Bítov Castle

Bítov Castle is perched on a rocky promontory approximately 70 meters above the Želetavka River near its meeting point with the Dyje River. This natural position offered significant defensive advantages. The original medieval complex was divided into three main sections separated by ramparts. Early fortifications consisted primarily of wooden and clay structures surrounded by moats on the eastern and western sides. Of these early works, only the castle chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary was initially constructed in stone.

A prominent feature dating from the 13th century is the bergfried tower, a type of tall defensive tower. Its wedge-shaped outer wall faced the access road and was surrounded by a stone curtain wall. This design was innovative in the Czech lands and influenced the construction of other castles in the region, such as Zvíkov and Strakonice.

During the Gothic transformation carried out by the Lichtenburg family, the castle’s main components were relocated to the higher eastern part of the rock. Here, three formidable towers were built along with a new palace arranged around an irregularly shaped courtyard. The chapel was rebuilt and expanded within this palatial complex, creating a central religious space. Defensive improvements included additional prismatic towers—towers with a polygonal shape—featuring wedge-shaped outer walls protecting the primary access routes. A horseshoe-shaped moat and a powerful curtain wall guarded the outer rampart facing Trampelberk hill, which overlooked the river junction.

In the late medieval period, as the garrison grew, new fortifications were added down the slope closer to the valley. One of these was a wedge-shaped tower positioned to defend against potential attacker fire coming from opposite slopes. Later modifications in the late 15th century further connected previously isolated fortification segments and introduced a new main prismatic tower. These changes included relocating the castle’s entrance from the north to the southern end of the narrow isthmus. Today, the surviving entrance gate and a tall prismatic gate tower situated on the southwest corner of the palace complex stand out as significant remnants of these transformations.

Inside the chapel dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, substantial remodeling occurred during the 19th century. The chapel was raised in height and extended, featuring a new main altar painting created by Anton Ziegler. Beneath the mosaic floor lies a family crypt. One of the chapel’s treasured items is a rare 14th-century Gothic statue of the Madonna holding a bird, originally from nearby Cornštejn Castle.

The castle’s interiors hold valuable collections assembled by its last private owner, Baron Georg Haas. These include German and Austrian Romantic paintings as well as zoological exhibits.

Surrounding the castle, grounds once included a large English-style romantic park adorned with small buildings and sculptures. Among these was a commemorative column topped with the “Swedish Madonna,” a statue honoring protection from Swedish troops during the Thirty Years’ War. Much of this park was lost in the 1930s with the construction of the Vranov reservoir.