Pernstejn Castle, Czech Republic

Looming above the forest like a fortress out of the set of Van Helsing, Pernstejn is one of the best preserved castles in the Czech Republic.  Mentioned in historical records as early as the second half of the 13th century, this castle is frequently used for the filming of fairytales and movies taking place during the middle ages.

Only 35 kilometers north of the Moravian city of Brno, Pernstejn stands on a rocky hill above the villages of Pernstejn and Nedvedice, overlooking the beautiful highlands of Moravia and Bohemia.  Some 75,000 people visit the castle every year.

I, too, visited this ancient edifice -- on a gloomy April day.  Snowflakes peppered the air as my Czech friend, Libor (right), acted as castle guide and teacher.  He told me the castle is often called the "Pearl of Moravian Castle Architecture" as it represents a unique example of Late Gothic resident and fortified building.

During the 15th century there was a frenzy of building activity at the castle due to warfare, and  the nobility wished to enlarge their residence and make it more luxurious.  Two wooden gantries were built to connect the two palace towers, as you can see in the above photo.

What interested me most about the castle was the mysterious atmosphere that lingered in the air, most likely due to the secret symbols and verses on the walls and in the corridors.  And then there's the castle's legend of the White Lady, said to be the ghost of a vain chambermaid named Eliska, who often appears with a comb in her hand...   Another ghostly tale?  Perhaps if you visit the castle you will find out...

Would you like to learn more about Pernstejn Castle?  Read about it on the Radio Praha site.

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Comments

[Melody]

Hi Serge,
I'm glad to hear about your experience at Pernstejn! Your note brought back good memories of my visit there... Libor is 6'6" tall and so he also had to spend quite a bit of time watching his head when moving from room to room. :)
Take care!

[Serge]

Hi,
A quick note to say thanks for the synopsis about the castle. We were there just this past May. Most wonderful experience and very interesting indeed. That was my first visit to a real castle - "Like in the movies!". The description is indeed appropriate. :) The legend about the vain maid made me smile too. Being rather tall, I constantly had to watch my head when moving along from one room to another. ;)

Cheers!