pětipeský family held the property for nearly two centuries before selling it in 1504 to Václav Hasištejnský of Lobkovice. After his death it passed to Opl of Fictum, and from 1530 Pětipsy existed as an independent free estate.

When did the fortress become a chateau?

In 1559, Jeroným Hrobčický of Hrobčice bought the estate from the Šlik family, and around 1560, under his ownership, the old defensive tower was rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau, with new west and south wings forming a U-shaped courtyard ringed by a water moat. After 1623 the property passed to the Thun family of Klášterec, who sealed off the east wing soon after the Thirty Years' War and gave the building much of its present Baroque character. An 18th-century classicist remodeling followed, with further alterations in the 1920s-30s and again in the 1970s.

What was the Hodek family's role?

Starting in the 19th century, the Thuns leased the Pětipsy farm court to Gustav Hodek, owner of the local sugar factory; in 1926 the Hodek family bought the estate outright and ran it until 1948. During the Second World War, around 130 French prisoners were held at the castle. After the war it was nationalized, and without an owner to maintain it the building steadily deteriorated — by the 1990s it had lost its roof and was reduced to little more than bare walls.

How is the castle being rescued today?

In 2012, the civic association Via Levamente bought the ruined castle and, with support from EEA and Norway Grants, began a gradual restoration under heritage-conservator supervision. Annual open-house events have run since 2016, with volunteer work brigades remaining the main way for visitors to see the site up close during ongoing repairs. A turning point came in August 2024, when half of the castle opened to the public for the first time, with exhibitions on the Hodek family, the Pětipeský family of Chýše and Egerberk, and the local legend of the "Cruel Lady of Pětipsy."

Is it worth visiting?

Pětipsy Castle suits travelers drawn to heritage sites mid-restoration and local history rather than those expecting a polished, fully finished residence — conservation work is still underway, and access tends to be seasonal and tied to events organized by Via Levamente. The site sits directly on road II/224 between Kadaň and Podbořany, with the Doupovská railway stop about 300 meters to the west.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pětipsy Castle built? The original moated fortress with its residential tower was built by Frycek of Egerberk after he received the estate as a fief in 1322; the current Renaissance-Baroque form largely dates from the rebuilding around 1560 and further changes after 1623.

Who owned the castle over the centuries? Owners included the Pětipeský family, Václav Hasištejnský of Lobkovice, Jeroným Hrobčický of Hrobčice, the Thun family of Klášterec, and the Hodek family, who bought the estate in 1926.

Can visitors go inside the castle today? Partially — since August 2024, half of the building has been open to the public with historical exhibitions, though access remains limited and depends on events organized by the Via Levamente association.

Why did the castle fall into ruin? After nationalization in 1948 the property was left without a maintaining owner and was steadily neglected, leaving it roofless and largely reduced to bare walls by the 1990s.

Who is restoring the castle now? Since 2012 the ruin has been under restoration by the civic association Via Levamente, funded in part by EEA and Norway Grants and carried out with the help of volunteers.