Houska Castle

Houska Castle is one of the most unusual monuments in northern Bohemia — a 13th-century fortress that, according to legend, was built to seal off a "gateway to hell". It stands on a rocky ridge in the eastern part of the Kokořínsko Protected Landscape Area, roughly 47 km north of Prague, in the village of Houska, part of the Blatce municipality in the Česká Lípa district (Liberec Region). Address: Houska 1, 471 62 Doksy.

Who built the castle, and why?

Houska was founded in the first half of the 13th century, during the reign of King Přemysl Otakar II (1253–1278), as an administrative center for managing the surrounding royal estates. It is considered one of the best-preserved fortresses in Bohemia from that ruler's era. What sets it apart is a string of features unusual for a stronghold: it had no access to a natural water source, relying instead on a rainwater cistern; it stood near no trade route and had no strategic value; its walls even included fake windows, and it was built without a kitchen. For a long stretch after construction, nobody actually lived there. These oddities have fueled speculation for centuries about the castle's real purpose.

Where does the "gateway to hell" legend come from?

Local legend holds that the site once contained a deep pit that people in the area believed led straight to hell. Villagers reportedly tried to fill it with stones, but the hole could never be closed. Strange creatures were said to emerge from it — winged monsters, demons, ghosts, even a headless horse. Houska Castle, the story goes, was built specifically to seal this opening. Among the surviving interiors most tied to these tales are a Gothic chapel, the so-called Green Chamber with late Gothic wall paintings, and a knights' hall.

What happened to the castle later?

In 1924, Houska was bought by Josef Šimonek, the first president of the Škoda Works industrial conglomerate; his descendants still own the castle today. After the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, the Wehrmacht took over the building and held it until 1945, using it from 1943 onward as a storage depot for confiscated Jewish and Masonic books. After the war the castle was eventually returned to its original owners, and it has been open to visitors since 1999.

Is Roveň the same place as Houska?

Not exactly the same village, but they belong to the same administrative area. Roveň is a small settlement that, together with the village of Beškov, has belonged to the Blatce municipality since 1849 — the same municipality that contains Houska and its castle. So while Roveň and Houska are distinct localities, they sit within one shared local government unit, which explains why both names turn up together in descriptions of this corner of the Česká Lípa district.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Houska Castle located? In the village of Houska, part of the Blatce municipality, Česká Lípa district, inside the Kokořínsko Protected Landscape Area, about 47 km north of Prague.

When was the castle built? In the first half of the 13th century, during the reign of Přemysl Otakar II.

Can visitors tour Houska Castle? Yes — it has been open to the public since 1999, after being returned to the family of its former owners.

Who owns the castle today? The Šimonek family, descendants of Josef Šimonek, the first president of Škoda Works, who acquired it in 1924.

Why is Houska called the "gateway to hell"? Because of a local legend about a bottomless pit on the site from which demonic creatures were said to emerge — the castle was allegedly built to seal it shut.