Žerotín Castle

Žerotín Castle is located in the village of Žerotín in the modern Czech Republic and was constructed by members of the Bohemian nobility. Its origins trace back to the first half of the 13th century when Habart of Žerotín established this hilltop fortress around the same time the nearby town of Panenský Týnec was founded, originally named Žirotský Týnec until the 16th century.

The castle first appears in written records in 1250, associated with a nobleman named Ratibor. Both the fortress and its founding family initially bore the name Žirotín, which over time was transcribed as Žerotín, sometimes causing confusion with an unrelated Moravian noble family of the same later form. Habart of Žerotín, active as a lay judge between 1287 and 1297, is credited with founding a Clarissan monastery in Panenský Týnec, an institution later supported by his sons in 1321. These sons, Jaroslav and Plichta, took part in military campaigns with the Teutonic Order in Prussia; notably, Plichta died in battle at Mühldorf in 1322.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, ownership of the castle shifted through several noble families. It passed from the original holders to the Hazmburk family and then successively to Čeněk Míčan of Klinštejn, Petr Chotek of Vojnín, Jindřich Brozanský of Vřesovice, and in the 1580s to the Doupovs. The castle’s location near a vital land route linking Prague to German territories, along with relatively easy accessibility, contributed to its continued habitation, especially after renovations in the 16th century.

In the early 1600s, Žerotín was unified with the estate of Vrané. The combined estate’s owner, Vilém Vojtěch Doupovský, participated in the Bohemian Revolt against Habsburg rule. Though he died during the uprising, the estate was confiscated by imperial authorities as a consequence of his involvement. By 1623, Jan Zdeněk of Mitrovic acquired these lands.

The castle met a violent fate in 1639 when Swedish troops burned it down during the Thirty Years’ War, along with the nearby monastery in Panenský Týnec. Following this destruction, the fortress was abandoned and fell into ruin. When Ferdinand Popel of Lobkowicz purchased the estate in 1673, the castle was already in a state of decay and no longer fit for habitation. Five years later, Gundakar of Dietrichstein bought the property, merging it with the Budyn estate. Over time, local inhabitants dismantled parts of the structure to reuse its stone in building projects. In the mid-19th century, the Dietrichsteins repurposed the castle’s inner earthworks to build a facility for drying plums and planted walnut and cherry trees around the remaining ramparts and ruins.