Houska Castle (Гоуска)

Czech Republic / Liberecky / Blatce / Гоуска / Blatce
 castle, Renaissance (architecture), Gothic (architecture)
At the site of today's castle became the 9th a century wooden fortress, which was later rebuilt in stone castle. It belonged to the son of Duke of Psovan Slavic tribe, whose name Housek originated the castle name.

In the years 1270 - 1280 King Ottokar II. decides that there shall be established impregnable castle, which will protect the surrounding estate from hostile incursions. In the same years as Houska was built nearby Bezdez Castle. Both castles were built by the same Cistercians building works and in both of them can be found very similar architectural elements.

Throughout the centuries, gothic castle underwent many building alterations. This meant that now you can see here some Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance style elements. Renaissance reconstruction was the most influenced the current form of the castle and its surroundings.

The castle had many owners, it's resulting in a power fail. The major owners of Houska, for example, were the Lords of Dube, Jan of Smirice, Duke of Wallenstein, Count of Kounice, Princess Hohenlohe and Countess Andrássy.

During the WWII served, like most of castles to the Nazi Germany Wehrmacht. In 1950 there was placed State Library Klementinum in Praha Archive. It stayed here for 40 years and a few years later it was returned to the original owners descendants in the restitution.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houska_Castle
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   50°29'27"N   14°37'26"E

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This article was last modified 12 years ago