Since ancient times, people have associated the Czech Republic with a mysterious and magical power. The forests and castles of these places keep many inexplicable, mystical mysteries. And each such place is invariably shrouded in legends, legends, stories telling about transformations, about mysterious and mysterious deaths.
In the castle of Gouska
Photo: ŠJů / commons.wikimedia.org
Houska is a mysterious castle with many legends associated with it, and in its surroundings, many are afraid to be even during the day. The famous Czech historian Augustin Sedlacek wrote: “On a high mountain stood an ancient castle, famous not only for its buildings, but also for its picturesque location and the mystery surrounding it”.
Castle courtyard
Photo: Lukáš Kalista / commons.wikimedia.org
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To this day, experts are struggling with a riddle - why the Gouska castle was built. There were no important places around it that were worth protecting, no important trade roads, no settlements, and there was no access to a water source. In the castle itself, no fortifications, no treasury, no storage facilities, no kitchen were found. However, the dungeon is completely pitted with catacombs. The architectural plan of the Gouska castle confirms that the fortress was not built to defend against outside attacks, but to defend against what was inside. The towers, which have not survived to this day, were turned inward.
Castle interior
It is only known that the stone fortress was built by order of the ruler of Bohemia Přemysl Otakar II. According to the latest archaeological research, the castle was founded between 1270 and 1280. and is one of the few well-preserved castles from that era. However, experts believe that on the site of the modern castle already in the 9th century there was a wooden fortress, which Prince Slavibor of the Pshovani family built for his son Gousek. It was in honor of Gousek that the fortress was named. The building was reconstructed more than once, and in the 16th century it was changed in the style of the Renaissance.
The hunting hall in the Gouska castle
Photo: Lukáš Kalista / commons.wikimedia.org
For a long time it was the administrative residence of the Bohemian king. Then the residence was transferred to the hands of the aristocracy. Until the 18th century, the owners of the castle were constantly changing. In 1924, the castle was acquired by the president of Skoda, Josef Szimonek, who turned it into a summer residence. During World War II, the Gouska castle was captured by German troops. In 1950, the castle was nationalized and turned into the Clementinum Archives - the State Library. In the early 1990s, the castle was returned to its previous owners - Jaromir Szimonek and Blanca Gorova. In 1999, a partial reconstruction of the castle was carried out, and it was opened to tourists.
Murals in the Green Room
Photo: Tadehruska / commons.wikimedia.org
Gouska Castle is built over a large hole in the ground, which, according to legend, is the gateway to hell. Locals have seen more than once how half-human-half-animals crawled out of the hole and scary creatures with dark wings flew out. A letter from Vaclav Hayek of Lubočany, who lived in the 15th century, has survived. He wrote to his brother Eduard: “I was walking through the forest, not far from the town of Gouska. Suddenly a rock cracked under the hail, a hole was formed, and evil spirits began to appear from this hole and turn into animals …"
Murals in the Green Room
Photo: ŠJů / commons.wikimedia.org
There is also a legend that those sentenced to death were given a chance to receive a pardon if they descended on a rope into a hole in Gouska, and then tell what they saw there. It is said that the first prisoner who decided to get his freedom in this way began to scream after a few seconds spent in the hole. When they pulled him out, they saw a terrified man with his hair gray with horror.
Castle interior
After making sure that the hole was unsafe, the owners of the castle decided to fill up the demonic well. However, the well turned out to be practically bottomless. It took three years to completely fall asleep. And in order to finally close the "gates to hell" and prevent the demons from entering the world of the living, it was decided to build a chapel over the filled-in hole, which is the most mysterious room of the Gouska castle.
Chapel in the Gouska castle
Photo: Lukáš Kalista / commons.wikimedia.org
The chapel is located in the northern wing of the castle and is very similar to the chapel of the Bezdez castle, which was built almost simultaneously with the Gouska castle.
Altar in the castle chapel
Photo: Tadehruska / commons.wikimedia.or
The walls of the chapel are decorated with unusual frescoes, uncharacteristic for European castles of the XII-XIV centuries, which depict biblical scenes, in particular, the Archangel Michael during the Last Judgment and scenes of the battle between the archangels and the devil.
In addition to the legends about the gates to hell, numerous stories about ghosts and spirits are also associated with Gouska Castle. Thus, the inhabitants of the castle more than once heard moans and voices coming from the bottomless well. Some saw the figure of a black monk without a face. They tell about the Swedish deserters who faced the sorcerers living in the castle. There are stories about a bandit and a black hen that the ghost seeks to gain eternal life. And not far from the hill on which the Gouska castle is located is the so-called Devil's Stone. There are traces of hooves and chains on this stone.
Frescoes in the chapel
Photo: ŠJů / commons.wikimedia.org
In 2013, a secret cell was unexpectedly found in the castle of Gouska, carved into the rock adjacent to the castle. Scientists believe that this room was made here during the construction of the castle. One of the archaeologists said that the cell contains fragments of ancient ceramics. The mystery of Gouska Castle remains unsolved to this day.
Used materials from the site locusterra.ru