Castles on the rocks
Bradlec Castel
The necks represent coherent volcanic conduit exposed by selective erosion. The basalt of the dyke has irregular columnar to boulder disintegration. The phenocrysts of olivine and clinopyroxene are enclosed in fine-grained groundmass. The olivine crystals use to be significantly altered. Apart of small outcrops on the top of the hill, the volcanic rocks are exposed in abandoned quarries.
Possible shape of the castle
(1) the peripheral wall of the core, (2) outer ward, (3) remnants of outer walls, (4), remnants of a rectangular residential tower, (5) rock cliff, (6) remnants of a semi-circular bulwark.
The castle was probably founded around 1322, possibly by Havel Ryba of Bradlec. Bradlec is a nobleman's castle with a residential tower connected with palace wings in a block surrounding a courtyard. In its history, the castle experienced several sieges and was also conquered several times. It was already abandoned in the middle of the 16th century. Some owners: Vok of Rotštejn, Markvart of Jikev and Bradlec, Puta of Turnov, the lords of Jenštejn, Čenek of Vartenberk, Mikulaš of Valdstejn, Hynek Krušina of Lichtenburk, the lords of Meckov, Albrecht of Valdstejn, Vilem Trcka of Lipa. “Bradlec hill, so-called because of its sharp ridge, can be seen from afar, rising at the end of the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) foothills with its crown, the ruin of the old castle of Bradlec. It is a marvellous sight from all sides, whether you are coming from Jičín to Bradlecká Lhota or from Lomnice or on the pleasant forest paths from the Kumburk castle.
Castle gate
Contact
Geopark UNESCO Český ráj
Jiří Vlasák
e-mail:vlasak@geopark-ceskyraj.cz
http://www.geopark-ceskyraj.cz
