Falkenštejn rock castle
| Falkenštejn rock castle | ||
|---|---|---|
 chiseled space |
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| Alternative name (s): | Sokolí, Falkenstein | |
| Creation time : | 13th Century | |
| Conservation status: | Chiseled room and numerous beam bearings | |
| Place: | Jetřichovice | |
| Geographical location | 50 ° 51 '17.4 " N , 14 ° 24' 19.6" E | |
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The rock castle Falkenštejn , also Sokolí (German Falkenstein ) is located in the Bohemian Switzerland near Jetřichovice (Dittersbach) . Only a few remains of the medieval rock castle are preserved today. A larger chiseled room and numerous joists from the earlier wooden superstructures have been preserved. The well that was once 25 meters deep in a crevice is remarkable.
history
Little is known about the history of the castle. Archaeological finds indicate that the rock has been used since the end of the 13th century. It is known that Burgrave Mikeš Blejketa in the 13./14. Century used the castle as a base for his raids. Since 1406 the castle was owned by the noble family of Berka von Dubá , in 1423 it served as the seat of Johann Berka von Dauba, a few later his brother Heinrich Berka von Dauba lived here.
The members of the castle's crew had also been active as robber barons since 1420 . During the Hussite Wars , the Falkenstein was the starting point for raids into Upper Lusatia (according to records from 1427 and 1430). In 1428 the castle came into the possession of Siegmund von Wartenberg auf Tetschen . From the year 1430 there are reports of further raids by the castle crew into Lusatia.
After 1430, the tradition of the castle breaks off. It is believed that the facility was destroyed in the course of the Hussite Wars . It is possible that the neighboring stone castle of Schauenstein took over the role and function of Falkenštejn. Although Falkenštejn was mentioned again in 1457/1460 in the case of inheritance claims, the structural remains fell into disrepair in the coming decades, only the rooms carved into the sandstone remained.
According to other information, the Falkenštejn castle was used beyond 1430 and was besieged and destroyed in 1444 by the Upper Lusatian Union of Six Cities. The Lords of Wartenberg decided not to rebuild, as they used the town of Česká Kamenice as their headquarters.
In the course of the romanticism of the 19th century and the associated tourist development of Bohemian Switzerland, Falkenštejn was rediscovered as a destination for excursions. On the initiative of Princess Wilhelmine Kinsky, the castle rock was made accessible, which has developed into a popular excursion destination. Only a few rooms carved deep into the rock have survived to this day. Particularly impressive is a roughly 25 meter deep crevice that runs through the entire rock.
In autumn 2017, a complete renovation of the access routes to the castle began, as the old routes became more and more difficult to walk due to the progressive erosion in the sandstone. The work should be completed in spring 2018.
Viewing platform
Looking east.
Look into a room
Stairs exit
Staircase
On the rock castle
See also
- Falkenstein (Saxon Switzerland) in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains near Bad Schandau with the former "veste Valkenstein"
- List of castles and chateaus in the Czech Republic
Individual evidence
- ↑ Vlastimil Pažourek (Red.): Castles in the border region between Saxony and Bohemia. Iniciativa pro Děčínský Zámek, Děčín 2012, ISBN 978-80-905025-1-2 , p. 57
- ↑ Peter Rölke (ed.): Hiking and nature guide Bohemian Switzerland. Dresden 2005, p. 215
- ↑ Romantic rock castle with a lot of metal , Sächsische Zeitung (Dippoldiswalde edition) of October 27, 2017
literature
- Vlastimil Pažourek (Red.): Castles in the border region between Saxony and Bohemia. Iniciativa pro Děčínský Zámek, Děčín 2012, ISBN 978-80-905025-1-2 , pp. 56–59.
- Richard Klos: The six rock castles in Bohemian Switzerland . In: Sächsische Heimatblätter. Volume 14, Issue 3, 1968, ISSN 0486-8234 , pp. 97-103.
