Džbán Castle: A Gothic Noble Castle in Czechia
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 3.8
- 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 page7 sections
History
Foundation and abandonment
Džbán Castle, also known as Budětice Castle, is a ruined Gothic castle near Budětice in Czechia. The Lords of Budětice probably founded it during the second half of the thirteenth century as a medieval noble stronghold.
Bohuslav of Budětice, the castle’s last owner, left it after 1291 and moved to nearby Rabí Castle. Džbán was subsequently abandoned and gradually fell into ruin.
Protection and archaeological discovery
The remains have been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1964. The defensive ramparts surrounding the castle were uncovered after 1945, helping to clarify the extent of the former fortified site.
Remains
Castle layout and construction
Džbán Castle occupies the southwestern summit of Džbán Hill at an elevation of 618 metres, about one kilometre north of Budětice, between Budětice and Vlkonice. The oval site was enclosed by a ditch on every side except the east. The castle was built in the Gothic style, and the castle historian and archaeologist Tomáš Durdík classified it as a noble variation of a transitional-type castle, a form combining features of earlier and later medieval fortifications.
Round tower and stone palace
A round tower stood on the southern side of the site. A stone palace adjoined it to the north, with the narrower end of the palace meeting the tower. The other buildings and the fortifications were probably constructed of wood.
Foundations and ramparts
Only the foundations of the tower and the surrounding defensive ramparts are visible today. Their surviving layout preserves the principal evidence of the castle’s defensive organization on the hilltop.
Nearby sites
