Sokolohrady: Gothic Castle Remains in Czechia
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Czechia
- Primary era
- Medieval
- Eras represented
- Medieval
- Civilizations
- Holy Roman Empire, Kingdom of Bohemia
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Castle
On this page5 sections
History
Sokolohrady, also known as Sokolov, is the remains of a Gothic castle in Czechia, first recorded in 1404. The castle was associated with the robber knights Jan of Chotělice and Pavel Hubenka of Žíšov. Gothic architecture was a medieval European style known for strong masonry, pointed arches, and fortified or vertically emphasized buildings.
Jan of Chotělice had owned Střítež in 1402 and briefly held Chotěboř in 1404 with Zdeněk Rohlík and Stašek. In 1407, a royal army besieged the castle, although the result of the attack is unknown. The castle was devastated in the years that followed.
In 1437, Sokolohrady reverted to the king as escheat property, meaning that ownership returned to the crown under a legally defined condition. By 1456, it was mentioned only as a fortified site called Sokolov. The remains now lie within the Údolí Doubravy nature reserve and the Železné hory Protected Landscape Area, protected regions established to conserve natural features and landscapes.
A local tradition connected with nearby Mikšova jáma tells of the robber knight Mikeš, who was defeated by Jan Kokot of Sobíňov.
Remains
Promontory and Castle Plan
The castle occupied a rocky promontory at an elevation of 495 metres on the right bank of the Doubrava River. It stood in the cadastral area of Dolní Sokolovec, an officially defined territorial unit used for land registration, about 3 kilometres east of Chotěboř. The plan was approximately triangular and included a pentagonal tower.
Fortifications
A wall about 1.6 metres thick defended the castle, while a moat approximately 20 metres wide strengthened its position. The bailey, the enclosed outer part of a castle complex, had a second moat measuring 7 to 8 metres across and about 2.5 metres deep.
Lookout and Memorial
A lookout at Sokolohrady provides views into the Doubrava valley. On the rock below the castle, a memorial plaque commemorates the poet František Boštík.
