Sviňomazy Castle

Sviňomazský Hrádek is the remains of a medieval fortress perched on a rocky spur above the right bank of the Úterský Stream, roughly a kilometer northeast of the village of Sviňomazy, within the municipality of Trpísty in the Tachov district of the Plzeň Region. Little survives on the ground today, but the site holds real historical weight — it is widely regarded as the original seat of the lords of Trpísty.

How to get there?

Sviňomazy lies about a kilometre and a half northwest of Trpísty, not far from Stříbro in western Bohemia. The ruins of the Hrádek themselves sit in woodland, on a rise above the stream valley, outside the built-up part of the village — reached on foot from either Sviňomazy or Trpísty. The surrounding countryside is typical of the Plzeň Region: quiet, a mix of farmland and forest, with little tourist traffic outside summer — well suited to visitors drawn to lesser-known, low-key heritage sites.

History of the fortress

The stronghold was most likely established around the middle of the 14th century, though its exact founding date is unknown. The earliest written record dates from 1360, naming Sulek of Erpužice as its first documented owner; he died around 1380–1381. The name "Sviňomazský" was only attached to the site in the 20th century — before that it was simply known as Hrádek.

After Sulek's death, the property passed to his sons, Sezema and Jan, around 1381. Jan appears to have held the fortress the longest, possibly until 1431, after which it passed to his son Markvart, documented in the sources in 1452 and 1466. By 1473 the owner was Linhart of Hrádek, though he actually resided elsewhere, at Erpužice. The independent history of the stronghold ended in 1520, when Jan of Hrádek sold the by-then abandoned Hrádek, together with its manor farm and surrounding villages including Mydlovary, to Linhart Markvart of Hrádek, who folded the entire estate into the Trpísty domain.

The connection to the nearby Trpísty castle is worth noting: the lords of Trpísty are believed to trace their origin back to Sviňomazský Hrádek, even though the earliest history of the original stronghold at Trpísty itself is poorly documented.

What remains of the fortress today?

The complex once consisted of two parts: a compact core and an extensive outer bailey. The core was separated from the surrounding land by an artificially dug ditch with a rampart. Its buildings were most likely limited to a tower-like structure enclosed by a defensive wall, while the outer bailey held wooden, farm-related buildings.

The site is now wooded, and only modest traces of the fortification survive — a layer of scorched earth within the outer bailey marks where its buildings once stood, while the core retains only small fragments of wall. Without knowing the history, a visitor could easily walk past without realizing a stronghold once stood here.

When to visit?

Given its forested setting and lack of tourist infrastructure, spring and summer are the best times to visit, when vegetation is less of an obstacle and daylight hours are longer. In autumn, once the leaves have fallen, the outline of the ditch and rampart becomes easier to spot, making it somewhat easier to trace the original layout of the fortress.

Frequently asked questions

When was Sviňomazský Hrádek built? The fortress was most likely founded around the middle of the 14th century, with the earliest written mention dating from 1360.

Who was its first known owner? Sulek of Erpužice, recorded in sources from 1360, who died around 1380–1381.

Why is it called "Sviňomazský"? That name was only given to the site in the 20th century — earlier it was known simply as Hrádek.

What survives today? Very little — fragments of wall in the core area and a layer of scorched earth in the former outer bailey, all now surrounded by forest.