Po hradech a zříceninách Českého středohoří
Hazmburk
A ruin of a former Gothic castle called Hamburk towers at the altitude of 418 m on Klapý Hill not far from a village of the same name. Separated from the massif of České Středohoří, the basalt hill is an important landmark in the lower Poohří area. According to archaeological finds the foot of the hill used to be inhabited already in the Neolithic Age. No records are known of the former castle, which indicates that it was a wooden construction that gradually ceased to exist. A stone castle was built by Lichtemburks of Rohovec family in the middle of the 13th century. It was passed to Jan Lucemburský, a Czech king in the14th century who did not own it for long. In 1335 it was purchased by Zbyněk Zajíc from Valdek. Mr. Zajíc named the castle after his name and started to use its German form Hasenburk (Zajíc = Hare= in German Hase). Soon after, it was turned into the Czech version Hamburk. Zbyněk Zajíc had the castle rebuilt and enlarged by a wall and gates. Several additional floors were added to the old prismatic White Tower. The tower was named after bright sandstone used when building its upper part. The castle foundations are made of basalt, the mid part of chiselled sandstone and the hilltop of well processed sandstone ashlars. The Black Tower which is 25 m tall was surrounded by another wall. The Black cylindrical tower is 4 m wide. Its walls are over 2 m thick. It played an important role from the defence point of view. It was accessible only from a hanging courtyard balcony. There were times when it was used as a prison- dungeon. Zajíc family of Hazmburk belonged to mighty families in the kingdom in the 14th and 15th century. Hazmburk castle supported the king and the Catholic Church. Therefore, it had to resist the Hussite wars. The Hussites made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer it. The importance of the castle was in decline ever since the 15th century. In 1558 the desolate castle was sold to Lobkkowicz family. A mere ruin wrapped in legends (for instance the one about Hazmburk´s dragon) has preserved to this date. It offers a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape.
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Výhled z Hazmburku
