Our adventure began with a simple question: "Are there any castle ruins nearby?" The young man at the desk stared blankly at us and then broke out into a big grin. He ducked into the office and came back with a topo map. "These are the best ruins in the Czech Republic," he said, and proceeded to draw arrows and x's and lines on the map. "At the little village of Prisecna, turn north until you get to Trisov. There you can park your car at the train stop and walk up a winding trail to the Divci Kamen ruins." Never in a thousand years would we have found this place without him. Local knowledge is the best!
Devi Kamen is a medieval gothic castle built in 1349-1360. The Czech King Charles IV gave four brothers permission to build a castle on this remote spot in the southern Czech Republic. It is protected by the Vltava River on one side and massive black rock walls on the other. For its time, the castle was quite modern and comfortable. The three-story palace was heated by fireplaces and tile stoves. Unfortunately, the castle was a bit too isolated. The brothers never lived here permanently and it was abandoned in 1541.
The trail itself followed the river through golden-infused woods and a painted landscape. The air was cold and crisp. A perfect day!
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